Congregation Beth Mordecai
Congregation Beth Mordecai
An inclusive congregation affiliated with the Conservative Movement.
Your Jewish Home for the Soul!
An inclusive congregation affiliated with the Conservative Movement.
Your Jewish Home for the Soul!
August 29, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
A poem for tonight's Shabbat by the Sea
The view
Speaks in a language
Only the heart knows
The voice of Adonai thunders over rushing waters (click link, p.7)
The people
Sing in a voice
Only the heart hears
The voice of Adonai stirs the wilderness (click link, p.7)
The time
Whispers in a hush
Only the heart feels
The voice of Adonai echoes with majesty (click link, p.7)
May all who who come to God's eternal sanctuary share together
How vast
How beautiful
How glorious is
Shabbat...
...especially when you're by the Sea
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ari Saks
Category : Ari-archive Tag : beauty poem rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat shabbat by the sea shabbat message songs
July 25, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh, There is nothing like Shabbat by the Sea. The view, the atmosphere, the singing and dancing. It's a very special time for our community, and though our first Shabbat was rained out I am looking forward to a wonderful season of making memories in the open air by the Raritan Bay. Being in the open air (i.e. outside of the walls of our building) means that while the experience of Shabbat by the Sea is meant for our community's benefit, we are exposing the elements of our ritual to onlookers and passerby in the local Perth amboy community. Dog-walkers, runners, children at play, even couples taking pictures before their wedding (according to a story shared by Rabbi Melinda Zalma during[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : bayside creamery Giddy's Pizzeria God's Army Ministries openness perth amboy rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat shabbat by the sea ymca
June 24, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
(6/24/14),
When I started in my role as rabbi of Beth Mordecai there was a lot I didn't know. I didn't know much about board meetings, I didn't know what it would be like to run a High Holiday service with a cantor, I didn't know how my ideas would be received by the community. Nearly two years and much experience later, I have a better handle on some of these questions though more often than not an answer to one question leads to seeking answers for many more questions.
There is one question though of which the answer has evaded me since I started -- how can I successfully set up and maintain all of the tools in my possession and[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : foundation rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat
June 13, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
Today I had the privilege of traveling to Washington Heights in NYC to attend the bris of my cousin's newborn son. It's always enjoyable to be a part of a simhah and see the joyous faces of my cousin, his wife, and the new grandparents. But it was the reaction from my grandparents who were welcoming their second great grandchild into the family that really made this day special. Their happiness, their joy at being able to reach this occasion of having multiple great-grandchildren was palpable. It reinforced for me the notion that as we get older we become more appreciative of every moment we have and especially of every simhah we enjoy. Life becomes an experience to cherish as the gift that it is. So thank[...]
Category : Ari-archive Tag : gift life mommom poppop rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat shabbat by the sea shehehiyanu שהחיינו
June 6, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
As we come out of a holiday full of meaningful Torah learning, I am reminded that no matter how enjoyable, how meaningful, or how special Torah learning can be it is not always easy to find the time to continue our learning. The blessing we are supposed to recite before learning Torah -- Barukh Attah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh Ha-Olam Asher Kid'shanu B'mitzvotav V'tzivanu La-asok B'divrei Torah (Blessed Are You God King of the Universe Who Has Sanctified Us with Your Commandments and Commanded Us To Busy Ourselves With the Words of Torah) -- teaches us that like any business or occupation, Torah learning needs our time and effort.
Yet, how often do we actually busy ourselves with Torah? If we're[...]
Category : Bar and Bat Mitzvah Bar Mitzvah Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat Shavuot Tag : avima darnov bar and bat mitzvah hebrew corner partnership rabbi rabbi's journal rabbis shabbat shavuot torah
June 3, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
*Sermon for Friday night of "Cantor Showcase of Unique Torah" (Shabbat prior to Shavuot) – May 30, 2014
Our Unique and Godly Torah
Rabbi Ari Saks
Some of you may remember a story my father told during my installation on this same bimah over a year and a half ago. I was a little boy in Benton Harbor and my father and I had just come back from shul on Simhat Torah. As we approached home I started making a frantic pointing motion in a not-so-specific direction (with the requisite grunting of a child). So my father, in attempting to respond my neediness, took me on a walk trying to follow my random pointing. Eventually we ended up back at shul where my pointing got[...]
Category : Bulletin Articles Cantorial Showcase Holidays home Rabbi Sermons Shabbat Shavuot Tag : bulletin articles Cantorial Showcase godly holidays neil gillman norman lamm pirkei avot potential rabbeinu yonah rabbi revelation sermons shabbat shavuot unique torah
May 23, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh, Every Shabbat we gather together to sing the joys of life, to share the moments the matter, to offer our prayers on behalf of those who are ill, and to recall the memory of our loved ones. In short, every Shabbat we have an opportunity to appreciate all that is contained within life. Some weeks we are more joyous, some weeks we are more sad, but all weeks are necessary parts of the fabric of life. So whether you are sad, happy, concerned, excited, curious, upset, or all of the emotions in between, join us this Shabbat, at 8 pm tonight and 10 am tomorrow to share these important feelings of life together. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Ari Saks P.S. For those[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Shabbat Tag : joy life rabbi rabbi's journal sadness shabbat
May 16, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Dear Hevreh,
When it comes to relationships, it is often easier to not "rock the boat," perhaps because of our worry of the potential consequence of causing a rift within our relationships by engaging in difficult conversations. Yet not engaging with those difficult issues at all can lead to resentment, mistrust, and separation that limits the closeness we feel with one another, which is why when we engage in these issues in a thoughtful and appropriate manner we build the trust needed to know that at the end of the day, we can move on from any disagreements that linger so that we can continue to be in relationship with one another.
The same can be said of a community which is built[...]
Category : Rabbi Rabbi's Journal Tag : conversations israel jstreet obligation rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat unique torah women
April 18, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Shabbat Hol Ha-Moed Passover 2014/5774: Time for a Festival In the portion for this Shabbat of Hol Ha-Moed Passover, we read the term "moed" as it refers to the holiday of Passover...or as it refers to the time of Aviv (Spring). So which is it? Does "moed" mean "festival" or "time"? We will explore this question as it will help us understand the unique qualities of Jewish festivals like Passover and how these holidays have special significance for us today. Classes from other years...Shabbat Hol Ha-Moed Passover 2013/5773 -- Keeping Shabbat in Passover
Category : Online Learning Online Parashah Class Uncategorized Tag : akitu bounty chizkuni ear festival food grain grateful harvest hizkuni hol hamoed joy keter yonatan moed online learning online parashah class passover shabbat time חזקוני כתר יונתן מועד עת פסח
April 13, 2014 By bethmordecai no comments.
Faith in Words
Sermon for Shabbat Hagadol (April 12th 2014)
Rabbi Ari Saks
Congregation Beth Mordecai
Once there was a king who ruled many kingdoms, yet no matter how much wealth he amassed, no matter how many people he helped, he never felt at peace. His mind raced in so many different directions he could never feel as if he was in the right place at the right time. When he was sad he wanted to be happy, and for some reason when he was happy, he wanted to be sad. Well, he thought, if my mind is never at peace then neither should my kingdom. So he set about making every part of his kingdom the opposite of what it should be –[...]
Category : Cantorial Showcase home Passover Rabbi Sermons Shabbat Tag : capacity community high holidays Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia mission passover rabbi rabbi david wolpe Rabbi Ezekiel Landau Reverend Nicole Diroff Rosh Hashanah sacrifices sermons shabbat words Yom Kippur