We have been starting Shabbat together every week with a Kabbalat Shabbat service that can be found on our Facebook page, followed by a Pirkei Avot discussion. I hope you join us for the service, and then tune in for…
As you look out your window, what do you see?I look out of my window and see some differences in the world outside. All cars are parked, in their driveways, or on the street. There is very…
This past Friday evening I went to the Synagogue to lead Kabbalat Shabbat. I like leading it from the bimah, where I feel connected to all of you. I got into the building, washed my hands, picked up my…
Acharei Mot – Kedoshim This week we have a double Torah portion, Acharei Mot and Kedoshim. Parashat Acharei Mot is familiar to us since it is the designated reading for Yom Kippur. The parashah begins with a detailed description of the Yom Kippur…
In the Kabbalat Shabbat Siddur used by the Congregation I grew up in Rio de Janeiro there was a meditation after the Amidah that I used to love. It paraphrased a passage from Abraham Joshua Heschel’s “Man’s Quest for God”. The…
Today is Yom HaAtzma’ut, Israel’s independence day. This day comes during the Omer period. Sefirat HaOmer (the counting of the Omer) is the period of 7 weeks between the second night of Pessah and the eve of Shavuot. I have explained previously that the omer was a…
In 1981, I spent a year in Israel at Machon Greenberg, a school in Jerusalem that trained teachers of Hebrew as a second language. I had finished the course to be an elementary school teacher in conjunction with high…
Like everyone else, we needed to rethink our plans for Pesach this year. We originally planned to host a seder at my father’s house, but by mid-March it became clear that the lamb bone Dad had gamely…
Today’s Bissel Torah was written by Ellie Fried. Dr. Al Munzer’s story is a remarkable one. With the addition of excellent quality pictures, Dr. Munzer shared his family’s experience during the Holocaust. His parents, Simcha and Gisele,…
Like Nachshon wading into the Red Sea, Congregation Etz Hayim’s Religious School has entered a new world of online classes due to the coronavirus quarantine. Starting March 22, our students and teachers have met online Sundays and…