RJ Blog

“Do you see people who are skilled in their work? They will serve before royalty; they will not serve before obscure people.” -Proverbs 22:29 When we came upon this verse in our congregational Proverbs study group, I was taken aback for more than a moment. There is something in this verse that points to greatness, but it seems to do so with a tinge of elitism. One could interpret this verse to mean that people do their work well only if they end up serving the most important leaders in society, who have greater value than the “common people.” This [...]

On the first Sunday of the first day of religious school, I challenge my seventh grade students: How do you have a conversation with God in the 21st century? Do you have a conversation at all? How do you come to God when life is good? More, how do you come to God in times of anger or sadness or despair, when all you want to do is curse at God? Being a fan of symmetry, on the last Sunday of the last day of religious school, I asked them: “What is it that connects you? To Judaism, to God? Are you connected? What [...]

I am a Jew by choice. And before you ask – both my parents are Jewish. One of my earliest memories is of being with my grandfather, sheltered by his tallit, as he gave the benediction to his congregation on Rosh HaShanah. We celebrated the major Jewish holidays – Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Chanukah, and Pesach, anything else being an esoteric holdover of a bygone age – mainly with a meal. Occasionally, we even made it to synagogue.

by Stacey Zisook Robinson When my son was born, I cradled him against my heart, arms wrapped gently yet surely around his small and fragile body. I would stand, holding him, our breaths mingled, our hearts beating in an elegant call and response, one beat to the next, and I would sway, a slow and gentle side-to-side rock that lasted for the eternity that exists between heartbeats. I could feel his body relax into the motion, like oceans, like drifting, like peace. I loved the simplicity of that rhythm, the warmth of him, the smell of his newness and his [...]

by Mark Wendel My Rabbi motions me to come up to the bemah. I am reading a Psalm in front of the congregation. The week before we were worshiping in a church I had actually looked forward to being in a church – the first time in decades. I remember Dad reading Psalms in front of our congregation back when I was a Christian. Because of Dad I am now part of a religion again, I never even cared to talk to him about religion back when I was anti-religious. Last year we had plenty to talk about. This year [...]

Did you know that when you breathe you are connecting to God? Or you could be if you were aware of what you were doing. Really. As part of our experimental Jewish Spiritual Journey Facebook Group, one participant asked me, “Does the word SHEMA have something to do with our breath?” I love the question. Here’s how I answered him: Shema absolutely has to do with the breathe because it twice invokes the name we call God, the four letter name Yud Hey Vav Hey which we often pronounce as Adonai. Adonai is just a euphemism for Yud Hey Vav [...]

by Jeannette GrossTemple Isaiah, Lafayette, CA When my Dad, Ken Harris, was dying two years ago, we were fortunate he had enough time and inclination to plan his own funeral. Since he had a very eclectic religious life (born and raised Jewish, a bar mitzvah, a wedding co-officiated by a rabbi and a minister in 1950; now on the board, in the choir and very active in the church where my Mom has been a member her entire life; very involved in multiple Masonic organizations; still a proud Jew in his heart and soul) it would have been difficult for [...]

by Art Grand I had a difficult childhood.  I joined a synagogue when I was 30, and I attended services fairly regularly, but I hated God.  For me, God was the Old Man in the Sky, distant and remote, and constantly demanding praise.  How could I pray?  How could I thank a God who had given me my particular childhood? When I was forty, I moved to Sacramento.   My son was in fifth grade at the time, and my daughter was two.  Every Sunday morning, I would drive my son to religious school – it seemed like it was a [...]

by Michael Rankin, M.D.Capt., MC, USN (Ret) Yom Kippur, 1965, I was a Navy medical officer stationed aboard a destroyer off the coast of Vietnam.  The ship’s captain had promised us an hour or two to hold a service Kol Nidre evening, but late in the afternoon the ship went to battle stations.  An Australian base camp south of Hue was under attack from a North Vietnamese unit, and we were to fire around the perimeter of the camp to drive them away. The firing continued all Kol Nidre night and through most of the next day.  After much loss [...]

by Lori FreedmanTemple Beth Shalom, Austin, TX During the Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe, it is customary to go to the cemetery to pay respects, or as I say, ‘visit’ those you love. This year, during this time, I was fortunate to be in the same city where my dad is buried.  December will mark the 25th anniversary of my father’s death. I mentioned to my husband that, thinking back on that awful time and now living in the Austin Jewish Community, I can see what community means at a time like that. I did not have the same [...]