Do you know the four mitzvot of Purim? Let’s look at them through the lens of Shmirat HaGuf (Taking Care of Our Bodies). 1) Listen to the Megillah (Book of Esther). Jews are commanded to listen to…
On Saturday, January 27, parents and children observed Havdalah together at the synagogue. Although not everyone wore pajamas, we all enjoyed the Havdalah ceremony followed by snacks and crafts. Linking to the spices that we smell during…
Why do we cover our eyes when saying the Shemah at certain times, but not at others? Jews have a custom of covering our eyes while saying the Shemah (Deuteronomy Chapter 6, verses 4-9). We say the…
The Religious School’s Jewish Value for January is Teva (nature). The concept of Teva begins in the Torah in Bereishit (Genesis) when God creates the world and everything in it. According to the Torah, “God took the…
Our Religious School’s Jewish value for December is Ometz Lev, “courage of the heart.” A strong, brave heart helps us to conquer our fears or to stand up for our personal beliefs. Ometz Lev is central to…
Adult Education is an important piece of our learning program at CEH. Indeed, learning is a cornerstone of the Jewish religion. But among the many fine efforts to ensure a sense of continuity of the Jewish experience –…
On Sunday, October 8, Preschool and Religious School families enjoyed lunch, singing and crafts in the Sukkah. The families learned the significance of the lulav and etrog and participated in the lulav ceremony (shaking it in all…
This sermon was delivered at Yom Kippur services on Saturday, September 30, 2017. Spoiler alert: For those of you who didn’t see “Wonder Woman,” I will be giving away major plot points. This summer I watched the…
On August 13, I was standing in the airport in Lisbon. We were coming back from a truly wonderful trip in Israel and Portugal. In Lisbon, I visited the site of the massacre of 1506. In 1497,…
This sermon was delivered at Erev Rosh Hashanah services on Wednesday, September 20, 2017. The Buddhist teacher Ajahn Brahm tells a story about his early days as a Buddhist monk, when he joined a Thai monastery. He…