Dunking Rachael

What is the Smell of 2340 Hanukkah Candles?

2011-12-23T12:06:00.000-05:00

It’s the smell of VICTORY!

Thisweek my Synagogue, The Merrick JewishCentre, broke the Guinness Record for the most menorahslit at the same time in one place. I was on the small committee who came upwith this crazy idea and implemented it! The idea came outof our Synagogue Innovation Committee which is attemptingto promote and lead to culture change in our belovedcommunity, to gain more involved members and toincrease spiritual awakening in all....to have folks bethe Synagogue not be consumers of Synagogue services..."LIGHT UP THENIGHT" was our kick off event to engage and hopefully gain theattention of the Jews in our neighborhood.

Iwas responsible for electronic/social media ...I am so happy we gotmentioned around the world! A fellow committee member took the videobelow and wrote:

"Every once in awhile, an idea immediately captures the imagination and spirit of a community.Mazel Tov to all who participated. YOU DID MAKE HISTORY"

But this was even bigger , this was a community eventand there were folks from many different streams of Judaism ...Reform,Conservative and Modern Orthodox... also folks who maybe set foot in a Synagogueonce a year. This is the modern Hanukkah gift, to light the light ofenthusiasm, spirit and joy. To connect folks to their birthright,their faith or their religion of choice is a goal worth having. Some thoughtthis was a silly thing to do, others complained that we were not religiousenough, but in the end we touched our community and just maybe someonemight decide to light shabbat candles tonight, or show upon Saturday...that would be a good thing!

Last Week I Became a Woman LOL...

2011-12-15T11:18:00.001-05:00

Ok...Done!
The Bat Mitzvah came off lovely. I feel good that I completed the task. In the end, it really didn't matter who came to support me. It was about me and my commitment and my Kavana, my intent and spirituality.

When I worked in the hospital as a social worker, I worked in positions that bluntly were about death and dying. I must have witnessed hundreds of deaths. ultimately, I believe we all die alone regardless of who is in the room. Depending on one's believe system it is between you and the divine, or perhaps just you and you....I know this can come off as morbid, but for me it is not. It is actually comforting. How I choose to be, how I meditate, pray and be in the world are my choice...my action. My actions are my only true belongings.

The Bar Mitzvah was mine to feel, do and experience. My husband was there and that was wonderful.

Parashat Vayishlach... Family

2011-11-30T15:47:00.001-05:00

We are well within the final countdown to the Haftorah showdown! .... December 10th is our moment. We only have 3 more group practices before the big day, and I have started to hear the portions and prayers in my sleep. truly, I have dreams with the prayers as the sound tracks. I do need for this to be done.

This pending ritual has also brought out some family of origin discomfort. My family, Catholics, have been supportive of me and my second husband, but I do think this very public declaration of my Jewishness is causing some emotional ripples. It saddens me that this is starting to surface in what I perceive as unconscious ways, on the part of my family. Not a single family member will be able to attend this event despite weeks and weeks of notice. Perhaps I was being unrealistic to think someone from my family would come, but none the less it was my hope.

Being a convert at times is a lonely road. I am different from the most of the other women who are joining me on the 10th. Some of them them are having over 50 people come. I do feel a bit jealous that they are so supported. I have managed to cobble together 14 folks, friends and one of my husband's daughters and his brother and his partner.

I can not help but reflect on our Torah reading. It is after all about family, forgiveness and continuity but it is also about transformation.All this preparation for the big day has helped me notice how much I have changed over the past 5 years...so much has changed. Overall I am still clear and content with my choices, but the melancholia of December is starting to hit, and the recent issues (not worth detailing) with my parents and one of my siblings is hitting home how diffident I have become. The brothers in the Torah portion manage to put their disastrous history behind them, with an after all family is family attitude. Unfortunately I am not feeling that from mine....just a little sad.

why Write?

2011-11-18T10:00:00.005-05:00

Inspiration comes from many avenues and it is clear I have not been inspired in any way for many many months...yet something happened last night that switched the switch..lit the fire...well you get the point. What flashed like a neon sign in my head

"only 20 something days left until my Bat Mitzvah."

This event has been sucking my life force away moment by moment. If you read through this blog there will be many themes which emerge. One, perfectionism, is my curse. I have been slain by Hebrew and troup! As a person with admitted learning disabilities I have struggled all my life to put into context my abilities and how I perceive myself as a thinking educated person. This slow motion march to mediocrity has been a drain on my self esteem (only to a point) and has pushed some of my least admirable behaviors. I have struggled with the multi leveled interpersonal issues of the class.....very strong personalities...no need to go further there...I have struggled with it all. Now please do not get the wrong idea, I am not sitting here ringing my hands in an anxiety fueled cold sweat. About two or so months ago I came to the conclusion I just had to finish what I started. Base line advice I give all parents in my therapy /social work practice...finish what you start! So I have let go of any expectations of being good...I am going for not embarrassing!...but last night's full class on the bima practice was beyond embarrassing! ...but is is almost done.......

almost...........

ReBoot!

2011-11-18T00:42:00.002-05:00

Add caption

yes....Reboot...
to start again....
turn over a new leaf....
to wipe the slate clean....
carpe diem....
begin anew
you get the picture........
life moves on......

more to come....

Brain Fog or My Dog Ate My Bat Mitzvah Lesson

2011-07-28T16:22:00.001-04:00

It is no secret that this year I officially joined the ranks of “women of a certain age.” For those of you not old enough to be aware of this very special club, that means I turned 50 years old. This mile-stone has co-occurred with my need to wear glasses for both reading and distance, an increase in hot flashes and what my doctor calls “Brain Fog.” Brain Fog….sounds like something I need a special out fit for, perhaps even some matching rubber boots! My doctor keeps reassuring me that I’m “on track” and “normal.” Clearly, it can be reassuring to be on track when you are 5 years old, but to be this kind of normal at 50, well I just call that ….undesirable!

Another co-occurrence, although a self inflicted co-occurrence, is my studying for my adult Bat Mitzvah. It’s odd I don’t really remember volunteering to do it…must be the fog…but there I am every week in the class from hell. Wait, I’m almost sure Jews don’t believe in hell…..The Rabbi appears extremely confident that myself, along with the rest of our motley crew, will be “davenning with the best of them” and singing like angels by our December 10th date. Just makes you want to break out in a chorus of “Girls, Girls, Girls,” except I believe the median age of this group is probably 70. Now try to erase that picture from your mind! ( thinly veiled reference to hair metal band Motley Crue’s big 80’s hit and pole dancing video vixin filled video)

The above mentioned “occurrences” as my gynecologist likes to call them, combined with my life long issues with learning disabilities…dyslexia et al….make this a herculean task ; that is learning both the Hebrew text and trope (tune). I don’t think that so far it is going too well….I will keep y’all posted!

They Like Me, They Really Like Me!

