By Rabbi Greg Harris. I am emotionally exhausted. Since October 7, I have been glued to news reports, imagining the unimaginable experience of being held hostage in a Hamas terror tunnel, and spiraling about the discoveries of released hostages that their family and homes were destroyed. How does one process these horrors? Simultaneously, I have …
By Robin Jacobson. The great German poet-playwright Goethe had a deep fondness for a grand oak tree in the woodlands near Weimar. One autumn morning in 1827, he famously picnicked beneath its shade. A century later, when prisoners were felling trees in the area to make way for a concentration camp, the guards told them …
By Rabbi Deborah Megdal. Gratitude comes easily sometimes, pouring out of us in response to kindness, support, or lucky circumstance. Feeling and expressing this gratitude is a practice worthy of our continued effort and attention. The plethora of health and social benefits is well supported and widely known. But especially in these times of war …
By Sara Gordon, Beth El President. I’m honored to kick off Beth El’s Israel blog with a few reflections from the March for Israel rally last week. I am having a hard time putting words to it. In a similar way to how I feel like I am running out of words to talk about …
By Robin Jacobson. There’s an old Jewish story about two women sitting on a park bench together. One sighs. Her friend reproves her, “I thought we agreed not to talk about the children!” The tsores and worries of parents are the subject of two thought-provoking new novels by celebrated Israeli authors. How to Love Your …
By Robin Jacobson. Intimate Strangers: A History of Jews and Catholics in the City of Rome by Frederic Brandfon tells the epic story of Jews in Rome across more than two millennia. It’s perfect for anyone planning to travel to Italy, armchair tourists, or history lovers. The book is a treasure trove of intriguing historical …
By Robin Jacobson. The Postcard by French author Anne Berest is a remarkable true story of a Jewish family told in the form of a novel. It opens with the arrival of a mysterious postcard at Berest’s childhood home in the Paris suburbs in 2003. The front of the postcard shows the Opéra Garnier, a …
By Robin Jacobson. Fans of multi-generational tales of Jewish families have three new non-fiction options, each fascinating: The Sassoons: The Great Global Merchants and the Making of an Empire by Joseph Sassoon; The Women of Rothschild: The Untold Story of the World’s Most Famous Dynasty by Natalie Livingstone; and Morgenthau: Power, Privilege, and the Rise …
Background The use of Zoom began during the height of the Covid-19 emergency. It has been used in multiple ways throughout the Beth El community. Zoom has enhanced access for adult education, worship, committee work, aspects of youth education, and other areas. Regarding Zoom in religious services, there are two issues: the use of Zoom …
By Robin Jacobson. Early in 2020, Julian Künstler receives an unexpected phone call from his 93-year-old grandmother, Salomea (“Mamie”) Künstler. Mamie invites Julian to stay with her in California for a few weeks while she recovers from a broken wrist. She and her elderly housekeeper-companion, Agatha, need a short-term family chauffeur. For Julian, this is a perfectly timed, golden …
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