In the past I have looked for basic Judaism classes that are near the person who is asking about them. But in a Covid world we are ALL online. So this online class with Rabbi Ruth Adar is an excellent option. Rabbi Adar teaches a one year (three semester) class. How it works is this,…
Read More »Jewish Learning
Days of Hope and Awe
Today I received this beautiful message, sent to the members of B’nai Tikvah by their rabbi, Rabbi Jennie Chabon. I’m sharing her words with you because we are all challenged by these hard times and are grieved to not be able to be together for the High Holy Days. *** The smoke is less intense…
Read More »The 3 Big Jewish Festivals: learn more!
What do most Americans know about Jewish holidays? Typically – Hanukkah, Passover and… not much else. The three big holidays are the pilgrimage festivals. Cantor Linda Hirschhorn of Temple Beth Sholom in San Leandro wrote a lovely, brief description of them. Have a look. In Parshat Re’eh we are given a description of the…
Read More »Jewish community online + classes and discussions
(Rabbi Stein of B’nai Shalom in Walnut Creek. An online sermon) I feel like attaching an audio link to the Simon & Garfunkel song, “It’s All Happening at the Zoo” and then writing new lyrics that say, “It’s all happening on the internet”. Every doggone thing is online! Today I read that during the pandemic…
Read More »Pondering Outdoor Religious Services
(Image is of Temple Isaiah in Lafayette in their outdoor sanctuary in 2016. They currently have NO PLANS to have services here or in their building. You may join them online.) Can we have Jewish religious services out of doors? Several local synagogues have been using Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal’s Jewish values statement to guide their…
Read More »Black Lives Matter
I want to share this email that Rabbi Daniel Stein of B’nai Shalom in Walnut Creek sent to his members this morning. White people can be useful in this movement to save our Black sisters and brothers from the nightmare of institutionalized racism and murder. Dear Friends, Like many of you, I have spent…
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