2011-07-25T15:15:00.001-04:00

I was published today on the hilarious and poignant Pork Memoirs blog.

http://porkmemoirs.com/memoirs/32

"Pork Memoirs is an ongoing story project about pork and identity, and how our choices surrounding the pig often reveal our cultural backgrounds and worldviews.

While Pork may seem like just a common part of a hearty breakfast or a perennial darling of Haute cuisine, at its core the pig represents a paradox: after all, pork is a staple protein for a majority of the world yet taboo for the rest; it is a meat explicitly forbidden for Jews, Muslims and others while it is celebrated by fetishists and gastronomes."

Baruch Dayan HaEmet

2011-07-15T08:12:00.000-04:00

the national news and the local news continue to vibrate with the gruesome details of the death of the boy from Brooklyn. I have nothing to add except to say I turn it off. I urge you to turn it off.

Kosher Cochon Dreams

2011-06-21T17:23:00.002-04:00

I dunked three years ago. In some ways it feels like a lifetime away, but yet it is only a mere thirty six months give or take a few. For those not in the know, in order to convert to Judaism, the ritual includes submersion in a very specific ritual bath called a mikvah. Upon exit from this water, presto-change-o, you are a Jew! This concise explanation clearly leaves out much. The mental, spiritual and emotional experience which leads one to so drastically change religion are not brief or easy.

Did I mention that at the time of my conversion I was a Buddhist Unitarian Universalist?

I have embraced this new life and the many choices that come with it. Some people would call these choices rules or laws. I prefer the word choice because I have chosen this path with an open mind and heart. This includes keeping Kosher. Kosher is a complex system of food regulations/choices and yes religious laws that the Jewish people have been following for thousands of years.

Having been Buddhist for approximately 20 years, I have spent a good portion of my adult life flirting with various forms of food restrictions, vegetarianism. Clearly, I am accustomed to not being in step with the mainstream regarding gastronomy. I have been, in my life, at times, the queen of food issues. So kosher shouldn’t be such a big change.... well, maybe not!

I miss bacon. I miss pancetta, Italian bacon. Did I mention I have a strong Italian family heritage? I miss cooking with it, the smoky flavor of it and generally the entire gestalt of it. I remember being at a diner with a friend during my strictest vegetarian days. This friend was complaining vigorously about the smell of the animal flesh, bacon, and even then, I loved that aroma! It was my vegetarian cheating animal product, but now I have chosen to forsake the porcine delight…forever.

I truly do not want to eat it. Currently my convictions are stronger than my urges. Yet I can't help but wonder, does loving the smell and the taste, of bacon make me somehow a failed Jew? Has my first hand understanding of the power of that savory slice made it impossible for me to join the rest of the tribe? Being a convert has some extra pressures to it. In some ways I feel as if I am held to a stricter standard if only in my own mind. If I dream about eating that delectable traif, non kosher meat, is that a violation? If I get my pathetic fix with kosher, artificially bacon flavored food products, am I cheating? At last perhaps my only choice is to keep my cochen, pork dreams a secret and rely on another pre-dunk legacy, guilt.

Did I mention I was once Catholic?

New House!

2011-06-21T08:04:00.000-04:00

Well I did it.....

Moved into the new house and the old house is going to closing tomorrow...

It has been a crazy 3 months but it looks like we made it...All that's left to do is unpack!

my new back yard

What a Mess!

2011-04-13T18:24:00.001-04:00

Cleaning and getting ready for Passover is such a mess!....I have to do it in between working so today I left the house like a bomb went off. I think it is funny that all this cleaning and moving of things actually makes the the house more of a mess!

out with the "sold" contraband

In with the new!

Getten' Ready!

2011-04-06T15:11:00.003-04:00

I have been a planning fool!...this year, so far, I am ahead of schedule. I even got to the Passover store early enough to get all my dry goods before it feels like the last plane out of Saigon!...(For those of you too young to get that reference, it is related to the panic and horrific end days of the Vietnam war when the US was pulling out and anyone who had collaborated and worked with the Americans were trying to escape, as the Americans tried to get themselves out.) I have planned the meal, went through all the recipes and figured out what will be needed...(aka the list)

I was so early that there were these nifty Bedikas Chometz sets for 99 cents!....feather, candle, wooden spoon and large wide mouth bag to deposit those wayward crumbs!...how cool....

Additionally I have gotten a bit crafty too.... this is the first year with the exception of my husband's very secular brother there will be no family (except the hubby and I) at the home Seder...I managed to wrangle some Bu-Jews...some UU-Jews...and some non Jews to join us....I see it as a mitzvah to be hosting this second night Seder...

I decided that for this rag tag array of adults, I am going to try and make it fun...I found a Haggadah, The Santa Cruz Haggadah that is jewishly intact, the 15 required rituals are there, but it it full of fun and meditative extras...if there was a crowd for made for this Haggadah the ones coming to my abode second night are the ones!

I also saw online a novelty called "A Bag of Plagues"...well I decided this would be an interesting Passover favor to hand out to the guests...but I'm not about to fork over the crazy money being asked for such a trivial thing...no! So I went ahead and made my own! and yes ...after all is said and done, they are cheaper.

This was a fun activity...I usually order little plastic prizes for the little kids I see in my mental health therapy practice....behavior modification type work...so I just went to town on the Oriental Trading web site http://www.orientaltrading.com/

I found little bead jars that worked wonderfully for the "blood" and "lice." When my husband came home and saw my hands all red...he paused and said, with a certain you look like you have gone mad eyes, "what ya doin' honey?..."Making Blood!" A little kosher for passover red and blue dye, dish soap and potato starch...whala BLOOD! Lice was a bit harder, so I am claiming some Sephardic heritage and used broken pieces of wild rice...if I needed I guess I could have gone out side and found some tiny pebbles and that would have worked too.

So over the past three days I have packed up the dining room (yea hooray we are moving with in a month!) and un-packed all the dishes for the holiday and put them in their place! I'm a moving, packing and now Passover cleaning fool!..If I can catch my breath I will check in again...off to work...yes I still have to work.

Saturday Night Date

2011-04-02T23:43:00.000-04:00

Well we know how to have a hot time on the ol' town.... yup we spare no expense! Shopping at the Costco on a Saturday night with my honey...what beats that! All joking aside, really ...I love shopping with my husband, it makes it so much more fun. I learned recently that the Costco nearest to us has an amazing array of kosher food. The entire on premises bakery is kosher dairy. They had a pretty good cheese collection, along with pre-packaged prepared foods.... and they also had an ok collection of Kosher for Passover stuff as well... never mind that a lot of their grocery items were also kosher as well... who knew!

Mazel Tov

2011-04-01T10:18:00.000-04:00

Mazel Tov To Me!...

ok how arrogant is that...but it is how I feel...Today, April 1st 2011, is the third anniversary of my dunk...of my choosing to join the Jewish people!

Shabbat Shalom!

That Time of Year!

