RJ Blog

by Rabbi Neal Gold This is a response to a friend who has been planning to travel to Israel in December with his college-age children. He expressed trepidation about going to Israel since the war with Hamas began in earnest. This is my reply to him. ____ Dear K., Thanks for your email. I know you’re feeling anxious and nervous about going to Israel with your kids. I most definitely am going in just a few weeks, and as of today I have not heard a single peep from any of other members of our temple group that they are [...]

by Rabbi Joel Mosbacher You shall leave the Peah (corners) of the field– they are for the poor and the stranger among you. (Leviticus 23:33) And though no definite amount is given for Peah, one should not make the Peah less than one-sixtieth of the entire crop. It is all based upon the size of the field, the number of poor who will be collecting it, and the abundance of the crop. (Mishnah Peah 1:2) I love these texts so much; in many ways, I think of them as the Jewish touchstone for our obligation to the less fortunate amongst us. And there’s nothing [...]

You’ve probably heard of the New York Jewish Week‘s annual 36 Under 36 list, but now it’s the Windy City’s turn. Oy!Chicago has compiled its first “Double Chai in the Chi” list, naming 36 young Jews who are revolutionizing the way Chicago does Judaism. Their description of the list reads, “From innovative rabbis, to cancer survivors now helping others cope, to restaurant owners striving to make Chicago healthier, this city is full of young Jewish leaders, humanitarians, educators and social activists striving to make the world a better place each in their own unique way.” We at the URJ are [...]

by Rabbi Erin Boxt In just under a month as the rabbi of Temple Kol Emeth in Marietta, Georgia, I have been reminded of several very important aspects of life: the fragility of life, the energy of the youth, and the challenges and desperation that exists when a person in your life is ill (or even if you are ill yourself). This morning, I officiated my first funeral for a Temple Kol Emeth family. While I tried my very best to be a comfort and support for the family, I certainly felt the emotion present from the initial meeting with the family [...]