On Tuesday afternoon we received an email from the principal at our children’s elementary school. She was writing to the parents to let them know that there would be a fire drill tomorrow. Nothing unusual with that, and as a parent with a child who doesn’t like loud noises or changes to his routine it’s Continue Reading »
Fighting for Israel (adapted for circulation) On a weekly basis, alongside waiting for new episodes of my favorite TV shows to drop, I also wait for a specific message from my family. We have a WhatsApp group simply labelled Mishpacha (the Hebrew word for family), and it includes members of my English and Israeli family. Continue Reading »
Click the image below to access this year’s Annual Report:
Here’s an update from our October and November Board meetings. Last month, we had a special Kallah at the temple for the board. After some dinner and socializing, we spent most of the evening reviewing and discussing results from the two surveys that were conducted for the temple over the last six months. The URJ survey, in which Continue Reading »
I don’t want to stand up here and talk about antisemitism. I wish that our society had reached a place where it was simply not a thing and therefore not requiring of a response. I wish that the condemnations to incidents of antisemitism would be so loud and widespread that you would not need to Continue Reading »
It occurred to me that this moment might be like returning home after a long journey. Everything appears incredibly familiar and, at the same time, somehow different. As I imagined, so it is! It is so very good to be home. Seeing those of you with whom I shared nineteen years of smiles and Continue Reading »
When my dad sits in services, he does a lot of what I call synagogue math. “If we’re on page 45 now, and the Aleinu is on page 116,” and we’re averaging about 5 minutes per page…then how much longer do I have to sit here…?” (If you’re wondering, he’ll be watching Shir Tikva services Continue Reading »
All vows– resolves and commitments, vows of abstinence and terms of obligation, sworn promises and oaths of dedication– that we promise and swear to G-d, and take upon ourselves from this Day of Atonement until next Day of Atonement, may it find us well: we regret them and for all of them we repent. Let Continue Reading »