2011-03-27T09:45:00.001-04:00

Hope you all are well....for those of us trying to "get it right" the count down is on!...I have started cleaning and eating down the food stocks...but I must admit I am concerned on a number of fronts...Yes, the usual convert lament about all and any holidays, but this year we have two....yes two more issues to throw into the proverbial kosher for passover stew....

We are trying to sell our house...and hardly no family to celebrate with....

First the house...

We completed the year of mourning for my husband's mother this January and about a month or so later sold her home, my husband's childhood home....So with that we have purchased the home of our dreams, on the water in the town in which we live...one problem...we already have the house we currently live in!

So for the past month we have been trying to get rid of this house! The real estate lady keeps telling me "keep your house neutral!".. meaning make it so anyone can see themselves in it. Well this is impossible once I start the great change over. I'm a busy working person and have little time, so I start moving the passover storage boxes within a two week time of the actual holiday. But this year I need to be quicker...and more organized. This is a very tall order! So this year I think I'm going to try some sort of plastic covering for my porous surfaces...(note to self...when redoing the kitchen in the new house... solid stone!)

Buy my house!...It is in our local Eruv!

So the no family issue makes me sad. My daughter moved across the country to the youth alternative living city of Portland! (any of you see the mini comedic series protlandia?...) My husband's youngest is studying abroad and the oldest is staying put in Boston. With the exception of my husband's brother a secular Jew, and his partner a lovely man from Japan, my husband has no relative in the area and hardly any relatives anywhere!

So in an effort to get a seder that I can enjoy preparing, I have decided to focus on a second night gathering. A lot of folks who are not religious will do a first night but not second...so I can do a mitzvha and have a second night seder for me and invite folks who would more than likely be done with the passover stuff. This is coming along....I have 9 folks including our selves so far and am still waiting on a few others. ....

But what to do about the first night? My fall back is Chabad...but that is a bit out of our element....I am going to try and hint harder over the next few day... wish me luck!

Just Because!

2011-03-27T00:40:00.000-04:00

Check Out This Cantor!

2011-03-21T14:33:00.000-04:00

ok I'm biased...this is Cantor Ethan Leifer the Cantor of the Merrick Jewish Center...where I am on the board....take some time to check him out, he is truly gifted!
This video is from a concert held at our synagogue a few weekends ago....there are some other videos from the event on You Tube if you would like to hear more.
He is talented, but he also has been very lovely to me....he has taken the time to hold Hebrew classes which I have attended, and bluntly where I was the slowest learner in the class. He never was anything but supportive of me and I am grateful to him for that!

Macro/Micro

2011-03-16T14:04:00.000-04:00

With so many epic, archetypal events, positive, negative and disastrous going on in the world it can seem trivial if down right selfish to be considering my own little world...yet in some ways I believe this is something Judaism give to us...the way to remain focused and together even when the global energies are tearing at the seems.

We say prayers many times through out the day, we concentrate and what foods etc... yet in keeping ourselves whole and connected to the mundane of life we also connect to the holy...as people struggle in man made and natural life and death encounters through out the world, I get to live.....I get to make a choice...I get to focus on the mindfulness of my daily life....

This choosing we can do for ourselves but we also can choose to engage in practice for the sake of the entire world....there is a Buddhist Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, who is fond of saying peace in oneself is peace in the world...

If we can carry the ability to stay focused on the micro while the world spins with the pressing and overwhelming nature of the macro....we are positively giving back to the world......

Zero Hour....

2011-03-11T17:37:00.001-05:00

Our Shabbateinu starts this evening... on December 29th the cantor of the shul I attend sent the following:

hi Karen,
I would like to assign you Shma and V'ahavta for the Friday night service of Shabbateinu? Sound good? I will of course send you a recording.

I am not ready...but I think I will never be ready so here comes zero hour! I have had non speaking aliyah during services but I have never had to speak in Hebrew in front of the congregation! I have been listening to the recording given me so much I have been dreaming about the V'ahavta....I'll let you know how it went...........

Shabbat Shalom

Purim Song

2011-03-11T11:28:00.000-05:00

5:24

2011-02-25T16:55:00.002-05:00

Shabbat Candle Lighting Times for New York
Candle lighting: 5:24pm on Friday, 25 February 2011
This week's Torah portion is Parashat Vayakhel
Havdalah (72 min): 6:55pm on Saturday, 26 February 2011

The above type of message comes every week into my email...I get actually several different versions, which due to their own schedules come on different days. I keep on all those lists because it is like a tiny piece of shabbat visiting me during my work week....

I just want to share something about this notice that makes me extremely happy.............

5:24 pm!

YEA HOORAY! SPRING IS ON IT'S WAY

Shabbat Shalom Y'all!

I'm Back

2011-02-22T09:40:00.000-05:00

OK I know more than likely no one cares, but I'm here...
I had trouble with the layout, and blogger etc....and didn't have the time to fix it.
But today I decided I wanted to write again.....

Hope

2011-01-13T10:30:00.019-05:00

"We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us. I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us."

President Obama

"We recognize our own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame - but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others."

President Obama

"If you don’t like a person’s vision for the country, you’re free to debate that vision. If you don’t like their ideas, you’re free to propose better ideas. But, especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible."

Sarah Palin

Blood Libel:

The blood libel is a false accusation that Jews sacrifice Christian children either to use the blood for various "medicinal" purposes or to prepare Passover Matzoth (unleavened bread) or for vengeance and mock crucifixions. It is one of the central fables of Anti-Semitism of the older (middle ages) type. The blood libel is a phenomenon of medieval and modern Christian anti-Semitism, but spread to the Middle East as early as 1775, when there was a blood libel in Hebron. A second blood libel occurred in Damascus in 1840 and one occurred in Cyprus in the same year. As the blood libel was the subject of folk ballads and literature, it was not simply a religious superstition in Europe, but a staple of popular culture, like most anti-Semitic prejudices.

Blood libels in the both the West and the East were generally occasions for large-scale persecution and judicial murders of Jews, as well as the basis for expulsions and pogroms. There have been about 150 cases of blood libel that were actually tried by Catholic authorities, and many other rumored cases that never came to trial.

The enduring nature of the blood libel is one of its most remarkable features. It was an invention of the pagans. It was revived and exploited in medieval Christian superstition, later promoted deliberately by the counter-reformation and the Inquisition, By the 19th century, much of the "old" anti-Semitism of the medieval period had passed from the world, but the libel persisted. It has been transplanted to the United States and the belief flourishes in Muslim countries as well.

http://www.zionism-israel.com/dic/blood_libel.htm

My husband is often telling me I tend to be Utopian in my ideals...and that I am unrealistic in my hopes. Then I gently and lovingly say to him, hope is just that....hope. I may not see it in my fleeting time on this earth, but hopefully someday peace will prevail. Like one plants a tree not for the fruit one receives, but for the fruit future generations will enjoy, I pray for peace and work towards fostering hope in myself and in those around me. I hope that our better selves can be found. The events of the past days, the tragedy, the noise, the tension and the sorrow...resonate. I hope we find peace with our selves, our loved ones and all being in the world.

