This week we find the first mention of the Ten Commandments in the Torah. These ten teachings have shaped much of Jewish life for generations. They guide our days. They urge us to remember that there is one God, a singular God who took us from bondage to freedom. They...
At services tomorrow night we will mark International Holocaust Shabbat. We will do this as America, a nation we love and choose to call home, challenges the many tenants we take away from that most gruesome episode of our history. Think of the enduring messages of the Holocaust. We say...
This week’s Torah portion Bo places us at a moment of urgent departure. On the night of the Exodus, we are told to be dressed for the journey- to get our sandals, our “cloak”, a walking stick in hand, and ready to move at a moment’s notice (Exodus 12:11). We...
Much appreciation to our Dinner Sponsors: December: Dr. Alan Jay and Carol Schwartz January: Berkadia Mortgage Co. thanks to KI member, Dennis Johnson Monthly Business Donors/Community Sponsors: Mike + Caryl Levin-Fruit, Baked Goods: Weinrich’s of Willow Grove, Fill-a-Bagel of Jenkintown, Famous Deli in NE Phila., + Kaplans Bakery of South...
This weekend, we will celebrate the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He stood for an America of fairness and justice, an America of opportunity regardless of one’s race or faith or ethnicity. Dr. King positioned himself repeatedly on the front lines in cities across the south, where...
This week we begin the book of Shemot or “Names.” The Torah opens by naming Jacob’s sons and their families who went down to Egypt. Before telling the story of oppression or redemption, the Torah insists on something deeply human and essential: we are named, and we are known. We...
Christmas week poses fascinating and perhaps harsh questions for our people. Do we lean in or out? Do we look away? How do we discuss the holiday when our kids ask about it? What do we make of a national culture so totally consumed with the rites and norms of...
I read the following quote recently, from Karen Hesse, author of the children’s book, The Stone Lamp: Eight Stories of Hanukkah Through History. The quote goes as follows: ‘Sometimes a flame can be utterly extinguished. Sometimes, a flame can shrink and waver, but sometimes a flame refuses to go out....
In this week’s Torah portion, Vayeishev, Joseph shares his dreams with his brothers. He thinks he’s simply telling them what he saw. But they hear something entirely different. His dreams stir up all the old hurts in the family: competition, favoritism, the fear of being overlooked. Their reaction reveals more...
The HaMotzi November Thanksgiving Dinner was a Huge Success! It was our most attended of the entire year and involved the most volunteers! ++ Much Appreciation to the November Dinner Sponsors: Lois and Stan Singer Aaron Kraus and Rhonda McKitten in memory of Ellen Finkelstein, a devoted HaMotzi volunteer ++ Monthly...
