Sol Glasner - Letters from Israel
04/20/2024 09:59:04 PM
Rabbi's Note:
Sol and Nina Glasner recently spent a month as volunteers on Israeli farms in January-February, helping to save the harvests after terror attacks and war disrupted life. With their permission, I'm sharing most of the letters (along with some of the many photos) that Sol sent. He also gave a talk at Seaside about their work, the people they met, and the feeling of life in Israeli during...Read more...
Elijah: The Most Famous Guest at Your Seder (Video)
04/20/2024 09:55:26 PM
You have a cup for Elijah at your Seder, but have you ever wondered about his backstory and what makes him so famous? Here is a recording of the class about him that I taught for the rabbi’s seminar in preparation for Passover.
Read more...Video Class: A Deep Dive Into the Book of Esther
03/22/2024 01:01:22 PM
This Purim, we explored the meaning of the book of Esther, and whether or not it "belongs" in the bible. The themes don't seem very religious, but under the surface (under the masks, so to speak), there's a lot of meaning for our lives today. This was the first of my "Rabbi's Seminar: Deep Dive Into the Holidays," series for 2024. Enjoy and Happy Purim!
Read more...Tu Bishvat, The New Year of Trees
01/25/2024 02:18:06 PM
Image: Hugging a Tree, Hudson Valley, New York - photo Julie H. Danan
I remember how impressed my kids’ friends were that Judaism celebrates a New Year of Trees, a time to...Read more...
The 8 Lights of Hanukkah for Seaside Jewish Community
11/29/2023 09:41:03 PM
Photo: Seaside Hanukkah Party 2022 with Todd Hacker and Alyssa Simon
My Invocation for the Annual Meeting of Seaside Jewish Community, 2023
This month we will light the lights of Hanukkah. Our ancient sages, Hillel and Shammai argued how to light...Read more...
Talk by Sue Reiss of MosHAV Shorashim, "My Israel Story"
11/19/2023 05:42:16 PM
Our second zoom from Israel was with Sue Reiss, who helped to found a Moshav in the Galilee region in the north of Israel. She was visiting her daughter in the center of the country at the time, and as she began to speak, sirens sounded because of a rocket attack and she had to enter a shelter. After a few minutes she emerged and continued her talk!
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Talk by Rabbi Simcha Daniel Burstyn, Kibbutz Lotan, Israel
10/23/2023 01:05:40 PM
Rabbi Simcha Daniel Burstyn spoke to members of our congregation via zoom this Sunday. Here's a recording of his talk, which starts a few minutes in ( as explained in the YouTube caption). I really appreciate that Rabbi Simcha Daniel took time in these difficult days to meet with us and update us on what life is like in Israel right now as well as how he his hopes alive as a longtime activist for human rights and peace. Rabbi...Read more...
Messages of support FROM THE Community
10/20/2023 03:54:54 PM
Supporting Israel in Crisis: A Letter to the Community
10/07/2023 09:14:58 PM
Dear Friends,
Some say that October 7, 2023, was the most horrific day in Israel's history, Israel's own 9/11. Many of us are reeling from the news and feeling sad or helpless.
Fifty years and one day after the surprise attack of the Yom Kippur War, Israel was once...Read more...
Devar Torah for Shabbat Shuvah, by Howard Menaker
10/07/2023 07:21:21 PM
Shabbat Shalom. Today is the first Shabbat of the New Year, the shabbat traditionally known as Shabbat Shuvah – or as it also called, Shabbat Teshuvah.
What sets Shabbat Shuvah aside, and gives it its name, is the haftarah, the first words of the which are from Hosea Chapter 14, verse 2. “Shuvah Yisroel,” “Return, O Israel.” These words...Read more...
Kol Nidrei Sermon 2023, If not now, when?
10/03/2023 03:57:30 PM
Tonight, I invite you to ask yourself a question that only you can answer: If not now, when? Let this question reverberate throughout Yom Kippur.
If not now, when? What arises when you ask this question? Could it be the image of a friend with you’ve been meaning to reconnect with or a family member with whom you need to reconcile? Or maybe what springs to mind is a long-dormant creative...Read more...
Yom Kippur Morning Remarks (Part of morning sermon), from Allan Slan
10/03/2023 03:53:44 PM
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
—Pastor Martin Niemöller
According to ADL 2022...Read more...
Social Justice Activities of Seaside Jewish Community (From Yom Kippur Morning Sermon, Rabbi Beth Cohen)
10/03/2023 03:46:50 PM
Yom Kippur Morning Sermon 2023, Rabbi Beth Cohen
10/03/2023 03:42:59 PM
It was in the 1st or 2nd century CE, when the Talmud Rabbis began to codify the Torah reading with a reading from the Prophets.
So, for the last 2000 years or so, the Jewish people have been reading the Haftarah that Cantor Kilik just chanted. And for the last 2000 years or so, the Jewish people – US – have been asked the same question -- why do we fast. Are Isaiah’s words just another part of the liturgy for which we’re not...Read more...
Sermon for Rosh Hashanah Morning 5784/2023
09/19/2023 12:18:13 PM
A person asked their rabbi, "Why do Jews always answer a question with a question?" To which the rabbi replied, "Nu, how should we answer?"
Jews are much more into open ended questions than specific answers. We teach our youngest kids to recite four questions at the Passover Seder. We then take 3 hours to answer them. Open up a Talmud, and...Read more...
