Rabbi’s blog
SERMON – Building a Tabernacle in the Wilderness – March 27,2020
March 29, 2020 by templesinai • Rabbi's Blog, Sermons •
At the end of the First Book of Samuel, we find King Saul, near the end of his life and rule, the Philistines are massing on his borders, and he doesn’t know what to do. He is afraid, overwhelmed, and needs to make a plan, but when he consults with the High Priest and with God, there is no answer. He becomes so desperate to know what will happen, to know how to plan that he disguises himself and goes to the town of Endor to consult the Witch of Endor who will raise up the ghost of Samuel to give him advice. Samuel’s ghost is furious for having been disturbed and only tells him, to paraphrase Larry David paraphrasing Bernie Sanders, “you’re doomed!”
I wrote my Rabbinic Dissertation on this part of the Bible…
Shabbat Greeting, Service and more!
March 27, 2020 by templesinai • Rabbi's Blog •
SHABBAT SHALOM! My dear friend Dr. Hadar Ma’ayan made a “COVID-19 Homebound Bingo” for her teenagers stuck at home, and that inspired me to create this Jewish Self-Care Bingo for this time of social distancing. Every time you get a bingo, give yourself a reward. I hope we will see many of you at our […]
Rabbi’s weekly email – March 25, 2020
March 26, 2020 by templesinai • Rabbi's Blog, Temple News •
Hello Temple Sinai community!
As primates, we respond so differently to human faces and to touch, so while technology can keep us connected during this time of social distancing, I think it is important to acknowledge that it is still not the same emotionally and spiritually as actually being together. We miss one another and being near. We miss laughing, singing, touching in ways that are profound, so as we all try to keep our humanity at this time of social distancing, take a moment in your day to acknowledge that what we are going through is difficult in expected and surprising ways…
Also in this email:
– Rosh Chodesh Nissan: Mystical Layers to the Yearning for Freedom
– Healing Circles
– Friday Night Services & Printout
– Add Music & Poetry to our Services
– Mi Shebeirach List
– Community Needs (see also Social Action page)
– Upcoming Events
– Video of a Short Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Text
HIAS Shabbat Service – 3/20/2020
March 20, 2020 by templesinai • Rabbi's Blog •
NATIONAL REFUGEE SHABBAT AND DISCUSSION via ZOOM 3/20/2020 – 6:30 pm Join us online for a virtual National Refugee Shabbat and discussion. Sponsored by HIAS, this is a moment for congregations, organizations, and individuals around the country to dedicate a Shabbat experience to refugees and asylum seekers.
Rabbi’s Weekly Email – March 18, 2020
March 19, 2020 by templesinai • Rabbi's Blog •
Hello Temple Sinai community!
I hope this finds you and your loved ones well, sequestered at home, and finding ways of making meaning of this new situation we are in. It is at once completely understandable and completely surreal, like suddenly being a character in the first hour of a scary Scifi film I liked until I was in it. Many of us have lived through quite a few major changes we never could have predicted; things that left our lives different than before. For me…
Also in this email:
– ZOOM, Golly Golly! Temple events move to the cloud.
– A good time to consider Facebook
– Upcoming ZOOM events and how to access them
– Blessings and Calming Meditations
– Article on Breathing as a Mindfulness Practice
Online Study of the Book of Esther 3/14/2020
March 13, 2020 by templesinai • Rabbi's Blog •
This information replaces the earlier post regarding Saturday morning’s study session.
Quarantine Shabbat Weekend
March 13, 2020 by templesinai • Rabbi's Blog •
HELLO TEMPLE SINAI and SHABBAT SHALOM!!!
Since we can’t celebrate Shabbat together in person, I wanted to send you
some resources and videos that might help. On Tuesday, I’ll be sending
another email with more information about upcoming online classes and
meetings, but for this Shabbat, here is what is in this email:
*YouTube of me doing a Kabbalat Shabbat Service, including Mi Shebeirach and Kaddish.
* Text of the service (downloadable)
*Information for tomorrow morning’s Torah Study via ZOOM web meeting
*A short video about handwashing, Jewish style
*MORE
Updates and Schedule Changes – March 12, 2020
March 12, 2020 by templesinai • Alerts, Rabbi's Blog, Temple News • Tags: Coronavirus •
Hello Temple Sinai! Jewish tradition has some key teachings for what we are living through: To save a single life is to save an entire world. Faith, daily prayer and meditation can help us to remain grounded and calm even in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty. Much is out of our control, but we […]
Rabbi’s Weekly email – March 4, 2020
March 5, 2020 by templesinai • Rabbi's Blog, Temple News •
Hello Temple Sinai!
I have so much I’d like to share about my recent trip to the AIPAC Policy Conference, but to be honest, I’m pooped and don’t think it is a great idea to try and write about something complex and sensitive when I’m having trouble keeping my eyes open. In short, it was an honor to be able to take such smart, committed and kind young people to learn more about political advocacy, Israel, and to engage some of the accomplishments and controversies that we encounter when dealing with Israel’s politics.
Also in this email:
– No Shabbat Morning Service or Torah Study this Saturday
– Community Shabbat dinner & Folk Kabbalat Shabbat
– Gathering of families of upcoming B’nei Mitzvah students
– Purim Potluck
– Young Families Purim Party
– Jewish Journeys Film Series
– Other upcoming events
Rabbi’s weekly email – April 2, 2020
April 2, 2020 by templesinai • Rabbi's Blog, Temple News •
Hello Temple Sinai!
As this epidemic wears on, I find the newness of staying home being replaced by a growing crankiness. The reality that this is going to take a while is sinking in, and I fear the word ZOOM will soon turn from a blessing to a curse.
I plan on doing fewer ZOOM classes this week so I can spend more time connecting to people one on one by phone. We will still have our Shabbat services, Torah Study, our twice-weekly healing circles, and havdalah, and (I’ll be sending out a list of daily virtual minyans across the state), and of course we will be having Passover by ZOOM (see below).
Also in this email:
– Passover – How is tonight different?
– Online Seders
– Healing Circles
– Mi Shebeirach list
– Online class: Parenting through a Jewish Lens II
– Shabbat weekend events
– Service for printing (same as last week, also on website)