Rabbi Milder of Congregation Beth Emek in Pleasanton is one of my favorite rabbis to quote. Here’s what he emailed to his congregation about the “scheduling” of our next holiday, Simchat Torah. *** Sukkot, the festival that everyone loves because it has such weird stuff in it (the lulav, the etrog, and the Sukkah itself)…
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When my Mexican daughter-in-law approached her first October with us – it was during the pandemic and they were living with us – she asked could she set up an Ofrenda. My first thought was OF COURSE! What fun to learn about this tradition. Since we were also approaching Sukkot I began to make note…
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Rosh Hashanah begins Friday, September 11 at sundown. Here are some last minute resources. They cover a range of topics. If you have a specific need or question just email me (dawn@buildingjewishbridges.org) and I’ll see what I can do for you. Free and Low Cost Holiday Services around the Bay Looking at the High Holidays…
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I subscribe to the emails from Jewtina.org, a website whose mission is: To celebrate, elevate, and expand Latin-Jewish community while strengthening identity, leadership, and connection to Global Jewry. As a person living in a multiracial family with Hispanic members this mission is close to my heart. Last Friday I received an email from Jewtina with…
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Someone told me that Aug. 26 is National Dog Day. I have a dog! I’ve had dogs, cats, rats, fish, and chickens. I feel very possessive of the hummingbirds I shelter in my garden. My next thought was what does Judaism teach about the treatment of animals? In ancient times animals were not pets, they…
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This week Rabbi Milder’s congregational email comments on the Jewish mindset of Elul. It is the month that leads us into the High Holidays. Its tone is often subdued. We are about to approach God to ask for forgiveness for our past missteps (the Hebrew word does not translate as “sin” but as “missing the…
Read More »Our weekly email goes out to hundreds of interfaith couples & families in the Bay Area. Topics cover the many questions and mysteries that interfaith couples want answered.