Introduction and Sermon for Erev Rosh Hashanah 5784/2023
09/19/2023 11:51:42 AM
Over these coming Days of Awe, I invite you to join me in looking at our lives today through the questions of a teaching of the great first century Sage Hillel in Pirke Avot (1:14):
אם אין אני לי מי לי?
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
וכשאני לעצמי מה אני?
And if I am just for myself, what am I?Read more...
Nurture Yourself this High Holiday season
09/12/2023 11:41:35 AM
"Autumn Eye Candy" Photo by Julie H. Danan
As we embark on these Days of Awe, let me share some thoughts on making your Teshuvah (return, renewal) into a more nurturing and affirmative process. Thanks to Delaware Jewish Living for sharing (and beautifully presenting) my article on that...Read more...
Elul: Prepare for the New Year
08/28/2023 11:40:29 AM
We are in the midst of Elul, the Hebrew lunar month preceding Rosh Hashanah. Taking some time to prepare for the Days of Awe ahead can make our experience can more meaningful and transformative. It’s a time for Heshbon HaNefesh, accounting of the soul. This personal stock-taking is a springboard for self-improvement and growth. You might ask yourself, journal, or discuss with a friend how you are doing in relationship to yourself,...Read more...
Crisis in israel on Tisha B'Av
07/25/2023 12:09:05 PM
Theodor Herzl, visionary of Zionism, weeping, Basel, Switzerland, circa 1897, illustration via Yoshi Zweiback.
This week the Jewish world observes Tisha B'Av (9th day of the Hebrew month of Av), a yearly fast to mourn the destruction of the ancient Holy Temples in Jerusalem...Read more...
The Rainbow of Community: REflections for Pride Month
06/16/2023 05:01:23 PM
We recently celebrated our annual Pride Shabbat at Seaside. Thank you to organizer Ellen Rabinowitz and everyone who participated in the meaningful evening, and thank you to Todd Hacker for creating the original outline and handout with beautiful readings.
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Be a Lightship
05/21/2023 10:07:55 AM
I'm sharing the Invocation that I offered at Maritime Day 2023 in Lewes. The Overfalls is a historic lightship lovingly restored by a large crew of volunteers, that has become a celebrated Delaware landmark. Lightships were like floating lighthouses that kept other ships safe by...Read more...
Earth Day Thoughts
04/28/2023 03:00:35 PM
PP
The Torah tells us the earth is God’s wonderful creation and gift; scientists say it's the precious blue dot in the universe that is our home. Our mystical tradition reveres the earth as is the dwelling place and revelation of the Shechinah, the divine presence. This...Read more...
The Turmoil in Israel
03/17/2023 10:54:04 AM
View of Jerusalem from the Haas Promenade, photo by Julie Danan
For thousands of years Jews have been proocupied with law and the pursuit of justice, “Tzedak, Tzedek Tirdof.”...Read more...
Opening Our Hearts to Compassion
01/24/2023 10:24:24 PM
Photo: Bleeding Heart Flowers, JHD
In the book of Exodus that we are currently reading in the Torah, we grapple with the famous phrase that “The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh,” (Exodus 9:12). This creates a moral dilemma; how can we blame Pharaoh if God took away...Read more...
Reflections on the Lights of Hanukkah
12/22/2022 03:08:16 PM
Many people like to have a different poem or reflection for each night of Hanukkah. I think that's great, and I also like to just feel into the lights and what they awaken in my soul. My teacher, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi,...Read more...
Doing Our Part: Yom Kippur Sermon 5783 / 2022
10/07/2022 11:51:45 AM
Here's my Kol Nidrei Sermon: " Neither Are You Free to Desist from It." I've linked to organizations or people you might want to explore, and...Read more...
Nothing Great is Ever Finished (Rosh Hashanah Sermon, 5782/2022)
09/28/2022 03:07:20 PM
There is an old rabbinic teaching that we should leave a little bit of our house unfinished. (Had these guys seen my townhouse in Philly?) But seriously, leaving a bit of our house unfinished was to be a reminder of the destruction of the Temple. More broadly, it signals that life is unfinished, that all good things are incomplete.
Shabbat is another reminder that things are never...Read more...
Relational Judaism (Sermon from Erev Rosh Hashanah 5782/2022)
09/28/2022 03:05:24 PM
Hinei mah tov u-mah naim, shevet achim gam yachad..most of us have sung that song from Psalm 133:1 countless times. It means, “Look how good it is for us to be brothers/sisters dwelling together.”
In his book, Relational Judaism, Jewish organizational mayven Ron Wolfson brings an ancient Jewish mystical teaching on this verse: There seems to be an extra word that doesn’t need to be there. We could...Read more...
Feel the Awe
08/23/2022 01:06:26 PM
I've been asked to share my Devar Torah (Torah teaching) from Friday night, for Parashat Ekev. It's all about Awe, and I think it's a good one for this time of year.
I’m not really a morning person…but I get up before sunrise as much as I can to go see sunrise at the beach…because of the Awe. This week’s Torah portion tells us...Read more...
Special Musical Guest July 15
07/12/2022 09:42:08 AM
A last minute musical treat is happening this Shabbat!
This Friday, July 15, 7:30pm,I will be joined by a wonderful singer and musician Cantor Emil Skobeloff, playing guitar and singing his beautiful arrangements of traditional Shabbat prayers. If you love music, you...Read more...
