Gratitude is a very Jewish act. Too often, being grateful is lost in the business of life, the noisiness of expectations and the hubris of accomplishments. Our very name though, Jews or Yehudim, derive from a moment of extreme gratitude. In Genesis 29:35, Leah names one of her sons Judah as an act of praise. …
By Robin Jacobson. The Passover Seder is a night of questions – questions about the stories we inherit, the nature of Jewish identity, and what we owe to strangers who are oppressed or suffering. To stretch your mental muscles on these questions in advance of Passover, take a look at two compelling new memoirs: Inheritance: …
This week is the fourth week of the month. For Reflections Off the Bimah, the fourth week features thought leaders drawn from throughout the Jewish world. These special posts give you the opportunity to consider important opinions you may not readily encounter. This week is a piece from Sarah Tuttle-Singer who blogs from Israel for The …
When I was growing up in Baltimore, I had a lot of family most of whom were somewhat observant and one side of my dad‘s family that were ultra orthodox. In Jewish Baltimore, it is not uncommon to see black hatters walking down the street on Shabbat and see women with their heads covered, wearing …
We live in a time of personal searching. Bookshelves are full of titles encouraging us to find our true path, inspire our soul or discover our inner resilience. We are in a time which Dr. Arnold Eisen, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary calls, a search for “our sovereign selves.” (The Jew Within by Steven …
By Robin Jacobson. The holiday of Purim sparkles like a fairytale – costumes and carnivals; wine and song; and an age-old tale of a foolish King, a brave Queen and an evil-plotting courtier. What a perfect month for reading fantasy fiction. The two bewitching books described below – one for adults, one for children – …
This week is the fourth week of the month. For Reflections Off the Bimah, the fourth week features thought leaders drawn from throughout the Jewish world. These special posts give you the opportunity to consider important opinions you may not readily encounter. February is designated as JDAIM or Jewish Disability and Inclusion Month across the country. …
If you are a regular shul goer, you may not have been surprised to hear the recent Pew Study. Essentially, it says that shul goers are 11% more likely than their non going counterparts to be happy. Read more here. I could spend some solid time here breaking down the reasons that this may be …
I have learned disabilities are sometimes obvious and other times hidden. Crutches and wheelchairs are external indicators of physical differences. As a community we have been diligent to design spaces to be accessible through wider doorways, a ramp in the sanctuary, door assist mechanisms and other intentional features for our physical spaces. We have allowed …
By Robin Jacobson. In March 1939, Max Brod fled his home in Czechoslovakia, just ahead of the Nazi invasion. Boarding the last train out of Prague before the borders closed, Brod clutched a bulging, cracked-leather suitcase containing the manuscripts, letters, and diaries of his late friend, Franz Kafka, the Czech Jewish author of 20th Century …
← Previous Page
Next Page →