The Prince of Kosher Gospel

2011-01-02T11:29:00.002-05:00

I am a big fan...I love this guy....

for those in the New York area there is an amazing show on Jan 11...The Klezmatics, Joshua Nelson and Good For the Jews...this is the trifecta of hip Jewish music all happening at the City Winery.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T21:37:00.002-05:00

Just a thought I have had all day...

This was the first Christmas free December of my life.....and January 1st has always been the day I "put away Christmas"

I must say I don't miss that at all...in fact it has been freeing that I had none of that this year.

A nice way to start the new year off right!

My First Christmas Free Christmas!

2010-12-24T09:37:00.012-05:00

Clearly I am a Jew By Choice...A Covert....

I have detailed many times my personal struggles and the complicated nature of this type of choice. Today is December 24th, and all is well, well for the most part. The main sticking point currently is in how to manage honoring one's parents/family and following one's heart, aka Judaism. This is clearly summed up in today and tomorrow.

Shabbat, December 25th 2010. I have decided that we (my husband and myself) will go to services and then drive to my parents home to honor them and be with them on their holiday. I can not figure out any other way that can hold both desires.

It is an odd feeling...this is basically my first almost totally Jewish Christmas. With the exception of visiting my parents, there has been no Christian/Christmas type activities on my part. The past three years had been difficult because of my daughter, who with my conversion lost Christmas, but now that she has gone on her own adventure, moving across the country, I have no pressure to have a tree etc.

Yet this odd feeling continues....I'm not regretting anything about my choice, it is just that old conundrum of very few Jewish memories and many many childhood christian ones. I keep asking my husband about his life experiences...his memories of December from his childhood... but then I kind-of feel like a memory vampire, taking his memories because I have none.

The energy about Christmas is all around me, despite living in a fairly Jewish area. You just can't hide from it. I work with children and families and Christmas talk has been happening for weeks. The music in my building has been Christmas themed for the entire month. My husband says he like Christmas carols, that they don't bother him. For me once again it is complicated, they are connected to memories, and childhood times of excitement and wonder waiting for Christmas and Santa. It is almost like I have to block the songs to keep from feeling odd at this time of year.

For those of you born Jewish this might be hard to understand. I just want to "feel Jewish." I want to not even have a thought about Christmas...yet right now it doesn't appear that I am close to that!

sooo Shabbat Shalom...and take a moment to consider the Jews By Choice you might know. Reach out to them at services, because they may need Jewish memories too!

Saturday December 25th 2010

2010-12-15T15:18:00.011-05:00

If you are reading this blog, you more than likely know I am a Jew by Choice. So much has changed since I started down the path of "let me take a closer look at Judaism." A lot has happened! My third anniversary of my conversion will occur on April 1st 2011...God willing.

I am happy that I have managed to continue to evolve in my observance and practices. I have also managed to diplomatically deal with my family of origin, my Catholic, Italian/Irish family of origin. The main difficulty has been my daughter who lost Christmas with my conversion (her father, my former husband is Jewish but rejects all religion) Yet even before she moved to Portland Oregon this fall, that had started getting better too....so with her move, I have no Christmas tree dilemma!

As I put away my Hanuka decorations last Sunday, It dawned on me that this year will be the first one in my life where I have absolutely no trace of Christmas in my home. I have been trying to understand my feelings about this. I don't think I am missing it, but there is some issue of my memories. This time of year is intrinsically linked to that holiday. The songs, the traditions the religion of it all. Don't get me wrong I feel at home being Jewish, but it just seems a bit odd.

The next revelation for me is when I saw that Christmas falls on Shabbat this year. For those of you born Jewish with no mixed marriage issues , this is not a problem but for me this is BIG. One way I have kept the family quite is by attending gatherings in their homes for their celebrations. That way I am there but generally don't have to compromise much. (I will write about food wars at another time!...)

Ok I am not Shomer Shabbat but I am not secular about it either...I use the lights, shower with hot water etc...but my husband and I walk to our conservative synagogue and I don't work, shop etc..

The problem is my parents live two hours away from me.

I have envisioned the phone conversation..."hello mom,... no not coming, it is shabbat"......dead silence....the extremist word might get used...the c word...cult....and a bunch of others. There also could be some serious guilt thrown my way.

My parents are very old, they have accepted so much from me...I don't think I have the strength to hold my ground on this, this year....Does anyone know the next year this will happen?...maybe I will be on vacation for that!

Sharing a Belief...

2010-12-13T13:56:00.006-05:00

On November 23, Imam Shamsi Ali of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York joined with Rabbi Klein in a dialogue that took place at the Merrick Jewish Centre in Merrick NY. It was an important evening as a conjoint effort to begin to build bridges of understanding between the Jewish and Islamic communities began in our little place in the world. The discussion touched on many important issues. Please check out the follow link for other clips from this meeting.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheMerrickJC.

This dialog, I believe was a hopeful thing. Often I have felt some discomfort when politics of religion have come up at synagogue. Often there is open hostility expressed about Islam from some, and perhaps less open but still there is strong distrust from others. In fact my husband is fond of telling me I live in an Utopian world...but that the rest of the world isn't there with me. Of course I am aware of the vast difficulties, pain and suffering that abounds in the world, and in particular in relationship to the Israeli /Arab situation. Yet I hold strongly to my beliefs that hope and peace are the only way. Hatred begets hatred, aggression begets aggression. Growing understand is a way of watering the seeds of hope.

I was happy to see the Rabbi go down this path. Often his very vocal and consistent support for Israel, an Israel right or wrong stance, can feel anti Islamic at times.....this just might be my perception. I too support Israel, but sometimes feel extremely frustrated by some of the actions taken there. This meeting of religious leaders has helped to calm my judging mind and water my seeds of hope that even more change is possible.

Hoping for hope is a good thing!

This Made Me Cry

2010-12-09T09:59:00.006-05:00

I work for myself as a mental health/LCSW therapist. This time of year can be difficult for many people...yet many people because they become so depressed don't show up for their appointments. This leaves me in an awkward spot. If they actually cancel I can then plan my time, but if it is a no show, I must hang around just in case....all this to say...

I HAVE WAY TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS!

so I was trolling you tube and found this amazing video. It comes from the folks at Yad Vashem. They have so much material up on the web...I believe it is a good use of my force down time.....
What brought tears was the footage of the little children singing HaTikvah. Considering this film is from the early 30's ....need I say more.

