All of us have had to make some sort of mental shift during this pandemic. I have found a mental shift is especially difficult when we are used to experiencing life cycles in person and when we have already envisioned these moments within a large gathering of those we love. ...
The following non-perishable food items are collected on an ongoing basis: Peanut butter and Jelly, Pasta, Pasta sauce (in plastic or cans), non-sugary Cereal, Sugar Free items, Juice (in plastic jars), canned Soup (chunky or regular) or Stew, boxed Milk (no refrigeration), Rice, canned Fruit, Veggies, Tuna, Chicken, Salmon, Ravioli,...
In this week’s Torah portion, Matot-Masei, we recall our travels from Egypt through the desert. Names of destinations are listed, and each stopping point named. Honestly, listening to this list of “vacation” spots made me a little envious of our people’s ability to move around without too much fear of...
Throughout the Torah, we receive communications from God in many different forms. Last week, I shared with you that God stayed with us as the presence of clouds. This week God communicates to us through a variety of animals. In the Torah portion, Chukat, God sends serpents to attack the...
“I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day, when it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May…” begins one of our favorite songs by the Temptations, “My Girl.” Such a sweet song, reminds us that sunshine always lingers behind the darkest clouds, especially when we feel love in our hearts. In...
The ways we communicate have completely changed since the pandemic. We are holding hands over zoom, we are putting hopeful messages on our sidewalk with chalk, we are honking and yelling out of our cars for celebrations, and we are meeting each other outside, from a distance. In an “unmute...
Numbers matter, especially when it comes to the worldwide numbers of the food insecure, due the pandemic. In my recent conversation with Deborah Carver, Director of the InterFaith Food Cupboard (Abington Food Pantry), numbers are heartbreaking and hopefully motivate us to help. She shared “that our food demand has been...
This week of uncertainty about the coronavirus has impacted everyone. At KI, we have given lots of thought to the best ways to help our community be safe and healthy, while at the same time allowing for everyone’s best judgement. We are currently receiving the message of maintaining distance and...
This week’s Torah portion, Yitro, is one of the few that names a specific person. “Yitro” or “Jethro” is Moses’ father-in-law, and is an extremely important figure to this story, which is about Moses’ leadership style and how we will eventually form a system of government that does not completely...
In this week’s Torah portion, Bo, God brings the final three plagues on the Egyptians and we leave Egypt. In the portion, we are told several times that God “hardened Pharaoh’s heart” in his refusal to let us go free from Egypt. What makes up these moments of Pharaoh’s hardened...
