RJ Blog

“Camp Newman helps us feel closer to God”. This is how I opened my dialogue with our 2013 leadership staff at our annual Spring retreat. You could have imagined the response. Even some of our Rabbinic students felt uneasy about this language and its timing (opening conversation). “God” talk is scary for many of us.

Making new year’s resolutions is not necessarily a Jewish concept. After all, we marked the start of our new year months ago! But as citizens of a global society – who still have to write “2013″ on our checks, not “5773″ – it’s difficult to resist the allure of the traditions that accompany the start of the secular new year. Here, a few of the most common resolutions – and how the Reform Movement can help you achieve them in the new year! Lose weight. OK, so we can’t really help you with this one; you may need to join [...]

It’s an elusive idea, spirituality. Broad and deep, spirituality is as hard to define as is love or goodness, truth or beauty. Many people may not be interested in spirituality. But they are interested in meaningful relationships and community. Does that sound like you? Herein lies the beauty of how many of us understand what it means to be spiritual.

I’ve been a mikveh guide for about a year. Because I work from my house and can make my own hours, I’ve been called on often for the many men who have used Mayyim Hayyim, Boston’s 21st-century mikveh, for a variety of reasons: upcoming weddings, conversions, bar mitzvahs, and marking special lifecycle events. I’ve been a guide for older men, younger men, middle-aged men, budding teens, young kids, and even babies; men and boys of all shapes and sizes, every denomination and non-affiliated, the learned and neophytes on a path. Some of the moments I’ve witnessed have been deeply spiritual, [...]

by Carole Ann Wainer Gore For several days before I began chemotherapy for transitional cell carcinoma, I created and rehearsed a guided image of a boat that allowed me to relax and give myself permission to enjoy the journey toward renewed health one chemo drip at a time. During my first chemo session, as my husband held my hand, I began to breathe deeply and follow my guided imagery. As I did, I felt HaShem’s profound presence. There was no doubt in my mind that the infusion process was being guided by a Higher Power. Because the guided imagery I [...]

I’ve been interested in meditation since college. The attraction began with a notion that I could achieve “inner peace,” though I’ve since come to realize the key is to focus on increasing awareness of my experience in the present moment – with whatever thoughts and feelings may arise. When my concentration is right, I’ve been able to relax into what I’d call a “core of stillness” –  elusive, but at least I know it’s there. A few questions and comments come up repeatedly during conversations about meditation:

by Sophie Vener In synagogue seats around the world, Jews pray Nisim B’kol Yom, “the daily miracles.” The first line of the prayer, “Asher natan lsachvi binah lehavin bayn yom obayn lilah,” is translated in our prayer books as, ” You have implanted mind and instinct within every living being” – but the direct translation of this prayer is actually, “You give the rooster understanding between night and day.” What a difference! Do you think a Talmud-studying rebbe wrote this prayer? No! A farmer wrote it! The daily miracles prayer that we read once we have already had a cup [...]

by Rachel Kasten Despite being a Jewish educator, I have never felt a strong, personal connection to our sacred texts. I read the Tanakh as one reads literature, though this particular series of books had way too many underdeveloped characters and a very loosely held-together plot. It certainly didn’t invoke the kind of emotions that, for example, the Harry Potter books did. These stories were never my story. Last year, I took a course in Hebrew Bible at a local university, as a refresher to better my own teaching of the topic – and then, I saw myself everywhere in [...]

by Rabbi Rick Schechter I never was a Boy Scout (to my regret), yet I wholeheartedly endorse their teaching, “Be prepared.” I can think of very few instances in life where that advice doesn’t apply or lead to a more positive outcome. It certainly holds true for the High Holy Days. Judaism encourages us to spend the entire month preceding Rosh HaShanah in preparation for the High Holy Days—to make ready, to be prepared. The preparatory month of Elul this year begins on Sunday, August 19. To help make your Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur more enriching and meaningful, while [...]

I wrote this meditation years ago when I was a member of the Shabbat Committee at Temple B’nai Or in Morristown, N.J. It is meant to be read before L’cha Dodi at Friday evening services. “Meditation” Open my heart tonight to welcome Shabbat in the natural way I did as a child—open, unquestioning, believing. Leaning against my father, Shabbat melodies became mine as the fringes of his tallis slipped through my fingers again and again.

Does God exist? What does God do or not do? Last Yom Kippur, Rabbi Mark Dov Shapiro sent a survey to his congregants at Sinai Temple in Springfield, Mass., to find out what they believe – and the results surprised him. In this summer’s issue of Reform Judaism magazine, Rabbi Shapiro summarizes his findings, and we ask Reform Jews across North America to participate in a similar survey. More than 1,800 people have already responded, and counting! Rabbi Shapiro writes, in part: I am particularly struck by the finding that the largest percentage of congregants—74.6%—identified God as “hope,” followed by [...]

Since we started reading Vayikra, I’ve been waiting for a chance to argue with my friend and teacher, Rabbi Billy Dreskin. We’ve worked together for years, and we often disagree. But we always learn from each other. His recent d’var torah is a perfect example. Billy is absolutely right in saying that many of us are looking for a closer relationship with God, and that there are only two prayers for closeness in the entire Siddur. But he’s also wrong. This past year, as a result of some difficult times in my life, I’ve started davening two or three mornings [...]

Of all the parashot in all the Torah scrolls in all the world, that one – Sh’mini – had to walk into my life this year – not once, but twice. Because our Reform observance does not include the extra days added by the Sages for communities outside the land of Israel, we spent an extra week on this portion. Much of the content is focused on kashrut. But the parashah includes as well one of the few narrative events of the entire book of Vayikra (Leviticus) – the tale of the death of the two older sons of Aaron. [...]

By Erin Boxt As a young Jewish child growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, I was often asked what Jews believed about the “afterlife.”  Of course, not everyone was so polite in their questioning. But, that is a whole different story! I will admit that I was very confused growing up about a lot of things and the ideas of heaven and hell were clearly two of the most confusing topics for me. So, what did I do? I went to my rabbi and asked him very bluntly, “Do Jews believe in Heaven?”