"Wedding of Frime Chaye Rivke Shapira - daughter of Grand Rebbe Eleazer Shapira of Munkatch, author of Minchas Eleazer (d. 1936), to Rabbi Rabinowitz in March 1933. She was the mother of the present Munkatcher and Dinover Rebbes. Complete version. Includes other scenes of Jewish life in Munkacs, Hungary, both of secular and religious Jews. 1. Wedding. Huge crowds of well wishers gather in the streets on the occasion of the wedding of the Munkacs Grand Rabbi's 18 year old daughter, Frime Chaye Rivke. The Munkatcher Rebbe makes a speech in Yiddish exhorting Jews in America to continue to keep Shabbos (to observe the sabbath day). The wedding party then enters the synagogue grounds, and the cantor sings blessings beneath the wedding canopy (chupah). The wedding concludes with festive hasidic music. Newspaper accounts indicate that some 20,000 people attended the celebrations. 2. Secular Jewish children singing in Munkatch. 3. Traditional Religious Jewish children studying in Orthodox Religious School in Munkatch. 4. Book peddler and weaver in Munkatch. 5. Secular Jews dancing in Munkatch."

I just Love This!

2010-12-05T15:27:00.000-05:00

Finding Hope & Cute Boys Singing!

2010-12-03T12:32:00.006-05:00

Last night my husband was laughing with/at me about how happy I was to light our menorah. He said "we need to get some little kids for you!"...I told him I am making my Jewish memories. We have been going through some very trying times of late; Jobe like times. Yet to engage in a joyful celebration, if only the two of us, is special to me. I embrace it and drink it in. I am determined not to give into the negative thoughts despite much serious illness in my extended family, sister, sister's partner and my mother.

I light the lights to shine into my heart, into other's hearts and to light hope in me! I find peace in the ritual and hope in the flames....

soooo now for the cute boys!.........

Rabbi Klein Video

2010-12-02T11:13:00.003-05:00

A New Light (mp3): My Jewish Learning

2010-12-02T09:11:00.001-05:00

A New Light (mp3): My Jewish Learning

Free Mp3 to Rock Your Hanukkah from the Jewniverse

How do you make your Hanukkah a little bit warmer? By bringing it in with some friends, of course. Three great singers--Naomi Less (who fronts the band Jewish Chicks Rock), Chana Rothman, and Sarah Aroeste (who you might remember from our video How Jews Look)--teamed up to record a great new song, "A New Light," which you can download as an mp3.The title refers to Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, but it also gives a nod to the Hebrew prayer "Or Hadash," one of the blessings before the Shema. In three languages--English, Hebrew, and Ladino--the singers belt out a song that's soulful without giving up its catchy pop. "You're the one who can ignite/Thanks for lighting up our lives," they sing on the chorus--which could be a prayer, or it could be a shout-out from each of these excellent singer/songwriters to the others.

mmmmm donuts

2010-12-01T14:50:00.001-05:00

HAPPY HANUKKAH!

Eruv Nonsense

2010-11-30T09:01:00.009-05:00

My husband and I have been talking about possibly selling our house and moving near the water. This has been a dream of my husband's for many years and he believes, due to many causes and conditions this might be obtainable for us at this time.

Being an entrepreneurial type, I very quickly thought if we go forward with this plan I should send information on our house to the various Orthodox synagogues near us. I live very close to one and within walking distance of another. I went on line to find out about their communities and Rabbi's etc.

Both web pages had information about my area's Eruv. I studied the map and was excited to see that my house is in the middle of the Eruv. This makes for wonderful possibilities for helping me sell my house....

But something about the Eurv map was deeply disturbing to me. It made me more than a bit angry. I attend a large egalitarian conservative synagogue. The eurv clearly leaves my synagogue out! I know nothing about the politics and or history of this but to look at the map they had to make an effort to skip us!

I guess I could bring this up with my rabbi...but again it is another one of these disturbing "them" "us" Jewish moments that leaves me sad.

Mindfulness Jewish Style/Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T19:21:00.007-05:00

Mindfulness Jewish Style brought to you by the rabbi at the Merrick Jewish Center.

Mindfulness is an interesting tool/philosophy/life style/practice...I try to live it. This week has been a lesson in mindfulness. One way to describe mindfulness is as awareness without judgment of what is, via direct and immediate experience. Basically not privileging experiences...or not subcategorizing things presumptively as good and bad.

My daughter has recently moved across the country and due to this, and other causes and conditions including the death of my mother in law with in this year we were going host a very small thanksgiving for my brother in law and his partner. I was not happy with this. Thanksgiving is supposed to be for large families etc. so my brain and emotions kept telling me. I then tried to rally others to come and join us and my sister and possibly my brother and his girlfriend said yes. I had been feeling the loss of late and getting melancholy about not being able to have a large family with whom I can share holidays and was letting folks know this. Not so mindful of me, but I continued to try to manufacture this Thanksgiving. Then fate kicked in. First my brother and his girlfriend cancel...then the worst part...I got the flu...I have been sick since Sunday and today is the first day I can read and write (Wed.)....thanksgiving, or at least the thanksgiving of my projections/attachments is cancelled.

But then something happened between rolling in pain, and being hot and cold with fever...I remembered mindfulness...as the hours have very slowly ticked by, too sick to do anything I am concentrating on the present moment. Not what is missing, what is lost or wanted.

And now I smile as I truly give thanks that I can read today....and that gastric and respiratory distress is lessening. I am grateful for my non toothache!

I am grateful for the wonderful man I call my husband who has taken care of me despite a high degree of whining and moaning...I am grateful for the two dogs who both stayed with me when I needed them and got lost when I needed them to.

I am grateful for so much.

I hope you find your grace despite or in-spite of what your thanksgiving holds for you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's Complicated III or My Daughter on the Oregon Trail

2010-11-18T15:24:00.007-05:00

My daughter and her boyfriend left for Oregon today. They have

been living with my husband and I since the Summer. It has been a complicated time. I love my daughter and want her to be happy. We all know it is best for her and happier for her to be on her own, yet Oregon is sooooo far away!

My daughter and I have been through a lot together...and now she embarks on a phase of her life that I hope is full of the promise she anticipates. I have changed and I must accept that she gets to change too!

Anyone out there know about Jewish Portland?...I will be visiting her often.......

Outlaws or Heroes?

2010-11-16T09:29:00.001-05:00

4:22 PM

2010-11-12T10:26:00.006-05:00

"We'd like to remind you that this evening's candle lighting time is 4:22 in Merrick, NY.Saturday 5:22 Havdalah."

Thusly the weekly shabbat email reminder began.....

Yikes!....4:22 pm!

The reminder went on to mention pre-planning so one could lite candles in the meditative sereneness required by this ritual act. Yet 4:22 for someone in the secular world of work is a tough one. I am lucky I work for myself and set my own schedule but it still can be difficult even with that great advantage. I am sure I will be home in time with some sort of dinner ready made, more than likely bought if I am being totally truthful!

But with the encroaching winter light signaled by the early candles, the very early chunakah this year, the pending move across country of my only daughter and her boyfriend, the recent death of my former mother-in-law, the death within the year of my current mother-in-law, my own mother's medical issues, my sister's cancer diagnosis and treatment...well I guess you get the picture....I am having some struggles.

The other day I was feeling grateful, and I still am, but I am also feeling a bit melancholy, wishing I could patch together some sort of holiday gathering. I missed out on family Jewish celebrations being a convert and all, but I still want to experience it!

