Rabbi’s blog

Rabbi’s Weekly Email – July 29, 2020

July 30, 2020 by • Rabbi's Blog •

Shalom Temple Sinai!
In our temple community, we have people from a healthy range of political perspectives and affiliations, and so we also have differing reactions to recent protests against excessive police force and for Black Lives Matter. While I believe we all support justice, fairness, equality before the law, we differ on what we believe gets us there. In these days of polarization and narrowing of discourse, I think it is important for all of us, especially me, to remember that we don’t all agree about these issues and that is healthy. We are Reform Jews; we eschew dogma, and we value well-intentioned debate and critical thinking. As Jews, we believe that asking questions and probing for deeper answers is sacred.
Also in this email:
– Evan Traylor will be our guest for Kabbalat Shabbat this Friday night, 7/31
– Going on vacation the first week of August!
– Anti-Racism book group begins Monday
– Kumsitz and Havdalah next Saturday, 8/8
– Elul and High Holidays programming
– Upcoming Events

Rabbi’s Weekly Email – July 23, 2020

July 23, 2020 by • Rabbi's Blog, Temple News •

Shalom Temple Sinai!

Because the President is sending out an important email message today, and I just sent the Social Action one, I’m keeping this short this week.

I sent out an email from the Social Action Committee last night, so please read it and consider joining our ANTI-RACISM BOOK GROUP, or helping with our GET OUT THE VOTE initiative or other opportunities that I’ll link in this mailing.

PLEASE come to hear EVAN TRAYLOR, former national NFTY President, speak at services on July 31 about his experiences as a Jew of Color in the Reform movement.

Also in this email:
– Tisha b’Av schedule change
– Annexation 101 follow up
– Pictures for Yizkor
– Upcoming events

Rabbi’s Weekly Email – July 15, 2020

July 16, 2020 by • Rabbi's Blog, Temple News •

Shalom Temple Sinai!

While we finalizing details of the High Holy Days, it is clear that we will not be able to have our service in person in the sanctuary. We will be including some new options and ideas to help make this year’s services real and meaningful. Here are some things you can start now to improve our shared experience:

Also in this email:
– Upcoming events
– Pictures for Yizkor
– Tisha b’Av: Writing your lamentation for these times
– Better computer speakers
– Blow your own horn: Shofar lessons
– Evan Traylor to speak
– West Bank Annexation 101, Understanding the Ramifications

Sermon – Pinchas – What We Inherit – July 10, 2020

July 11, 2020 by • Rabbi's Blog, Sermons •

My parents were the type of parents who when they would get really made at us as adults, they would cut us out of the will. It was usually about who we were marrying, or some perceived insult that we weren’t even aware of. At different times, all three of us were out of the […]

Rabbi’s Weekly Email – July 9, 2020

July 9, 2020 by • Rabbi's Blog, Temple News •

Shalom Temple Sinai!

In the next weeks, I will be sending you more information about how we will be celebrating and honoring the High Holy Days this year. I will be sharing a range of resources – recordings, live Zoom services, videos, guided meditations, podcasts, discussions, nature walks and other modalities…

Also in this email:
– More on High Holiday events
– West Bank annexation learning session
– Tisha b’Av event
– Events calendar

Sermon – Time’s They Are a Changing – June 12, 2020

July 6, 2020 by • Rabbi's Blog, Sermons •

SHAKE OFF YOUR DUST – WAKE UP! When we talk about Lecha Dodi, the center of the Friday Night Kabbalat Shabbat, we usually talk about love, about greeting the bride, and about the peace of Shabbat when our divided selves come together. That is all true, but there is another aspect to the poetry of […]

Shabbat with Ellie Flier

July 2, 2020 by • Video of the Week •

On June 26, 2020 we were blessed to be joined by a rising star in the Reform Jewish Music scene, Ellie Flier. Here is a recording of that Shabbat. Learn and hear more at Ellie’s website!

Rabbi’s Weekly Email – July 1, 2020

July 2, 2020 by • Rabbi's Blog •

Shalom Temple Sinai!

My sincere thanks to ELLIE FLIER for leading a beautiful service for us last week. If you want to hear songs again, or didn’t get a chance to join us, you can view it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6b7nHvV6Ug

This Shabbat we will honor the 4th of July with a festive Kabbalat Shabbat. Rabbi Jan Salman and I are teaming up with Mark to sing freedom songs, a new original Lecha Dodi, and pray for the health of our nation. Please join us.

Judaism is a religion of community. We celebrate, sing, and eat together to honor our holidays. When we think of important Jewish moments in our lives, we almost always picture ourselves in a group. Many of us don’t put very much effort or energy into our private spiritual lives, or if we do we see that as somehow ‘other than’ Jewishness…
– more on exploring our spirituality –

Also in this week’s email:
– Upcoming events
– Personal growth through Mussar
– Upcoming courses

Rabbi’s Weekly Email – June 24, 2020

June 25, 2020 by • Rabbi's Blog •

Shalom Temple Sinai!

Mazel Tov to Alissa Kenwood for doing so beautifully at her bat mitzvah service. It is such an honor and gift to witness young people stepping up, finding their voice, and teaching us. Yashar Koach, Alissa.

This Friday night we are in for a treat. Ellie Flier, a singersongwriter from Nashville, and who grew up in the Reform camp movement, will be leading the Kabbalat Shabbat Service with me (she’s doing most of it!).
Also in this email:
– Netanyahu’s plan to annex West Bank lands and URJ response
– Upcoming events

Rabbi’s Weekly Email – June 17, 2020

June 18, 2020 by • Rabbi's Blog •

I am excited to celebrate ALISSA KENWOOD’s becoming Bat Mitzvah on Saturday morning at 10:00 am. Please join us to show your support! Thank you to the Haverim Committee on approaching 1,000 masks for front-line workers, and for arranging that the leftover produce of two local farm-shares go to the South Burlington Food Shelf. Those are Jewish values in action!
I also want to let you know that the Board and I have decided that we will not be opening for face-to-face services for at least another month.
Also in this email:
– More on reopening
– Supreme Court decision on LBGT protections
– Saturday racial freedom presentation – Rabbi Judith Schinder
– Social Action related links
– Upcoming events

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