Rabbi’s Corner

MAHJONG AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE

Everywhere I go, I hear about Mah Jongg. So I did a little homework and here is what I learned. The relationship between Jewish people—specifically Jewish women in America—and Mahjong is a fascinating cultural intersection that began in the early 20th century and evolved into a defining social ritual. While the game originated in 19th-century China, it became an “ethnic” staple of Jewish-American life through a unique combination of timing, philanthropy, and community building (more…)

Tu Bishvat
Tu Bishvat is a minor Jewish holiday that makes focus on a major theme, care for the environment. Known as the “New Year for Trees,” this holiday celebrates nature and promotes tree planting, environmental awareness, and ecological education. Thousands of years before anyone talked about “ecology”, Jewish law and tradition commanded us to care for nature.

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Hanukkah

I’ve been teaching a class about Judaism at Southern Connecticut State University for twenty years. At the beginning of every semester, I ask the students what they know about Judaism. And every semester, several respond that the only thing they know about the religion is a little about Hanukah. They say that they’re not sure how to spell it (Chanukah, Hanukkah, etc.) and that they know while it comes at the same time of the year, it is not a Jewish Christmas but also does feature lights and presents. And how do they know this? One of the Jewish parents visited their elementary school class and talked about the holiday and brought “some really good pancakes.” Some even remember who that nice mother was. (more…)

Thanksgiving

My grandfather, Dr. Ben M. Edidin, was a Jewish educator in New York who wrote books about Judaism and Israel. By the way, one of his books, written in 1940, was called Rebuilding Palestine, because at that time, there was no such thing as a Palestinian, but if there were, that person was Jewish. But that’s a different (though very relevant) topic. (more…)

To Bless What We Sometimes Cannot See

This is the time of year when we all draw up a memory balance sheet. We think about our priorities. We think about the way we use our time. And even though we say we are not judgmental, we are. We judge each one of our relationships. We think about everyone else’s shortcomings, often with disappointment and anger. But then we catch ourselves doing this, and we try to counter those feelings with generosity and kindness. We ask ourselves about what we give. Do we give comfort when we should? Do we show love inconsistently? Do we make the sacrifices we should,or are we self-consumed? (more…)

Rabbi’s Message
Most of us have more time during the summer. What are we going to do with this precious time? (more…)

Shavuot

When we talk about the Jewish holidays, we know about Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, we think about Shabbat as a holiday, and we quickly mention Passover and Hanukkah. Actually, Passover is one of the three festivals, and the two other holidays of equal rank are Sukkot and Shavuot. Since Shavuot is coming up on June 1-3, I want to teach about it here. (more…)

Dear Congregants,

As we approach the sacred festival of Pesach this year, I am filled with profound joy and anticipation. This holiday, which commemorates the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt, is a time of liberation, reflection, and renewal. It is a time when we gather with loved ones to retell the story of our ancestors’ journey from slavery to freedom, and to celebrate the enduring spirit of our people. (more…)

Judaism gave Western civilization many things, but one of the most important is that it laid down the foundation of Law. The Ten Commandments and many other elements of Hebrew law provided a major source for the development of Western legal systems and democracy.

Three thousand years ago, the ancient Hebrews developed the idea of monotheism, the belief in one G-d. They believed that G-d gave them laws to regulate their society, their religious practices, and their relationships with other people. (more…)