I am going to get the nerve up and try to put together a party...it tends to be a time of year for families but I just may be able to find enough loose souls to come and light candles and sing songs with me!....Please wish me luck!

Shabbat Shalom

Treat......

2010-11-10T14:12:00.005-05:00

Today's Fact brought to you by National Jewish Outreach Program

(I just love these emails...daily little bits of Jewish factoids to brighten my day!)

Rachel: The Great Romance
The story of Jacob and Rachel is as close to true romance as one finds in Biblical literature.

Jacob, the son of Isaac and Rebecca, went to the home of Laban (Rebecca’s brother) to find a bride. (In those days, marrying first cousins was not uncommon.) Jacob arrived at a well that was covered by a large stone. When Jacob asked the gathered shepherds if they knew his uncle, they pointed to a young shepherdess approaching the well and announced that this was Laban’s daughter Rachel. They also explained to him that they were waiting until all of the local shepherds arrived at the well to roll back the rock and distribute the water. Jacob immediately rolled the rock away himself and gave water to Rachel’s sheep. Laban agreed to let the smitten Jacob marry Rachel, if Jacob first worked for him for seven years.

When the wedding day finally arrived, however, Laban decided that it would be very embarrassing if his younger daughter, Rachel, were to marry before her older sister, Leah. Therefore, without any warning, he ordered Leah to don her sister’s wedding veil secretly and be wed to Jacob without his knowledge.

Rachel now faced a great dilemma. She could fight for her right to wed Jacob as promised, or she could expose the plot, humiliate her sister in public and bring great shame to the entire family. Putting her sister’s honor before her own, Rachel gave Leah the secret signs that she and Jacob had prepared in case of just such a likelihood, so that Leah could marry the man Rachel loved. When the festivities of Jacob and Leah’s wedding were completed a week later, Rachel and Jacob were wed and Rachel became his second, but more beloved, wife.

Ok love that story....!

I picked the name Rachael in one of those unconscious wonderful monuments...(see the very first post on this blog for the details) Yet despite not having put much thought into the name...it so fits my new wonderful life!

I spent much of the past weekend sunk into the past...the death of my former mother-in-law sent me on a personal history tour that was filled with many emotions. But today I am experiencing my grateful energy....the energy of mindfulness and gratitude for my current life.

Dare I say, despite much to be concerned about...(I will spare you the agony list!) I am more or less pleased with my life and the people who populate it!

To Anonymous

2010-11-06T16:06:00.002-04:00

To Anonymous

I am not orthodox...but I try to hold the line on writing on shabbat...but I do read my computer on shabbat...when I saw your comment...which you will see , that I did post...I took a few moments to think about it....
You must know me I am sure..or why would you be anonymous and why would you be so condemning of me. Who ever you are, I want to say I am sorry for any pain I may have caused you.

no pain was intended...these were my feelings.....feelings and perspective can be problematic...and I am sorry

I had shared the post with my former husband for his review.....we talked about it...he had no issue with what I said about him....he did not mention any feelings about what I wrote about his mom...I have reviewed what I wrote and made changes to make it clearer.

when you see me at the funeral please try to remember I use this blog to work out my experiences and feelings. Hopefully you read some of the other things here to get an idea.

Life is complicated, relationships are complicated and divorce is very complicated...please consider all the shades of grey in terms of relationships, feelings and emotions. Of course I am sad about Dorothy...that is why I needed to write.

as for you...whoever you are, once again...I'm sorry

It's Complicated II Dorothy

2010-11-05T10:02:00.023-04:00

Baruch dayan emet

My former Husband's mother died.

I was married for 20 years and was introduced to her a year or two before my marriage. Dorothy and I always had an interesting relationship...oh did I remind y'all my first husband was Jewish...and at that time I wasn't.

I married a secular Jewish man who one might use the label of "self hating Jew" to describe him. He has disdain for all things Jewish but to be fair he has disdain for most things religious. He would say he was biologically and or culturally Jewish but would call most ritual mumbo jumbo or voodoo.I carried the "Jewishness" of the family from a ritual standpoint for my daughter... I made sure she had connections to it and made my own attempts at home based events such as Hanukkah.

as I was saying, my relationship with Dorothy was complicated. I believe Dorothy was a product of her age and generation. In her time I think she was an ambitious woman who had dreams and aspirations that were slightly out of her reach, of course not due to her. She was smart, almost sassy and always had an opinion on any topic that might manifest. In some ways she was admirable for having carved and cobbled a life together out of the strands she was given...in other ways I found her difficult to get to know, at times she appeared to be not the most warm individual,but that could just be my perception. To me, she always felt as if there was a distance that could never be transversed.This could be due to the many difficulties she had encountered in her life.

Yet over my tenure as daughter-in-Law...the first daughter-in-law...(there is another, daughter-in law...I experienced this as complicated as it can be in most families) I did much care taking. Yet no matter how long I was in the family I think in a mostly unconscious way, I felt I was labeled as the "other". Even at times when it was clear she was having much difficulty with my Jew from birth daughter-in-law counterpart (this in the beginning of her entry into the family...). I was still the non-Jew.(of course this could have been my own "stuff"!)

I have a number of memories but one of the most lasting was our Passover ritual. It was difficult to get the family to decide when we would gather. I most often would insist on the appropriate nights, first or second... but the difficulties would mean sometime yes and sometimes no. She had hagadhs from the 50's or 60's they had Elsie the cow on them!...and every year she would precede to ask/tell me what was happening at the Seder table. may I add not in the most affectionate way!...not mean mind you, just very practical...20 years of this...as my daughter got older it became a game between us as to when Grandma would educate me on all things Jewish. In fact I was the one who wanted to "do" Passover fully with some spirituality....clearly I was not supported in this endeavor.

Once the divorce word crossed our collective lips (my husband and me)I never saw her or his family again.It is important to note that I hold the land speed record for divorce. Having uttered the word in January, entered mediation in February we had a completed agreement by the beginning of May. That part of my life was disappeared they all were gone not to be seen again....that is until Dorthy became sick.

Over the past year the lung issues she had been dealing with for many years had finely been labeled Lung Cancer. as she and her family struggled with choosing the right directions, I had a far off sideline seat. My former husband and I now have a respectable amiable relationship. We are not sharing holidays and hanging out together, but we can talk, share in events that are important to our daughter and in general be ok with one another. Then as it became clear to me, (I used to work as a social worker in an oncology department) that Dorothy would not find her way to a remission, closing this chapter of my life seemed important.

I ended up seeing her during one of her last hospitalizations. It was somewhat awkward. My new found Jewishness was a major part of the conversation. One thing she said did make me smile. she said "you were always more Jewish than all of us."

so now Dorothy is of blessed memory...
Hamakom y'nachem etchem b'toch sh'ar availai tziyon ee yerushalayim

Woman of the Wall in the Post

2010-11-05T07:39:00.007-04:00

http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=194099

400 world rabbis ask police to protect Women of the Wall

By MELANIE LIDMAN
11/05/2010 03:27

Kotel’s rabbi: I call on them to behave according to the customs of the area and not to insult the sensitivities of the other people praying.

