How do we modern Jews understand reward and punishment? My colleague and friend Rabbi Jocee Hudson, Director of Education at Temple Beth Sholom of Santa Ana, CA, reflects upon this question, which arises in the Torah portion Ekev (Deuteronomy 11:13-21):This week’s Torah portion, Parashat Eikev, includes the theologically troubling second paragraph of one of our …
Structured Caring: Reaching Out to Families with Children with Special Needs
When loving a child with special needs, the pressure and the work to meet his/her needs are constant. Crises come regularly; exhaustion is a constant companion. It is a unique struggle. That’s why at Or Ami, our Henaynu Caring Community Committee, in partnership with our Brandon Kaplan Special Needs Program, has found a unique way …
Climate Change: What’s the Jewish Take?
Shabbat. The day of rest. We refrain from acting on the world, so as to take pleasure in it. We thank the Holy One for the world in which we live. But it seems that we never stop acting on the world. And often in very detrimental ways. Once again Thomas Friedman (NYTimes, 8/5/08) poignantly …
For Those Dealing with Chronic Illness: A Prayer for Persisting
In her article, Prayer for Persisting: Moving Beyond Mi Shebeirach, my colleague Rabbi Julie Pelc, Assistant Director of the Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health, reflects upon facing the constant long term of chronic illness: During Rabbinic school, I spent more time in doctor’s offices than in seminary classrooms. Whereas it was initially an acute …
Maintaining the Bible as Inspiration, and Science as… Science
Rabbis across the country are joining with Christian and other clergy to “affirm our commitment ot the teaching of the science of evolution.” In a world where various fundamentalists want to mix religious teachings (so-called “creationist theories”) with bone fide scientific theory in science classes, we raise our voices to challenge this religious indoctrination. Our …
Olympics: A Candle for Those Oppressed
Olympics are coming. The athletes will shine. But… This from my colleague Rabbi Andy Koren (Director of Religious Education at Temple Emanuel in Greensboro): A Candle for Those Oppressed This Friday, the attention of the world will turn to Olympics. Extensive media coverage will be given to exceptional athletes: the talented swimmers, gifted gymnasts, Dream …
Safeguarding Religious Freedom: The Freedom to Marry
California Faith for Equality, among others, are working toward marriage equality in California and beyond. After watching their video, click over to the Jews for Marriage Equality to see the overwhelming number of rabbis who support Marriage Equality.
Wisdom on Wisdom: Stop and Think about This One
From my eTeacher Rabbi Rafael Goldstein (never met the guy, just read his emails). We are wise only while in search of wisdom; when we imagine we have attained it, we are fools. – Solomon ibn Gabirol
Kosher Can Mean Socially Responsible and Environmentally Friendly Too
And the Ethical Kosher discussions keep coming! (Read my previous post on Ethical Kashrut or the Chicago Sun Times article.) A colleague, talking with a major health foods provider, is involved in a new organization that addresses issues of ethical kashrut.One World Kosher it is called. I’m not endorsing anyone, but this is fascinating. Being …
Ethical Kosher: A Kashrut We All Could (Should!) Follow
You would think that if an item is designated as “kosher” all aspects of its production would be “kosher” [read: ethical, moral, environmentally friendly]. You would expect that from the way it is prepared to the treatment of the workers who made it to the way the company treats the environment, all aspects would be …
Or Ami’s Dina Kaplan Receives Award at Dodgers Game
A crowd of Or Ami supporters gathered at Dodgers Stadium to cheer as our own Dina C. Kaplan took to the field to receive the EP Maxwell J. Schleifer Distinguished Service Award for her work with people with special needs. I had the pleasure of nominating Dina a few months back, when congregant Brad Gore …
The Green Rabbinical Student
When two people I admire – one a newly minted rabbi (former intern) and the other an HUC Joint Master’s student/Or Ami intern – both point to the same blog and tell me “I gotta read it,” I gotta read it. the green rabbinical student is a great blog which looks at the world through …
Two Great Quotes: On Silence and on Activism
This first quote from Rabbi Rafael Goldstein’s Thoughts for Today (a daily SHORT email with thought-provoking quotes and questions). Get his daily quotes and spiritual questions by emailing Rabbi Rafael Goldstein directly. So often my words precede my thoughts, and I feel humiliated. I am a fool more frequently than I am a sage! O …
The Legacy of the Gaza Truce: An Analysis
Understanding the cease-fire/tahadiyeh in Gaza between Israel and Hamas is challenging. Is it a success? A failure? Effective strategy or dangerous lull? Aluf Benn, in Israel’s Ha’aretz newspaper, offers this analysis. It came to me by way of the Daily Alert (eNewsletter) from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations prepared by the …
Texas to Tel Aviv: Inspiring Electric Cars from the Holy Land
Genesis teaches us to be Shomrei Adamah, stewards and protectors of the land, to care and cultivate it. Protecting America requires us to find alternative sources of fuel. Protecting Israel demands both. In the New York Times, Thomas Friedman writes: What would happen if you cross-bred J. R. Ewing of “Dallas” and Carl Pope, the …