“They tried to kill us. They failed. Let’s eat!”
If that’s not what all Jewish holidays are about, certainly the two major spring celebrations, Purim and Passover, fit the bill. And yet, we don’t tend...
The book of Exodus presents two models of fund-raising for the building of the Mishkan. In the first, people are called upon to donate what their heart is moved to give. In the other, each person makes...
“If you’re having trouble installing your rabbi, try rebooting the congregation!”
My brother-in-law thinks he’s very clever.
But I have to admit I like his joke better than the more common ones...
I’ve often wondered why Jewish homes are rarely among the most brightly lit this time of year, given that Hanukkah is the “festival of lights.” When I was growing up in Israel, we celebrated with pyrotechnics...
The day the hostages returned, I experienced a sense of joyful relief — like I could release a breath I didn’t know I had been holding for the past two years. And yet, my joy could not be complete. Too...
We’ve been singing the verse, Achat sha’alti from psalm 27 since the beginning of Elul, a full month before Rosh Hashanah, and it will remain with us through Simchat Torah at the end of Sukkot. But what...
Can we, Congregation Agudath Achim—this Family of Friends (or the people of Israel as a whole, for that matter), function and flourish together as a single community, not despite our differences, but precisely...
Our Jewish tradition invites us to linger over the transition of the New Year. We blow the shofar for an entire month before Rosh Hashanah, as we are encouraged to engage in "cheshbon hanefesh" – literally,...
Engaging in acts of kindness and mutual aid can be its own path to strengthening the bonds of community, whether we are benefactors or recipients. When one member of the community makes a meal for another...
Dear Family of Friends,
It's hard to believe, but I've been part of this community for a full year. During the first service I led at Congregation Agudath Achim in March 2024, I had an experience that...