More than 400 rabbis from around the world have signed a letter asking Jerusalem police to protect women at the Western Wall who want to pray and read the Torah together, one year after nursing student Nofrat Frenkel was arrested for taking out a Torah in the women’s section of the Western Wall Plaza.

Frenkel is a member of the Women of the Wall organization, which advocates for women’s rights to perform religious actions, such as wearing prayer shawls and reading from the Torah, at the Western Wall.

The letter, organized by Los Angeles Rabbi Pamela Frydman, asked the mayor and police chief of Jerusalem to “immediately institute and enforce a zero-tolerance policy against attacking women in any way whatsoever, including throwing chairs and feces-filled diapers and other objects at women who pray together.”

The letter, co-authored by 28 rabbis, has also been signed by close to 500 other individuals and organizations from various Jewish denominations across the world, bringing the total to over 900 signatories. It was also sent to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky, along with other prominent politicians.

“It is extremely important to us that there always be a place for haredi men and women in a way that is comfortable for them and in accordance with their understanding of Halacha,” said Frydman, who is the director of the Holocaust Education Project at the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles, and was ordained through the Jewish Renewal movement.

“But it is equally important for us that those of us who are Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist and Renewal that we have a place where we can pray in accordance with our understanding.”

Jerusalem Police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said that the police would respond directly to the authors of the letter.

“The Women of the Wall are welcome, like every Jewish woman, to come to the Western Wall,” Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich, chief rabbi of the Western Wall, told The Jerusalem Post. “It is forbidden for anyone to harm them, as violence is totally forbidden at the Western Wall. Together with this… I call on them to behave according to the customs of the area and not to insult the sensitivities of the other people praying.”

Another police source pointed out that the women were arrested after engaging in activities that were forbidden by Supreme Court decisions.

“On the one hand, they’re breaking the law, and on the other hand, they’re asking for expanded protection in order to break the law,” said the police source.

On Monday, when the women mark the new Hebrew month of Kislev, Nofrat Frenkel will lead services to mark the one-year anniversary of her arrest. She was arrested after attempting to bring out the Torah in the main women’s section, which is against the law.

“It was the global support we received that put the wind in our sails,” said Frenkel in a statement. “After my arrest, Jews in both Israel and the Diaspora understood that we have to win this battle by foot.

Men and women, from all sects of Judaism, have arrived monthly to pray with WOW at the Kotel and insist on their right for freedom of worship.”

The Women of the Wall has also started a campaign asking women around the world to send photos of them reading and holding Torahs, in order to illustrate that this is a worldwide movement. They have collected more than 4,000 photos.

“Israelis have given up on the Wall,” said Anat Hoffman, chairwoman of Women of the Wall and the executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center, who was also arrested at a Women of the Wall event six months ago. “They feel uncomfortable there... People have made them feel as if they’re not coming home, but trampling on someone else’s place. There are territorial behaviors, saying, ‘Wear something different,’ ‘Move from here,’ ‘Move from there.’” Frydman is currently leading a delegation to Israel of around 20 people, both men and women, to support Women of the Wall and attend Monday’s Rosh Hodesh service.

“There’s a saying, ‘Respect comes even before Torah,’” Frydman said. “We believe it’s important to respect the haredi way of worship, and our way of worship as well.”

I Am Not A Sheep

2010-10-26T08:19:00.016-04:00

I had heard about the famous/infamous Pew Trust Forum poll. The take away I remember was that most folks didn't know about their own religion, never mind the religion of others. Additionally I remembered Jews and Atheists did the best. In fact my Rabbi even rolled that information into one of his sermons. So when today I saw on a friend's facebook post a link to their site and a with a mini poll/survey I went right to it!

http://features.pewforum.org/quiz/us-religious-knowledge/index.php

How much do you know about religion?
And how do you compare with the average American? Here's your chance to find out.
Take our short, 15-question quiz, and see how you do in comparison with 3,412 randomly sampled adults who were asked these and other questions in the U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey. This national poll was conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life from May 19 through June 6, 2010, on landlines and cell phones, in English and Spanish.
When you finish the quiz, you will be able to compare your knowledge of religion with participants in the national telephone poll. You can see how you compare with the overall population as well as with people of various religious traditions, people who attend worship services frequently or less often, men and women, and college graduates as well as those who did not attend college.

now go take the test...then come back here and keep reading

I took the test and the results for me, raised Catholic, a Buddhist Unitarian Universalist who converted to Judaism, were predictable, I got all the answers right. I am not proud of this nor surprised by this, but what did shock me was how simple it was. They do a wonderful job of breaking down their data so that you can see who got questions right and wrong broken out into many different categories. I feel dismayed about the polls results. These questions were basic, nothing jumped out as esoteric or overly challenging.

And once again, my own experience with this quiz pointed out my unique conundrum....even though I do not believe I need reminding, but there it was....I fit nowhere near any majority and or any mainstream demographic group.

I spent a good amount of time when I was younger lamenting my plight of perpetual outsider when it comes to how I view the world...the shorthand I came up with was "I am not a sheep." I tend to go out there on my own, searching and questioning. But that can be a dangerous place to be and would think there is some protective energy with being just like all the other sheep. but anytime I attempted to put on sheep clothing, my true nature shown and I was found out.

So far, I must say ,the synagogue I am calling home has accepted my non sheep self. In fact in some ways I think they find it interesting. I bring life experiences and organizational experiences that can be a positive addition to our shull....I feel at home organizationally but more to the point I am home religiously and spiritually.

Vacation in Italy

2010-10-10T17:53:00.024-04:00

Right after my husband and I broke our Yom Kippur fast we left for Italy and spent 18 days exploring the country!....But it has been crazy since our return and it has been hard to get back into the swing of things....including getting back into the blog thing..none the less I thought I would start to post some of my "Jewish Themed" photos from this grand adventure....

ok....now for those of you who don't know...this is Vatican City....the place where the Pope lives...
and yes I went in...I went into many churches.....I know, not Orthodox of me...but I truly believe I went into these places because of art and history not to worship and or pray...

and look what I found in the floor of former living quarters of the popes! There were a whole bunch of them!

This is the Synagogue in Florence

more photos tomorrow!

Gemar Chatimah Tovah

2010-09-17T08:40:00.005-04:00

I am wishing all Tsom Kal.....

I am truly inspired! I have been in a good space and have been able to channel kavanah....hopefully when my stomach starts to grumble and I start to feel a bit dehydrated I will be able to continue to find that higher place.

Last night we had a synagogue board meeting. Nothing unusual in that...but the Rabbi in a few moments before we got into it talked about our theme...or better yet our aspiration...."Aim Higher"

Weather in prayer or service our aspiration is clear to aim higher...I am wishing all the same...to find a place in their hearts and homes to aim higher!

