This week’s Torah Portion, Hayei Sarah, the fifth sidrah in the first Torah Book, Bereshit/Genesis, begins with the death of the first matriarch of the Jewish people, Sarah our Mother. Even though the portion is entitled “Sarah’s Life,” chapter 23 begins with the mournful announcement of her death after 127...

In this week’s Torah portion, Vayera (Genesis 18), we read about the first “Jewish Supply Chain Crisis.” Basically, because of a fight within Abraham’s family, the first ‘Jewish’ family, half of the Jewish population is sent away. It is a complex and uncomfortable story. Abraham had been promised to be...

In this week’s Torah portion, Lech L’cha, God tells a young Abraham “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and it shall be blessing.” (Gen. 12:2) Throughout the portion, an emphasis is on how “great” of a nation...

Back in June, Liz and I moved from Elkins Park to Center City. The move went smoothly and, luckily, our new place came with our own parking spot, the key to happy urban living. Block by block, store by store, coffee shop-by-coffee shop, we learned our way around town. Then...

October 1, 2021 Focus Groups are Upcoming as We Await Candidate Applications Dear Friends: Now that the congregation survey is completed and results have been analyzed, the Rabbinic Search Committee has turned its attention to planning the upcoming Focus Groups. Coordinated by Liz Kaufman-Taylor, Marijke Shenkman and Andrew Altman, these...