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Several years ago, in one of my first ventures into the world of online writing, my friend Jackie Lieberman and I collaborated on a post about making shiva call. Shiva is the period of mourning after a funeral, a time when friends and community members comfort the mourners. While many of us want to…
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Sharing the thank you letter I sent to the directors at URJ Camp Newman in Santa Rosa, CA following the wonderful summer I spent on faculty at my childhood camp. It was such an honor to be a camp rabbi! Dear Ruben, Erin and Allie, I wanted to write you all a (much) belated…
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So you’ve bought a new home. Or found a new apartment. Perhaps you are moving into your own home for the very first time. Or, you are establishing a home together with your new husband, wife, partner or significant other. Judaism has long recognized the dedication of a new home as a milestone in…
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It is rare that I write the words I plan to speak during Shabbat worship at my congregation – Beth Israel in Florence, SC. In any case, even if I knew the words in advance, I would typically wait to post my remarks until after the Sabbath was over. However, this week feels different:…
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When I was an Assistant Rabbi, I would celebrate with the Early Childhood Program at their weekly Shabbat Party. A few parents would join their children for the festivities, and they would be invited to stay behind for a few moments with the rabbi. The parents and students would gather with me in the…
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It’s May – time for Mother’s Day, graduation, and, looking ahead, Father’s Day. The question always comes up: What should I/we get? This is a perennial question – asked not only for Mom, Dad, and grad – but throughout the year: for the birthday, the promotion, the bar/bat mitzvah, the wedding, the baby shower,…
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I have heard that many couples incorporate a tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) into their wedding. What is the reason for this? There are two main ways a couple can incorporate a tallit into their Jewish wedding ceremony: they can use it as the canopy for the chuppah (marriage canopy) the couple can be wrapped…
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Just look at what was I saw on my morning walk last week! Growing up in Southern California, I never really understood the fuss about Spring. We didn’t have the magical week when everything, it seems, all at once blossoms, bringing forth pinks and whites and pale greens. Dusting our cars and driveways and…
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Perhaps no holiday in the Jewish calendar comes with as much preparation. Cleaning. Shopping. Getting rid of certain foods. Stocking up on certain foods. Suddenly so many foods and products are off limits. For some folks, a strict Passover celebration is a cherished tradition. If this describes you, there are many resources in print…