After Sasha Vasilyuk’s grandfather died in Donetsk, Ukraine, in 2007, her grandmother made a shocking discovery. In an old briefcase stashed under a bed, she found a confession letter her husband had written for the Soviet KGB in the 1980s. The letter upended everything she thought she knew about her husband’s military service during World …
By Aryeh Portnoy. The terror attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023 that resulted in the murder of roughly 1,200 people, the kidnapping of more than 250, and the destruction of entire communities across its southern border, has seared into the minds of the Jewish community images of depravity and devastation, of innocent victims and …
By Sara Gordon. Hello, Beth El! I am excited to share highlights regarding the work your Board is busy doing as well as some of the new initiatives we are launching. At our February Board meeting, the Board participated in a training conducted by Gather DC on relational engagement. Also participating were members of Team …
By Rabbi Greg Harris. I often use the words “bravery” and “courage” interchangeably. Recently, I have been thinking about the differences between these attributes. I read someplace that bravery is more spontaneous and involves setting fear aside. Courage is about having fear, being mindful of the risks, and making the conscious decision to do something …
Parshat Terumah – 19 parshiot down, only 35 more to go! Terumah (“Donation”), like the previous parsha, is not narrative in nature. God instructs Moses to collect offerings from the Israelites for the construction of the Mishkan, a portable sanctuary where G-d’s presence would dwell among the people. God describes each and every detail of …
By Salo Zelermyer. As part of our partnership with Kibbutz Nir Oz – the special community shattered by the terrorist attacks on October 7 – for the 9 Shabbatot leading up to Yom Kippur, our Beth El community prayed for the release of the remaining hostages from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Each Shabbat, we learned more …
Parshat Mishpatim – 18 parshiot down, only 36 more to go! Mishpatim is not in the form of a narrative. It is, rather, a list of 53 commandments. The 613 Torah commandments can be categorized in different ways. “Mishpatim” (versus Hukim) are laws that can be clearly understood for the functioning of civil society. Themes …
The parsha opens with Moses reuniting with his wife and two sons, brought to him by his father-in-law, Yitro – the parsha’s namesake. Moses describes the Israelites’ journey out of Egypt and through the wilderness for Yitro, who quickly recognizes Moses’ immense burden as their leader. Yitro quickly sees how big a job leading the …
By Hazzan Asa Fradkin. Here in Montgomery County, we are accustomed to acceptance, respect, and – most importantly – inclusion. We breathe it like the air around us. My wife served as a chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion department at CESJDS and does lots of displays in her current job at Rockville Memorial …
By Eric Gartman. The tenuous hostage-exchange and ceasefire deal in place between Israel and Hamas marks a pause in the longest and bloodiest eruption of violence that began on October 7, 2023, between the two sides. But it is hardly the first outbreak of bloodshed, nor will it likely be the last. Israel previously conducted …
← Previous Page
Next Page →
