A Jew may ask their spouse to agree to have a “Jewish” home. But what does that mean? To a non-Jewish loved one it may simply mean that some of the people in the house identify as Jews. But our partners deserve a more in-depth answer. One Jew may say, a Jewish home has Jewish…
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Yom Kippur is not everyone’s favorite Jewish holiday. No food, an ancient liturgy, and a mournful feeling. Let’s have a new take on it. Yom Kippur Tonight is Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement and Repentance. The theme of this holiday is Teshuva. Doing teshuva (often translated as repentance, but literally meaning ‘return’) is…
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Make Your Own Sukkah Decorations Let’s get crafty! Join us to make colorful decorations to hang in the sukkah. We will use a variety of craft materials to create Shalom Stars, Peace chains, and garlands and more. Make one item for the Temple Beth Abraham sukkah and lots more to take home. We will have…
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This year Purim begins March 6th. A Purim custom that I have seen consistently observed in the more traditional movements of Judaism is the practice of giving food gifts, Mishloach Manot, to friends and acquaintances. It’s sort of the reverse of Halloween. Instead of getting goodies, you give them. Like any new behavior it can…
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My son pulled out a new box of Hanukkah candles, examined them and proclaimed, “These are not going to fit in the Hanukkiah.” So I had to laugh when I read Rabbi Larry Milder‘s email to his congregation, Beth Emek, the very next morning titled, The Candles Don’t Fit in the Menorah. Here’s what he…
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Rabbi Larry Milder of Beth Emek recently sent this explanation to his congregation. It’s a useful, brief history telling us why we light an additional candle each night of Hanukkah instead of the reverse. Increasing the Light in Dark Times Most Jews are accustomed to lighting Hanukkah candles by adding one candle to the…
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