This is the kind of email I LOVE to receive. Hello Dawn! I went to my first Shabbat services today since I was a little kid, as we discussed. I was beyond nervous all morning and honestly, almost pulled out of the parking lot as soon as I got there because I was so anxious….
Read More »Synagogues
Does the perfect synagogue exist? In a word: no
This article originally appeared in the J-weekly in my Mixed and Match column on 8/8/19) Dear Dawn: I saw your response in J. to someone in the Bay Area wanting a Conservative shul where the men wear kippahs and would accept his half-Jewish children. You said nowhere would fit every demand. But surely there are many places…
Read More »Where Can I Access Shabbat Services Online?
(Image: Services at Beth Am) With COVID-19 impacting the entire world synagogues have moved rapidly to online services where ever possible. Orthodox congregations are not allowed to use electricity on the Sabbath. You can get on the email list for those synagogues and they will email members, and you, when they have programming available. They…
Read More »At Which Service Is a Tallit Worn?
Rabbi Larry Milder of Beth Emek in Pleasanton addressed this question in an email to his members. I like his very through answer and I’m sharing it with you here. Tallit in the Morning You walk into the synagogue for services and see a basket of tallitot, prayer shawls. Do you pick one up?…
Read More »I’m tired of being judged on the ‘right way’ to be Jewish
This article originally appears in the J weekly in April of 2017. I am a member of a Conservative synagogue that I love. We recently, as a movement, chose to welcome non-Jewish spouses as members of our synagogues. I worked hard for this and I believe it is the right thing to do. But I…
Read More »Looking for the Perfect Synagogue
I’m looking for a synagogue. Here are my (many) demands. (This was published in my Mixed and Matched column in the J-weekly.) I received an inquiry that, quite frankly, annoyed a number of people who read about it. A young man approached me about his desire to find the “right” synagogue. Here is his perspective….
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