http://emanu-el-stage.org The Internet home of Temple Emanu-El, Massachusetts Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:18:13 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en http://emanu-el-stage.org/2010/01/09/news-callout/ On a Shabbat morning not long ago I sat studying with a group of parents. They all had children in the seventh grade, who had recently or were about to become B’nai Mitzvah (plural of Bar and Bat Mitzvah). The topic: what role can parents play in shaping ... http://emanu-el-stage.org/2009/12/10/becoming-jewish-adults/ Some four thousand years ago, when the concept of Shabbat was first introduced to the world, the Torah tells us that having finished the work of creation, God rested, shavat, and replenished His Soul, va-yi-na-fash. So in keeping with both longstanding wisdom and contractual agreement, the rabbis of ... http://emanu-el-stage.org/2009/12/10/rest-and-renewal/ DATE PARASHAH CHAPTER/VERSE FACILITATOR 8/1/09 Vaetchanan (Shabbat Nachamu) Deuteronomy 3:23—7:11 Jack Gendzel 8/8/09 Ekev Deuteronomy 7:12—11:25 Rabbi 8/15/09 Reeh Deuteronomy 11:26—16:17 8/22/09 Shoftim Deuteronomy 16:18—21:9 Ben Gerson 8/29/09 Ki Tetze Deuteronomy 21:10—25:19 Jeffrey Dornbush 9/5/09 Ki Tavo Deuteronomy 26:1—29:8 Matt Sagal 9/12/09 Nitzavim/Vayelech Deuteronomy 29:9—31:30 Rabbi 9/19/09 Rosh Hashanah No Torah Study 9/26/09 Ha-azinu (Shabbat Shuvah) Deuteronomy 32:1-52 Peggy Blass 10/3/09 1st Day Sukkot Leviticus 23:33-44 Paul Cohen 10/10/09 Atzeret/Simchat Torah Deut. 34:1-12; Genesis 1:1-8, 26-29; 2:1-3 Rabbi 10/17/09 Bereishit Genesis 1:1—6:8 Jeffrey Dornbush 10/24/09 Noach Genesis 6:9—11:32 Ben Gerson 10/31/09 Lech Lecha Genesis 12:1—17:27 11/7/09 Vayera Genesis 18:1—22:24 Matt Sagal 11/14/09 Chayyei Sarah Genesis 13:1—25:18 Rabbi 11/21/09 Toldot Genesis 25:19—28:9 Nina Cohen 11/28/09 Vayetze Genesis 28:10—32:3 12/5/09 Vayishlach Genesis 32:4—36:43 Paul Cohen 12/12/09 Vayeshev Genesis 37:1—40:23 Rabbi 12/19/09 Miketz Genesis 41:1—44:17 Peggy Blass 12/26/09 Vayigash ... http://emanu-el-stage.org/2009/12/01/torah-portion-chart/ Yom Kippur Morning 5770 (2009) Temple Emanu-El, Marblehead, MA We all expected that the substantial and consistent growth of this Jewish community that’s taken place over the past two decades would only continue, but the rather sudden and extreme economic downturn has changed all of that. Times are tough, but still, ... http://emanu-el-stage.org/2009/11/01/lessons-of-recession/ BECAUSE WE ARE JEWS Delivered to the Congregation by Stuart Cohen, Kol Nidre 5770 Because we are Jews, we are here tonight. Something impels us to worship with our fellow Jews on this occasion. We may embrace it with enthusiasm, or we may not even be sure why we are here. Because ... http://emanu-el-stage.org/2009/10/28/because-we-are-jews/ Judge Generously (1) A teaching from tradition: Da ki tzarikh ladun et kol adam lekaf zekhut; You have to judge every person generously. Even if you have reason to think that person is completely wicked, it’s your job to look hard and seek out some bit of goodness, some place in that person ... http://emanu-el-stage.org/2009/10/08/judge-generously-2/ Like some of the other American observances that have morphed from earlier religious practices, over the years Halloween has come in for its own share of controversy among Jewish families. After all, the pagan roots of the holiday have little to do with how Jews view the world and ... http://emanu-el-stage.org/2009/10/08/a-%e2%80%9cjewish%e2%80%9d-halloween/ Rosh Hashanah 5770 / September 19, 2009 Temple Emanu-El, Marblehead This past summer, I had the chance to be in Los Angeles on a Shabbat evening, which coincided with a reunion of staff members from the Brandeis-Bardin Institute, with whom I had worked back in the late 1970’s and through the 1980’s. ... http://emanu-el-stage.org/2009/10/08/playing-on-a-broken-string/ The High Holy Days are aptly named. The opportunities for spiritual preparation in the preceding weeks—through special Haftarah readings and late-night Selichot services; the long hours spent at prayer in a full sanctuary; the imposing music; the rabbis’ white robes meant to suggest purity and even other-worldliness (okay, maybe ... http://emanu-el-stage.org/2009/09/23/high-holy-torah/