Shana Tova!

2010-09-08T12:29:00.000-04:00

Jews in Space and Other Fun Stuff

2010-09-07T08:32:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite Web sites in my "Jew-niverise" is My Jewish learning http://www.myjewishlearning.com/ they have always had wonderful emails and learning opportunities. Recently they have started something called Jewniverise. It is an email of fun, funny or interesting factoids. I have found it immensely interesting. below is the one I found in my inbox this morning.

September 7, 2010
Rabbis in Space

Jack Dann is a brilliant science fiction writer. He's also Jewish--though in much of his writing, that’s merely a fun background fact. But Dann's classic short story "Jumping the Road," originally published in 1992, is a wonderful exception to the rule
--a story about aliens, Jews, and Jews who are aliens.

In the far future, humans discover a planet named Ulim (similar to the Hebrew word for "world") with a small population of native Jews. These alien Jews have a parallel history to Earth's Chosen People--they have the same Torah, the same rituals, the same Hebrew language, and even wear the same kind of tallit (prayer shawl) as their cousins across the galaxy. But the Ulim Jews are only three feet tall, with scaly alligator skin.

A Hasidic Master on Earth sends the fun, grumpy Isaac ibn Chabib to Ulim to investigate. Soon, he unearths a much larger (and stranger) story than simply two parallel Jewish histories. We won't give away the whole plot, but let's just say that it involves plum brandy, time-traveling talmudic rabbis, and a whole lot more.

My Personal Selichot

2010-09-06T10:38:00.008-04:00

Our synagogue was having a very lovely program on Saturday night. First our Rabbi joined forces with the local Modern Orthodox Shull to do an educational round table, then we would walk to our synagogue at 11:00 pm for our Selichot service.....

I am sure it was great......but I wouldn't know...I fell asleep! Yup missed the entire thing sleeping on my couch!

I felt terrible about this, but what could I do! The following day my husband and I had plans to spend some time at the beach. So I decided to have my own personal Selichot moment.

I took the copy of the new conservative Mahzor to the beach and read it. Ok I feel some what like a study nerd!...but the new edition is wonderful!

Rabbi Dan

2010-09-03T17:20:00.016-04:00

The below post came via my Facebook link to New York City's 92nd Street Y in Tribecca, the newer location for the famous NYC Jewish institution. It is a magnificent place, and if you are in the neighborhood check out their cafe it is yummy and Kosher.

Yet the reason for this post is I guess is why the Orthodox keep men and women separate at most all times..... CHECK OUT THE RABBI!

Ok, I will be 50 years old in March, and more than likely have shirts older than this guy...but it struck me he isn't hard to look at.I don't mean to be objectifying him. I am sure he is extremely learned and has a wonderful spirit. But I must say I have not met many Rabbis that look like that!

Shabbat Shalom Y'all!

Friday, September 03, 2010

Google CEO Has 92YTribeca Rabbi Dan Thinking
Dan Ain, 92YTribeca’s new Rabbi-in-Residence, is thinking about the High Holidays. Specifically, his thoughts have turned to the new technological world we live, with astonishing access to information:

Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, was recently quoted in The Wall Street Journal, commenting on a society where “...everything is available, knowable and recorded by everyone all the time.” He predicts that every young person one day will be entitled automatically to change his or her name on reaching adulthood in order to disown youthful hijinks stored on their friends’ social media sites. Has technology really taken us to the point that we all need to change our names because of some careless photo posted years ago? Have we become that unforgiving?

If the web means the “end of forgetting” as outlined by a recent New York Times Magazine cover story, then we truly have all begun to see our lives through a technological lens.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur provide us with the opportunity to get back to using our own eyes, our own senses, so that we can reconnect with the person we want to be, as opposed to what our technology needs us to be. Maybe then we can remember how to forgive each other and forgive ourselves, without having to resort to changing our names.

Celebrate the High Holidays with Rabbi Dan when he leads Rosh Hashanah services on September 8th and 9th, and Yom Kippur services on September 17th and 18th.

Elul Time

2010-08-21T22:01:00.004-04:00

As I have done in the past 2 years, I am taking the month of Elul as a time to try and deepen some connections, understanding and knowledge about my chosen faith. It is also the time of year when I make some extra time for play...Well it is truly more than play...I use the month to make my own New Year cards.
As I make each one I try to be mindful of the reason for the cards. I use the making of them almost like a meditation.

The only thing that gets complicated for me, is who to send the cards to. Now that I am a board member the list could be very long!...yet I want to try and keep my intent and spirit the same.

Wish me luck!...I have a lot more cards to make!

love's Delima

2010-08-06T08:09:00.016-04:00

My conversion, My marriage, My kosher kitchen, My choices. All have been full of deep contemplation. I can say with a clear mind and heart that I have chosen for myself this new life. But there is someone who has not made any of those choices and yet now, even more acutely than ever before, has to live with them.

My daughter, who had been living in an apartment with her long time boyfriend, has come to live with my husband and I, with the boyfriend in tow. College is completed and employment with enough pay to continue living in New York City has been difficult to secure, so here they are!

I love my daughter, but this is hard. She has accepted my husband of two and a half years. She supports my career changes. (I now work for myself as apposed to my previous management job at a large psychiatric hospital) but the "Jewish Stuff", her words, has been much more difficult. She tells me that she sees that I am happy but then says "I just don't see the purpose of this kosher stuff." I explain it is what I do and that it is important to me. But this is the moment that keeps on giving.

The kitchen is the epicenter or in other words, ground zero of this new challenge. My kosher kitchen has been a difficult thing for me to conquer! It has been a work in progress with my determination to climb the ladder of observance. Each step of the ladder involves so much learning, practice and patients with myself and others.

But now the invasion has occurred. I did an initial overview and this was accepted. "Ok these dishes, this cabinet these bowls etc...dairy" and so on. But trying to explain that dairy is more than just a bowl of cereal with milk is much harder.

The separation problem is much bigger. I was in another room and I heard my daughter and the boyfriend talking...I think I hear "cheese burger"...but the moment passes and they decide on something else. I make a mental note talk to them about mixing meat and dairy....

I love my daughter and want her to be comfortable in this her new home even if it is temporary situation. This is a struggle for all of us and I know this will be one of the most difficult challenges I have faced since my choice to convert.

Lets look At What Is Wroking!

2010-08-04T12:14:00.005-04:00

Stories about cooperation for the greater good. Brought to you by Israel21c.

go to the below link for a story of how we can find common ground.
Throwing out the garbage together environment

this story is moving and shows good stuff!

Will She or Won't She

2010-07-31T23:47:00.012-04:00

Well It is official...another mixed marriage. The below article will give all the Jewish details...but the much hoped for conversion clearly had not occurred.

In my conversion class there were women from all different ages and stages. Who knows what the future may bring. If the happy couple wants children that is another time period when the thought of religious conversion comes into play.

I must admit I was hoping that she had already dunked....

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2010/07/31/2740286/rabbi-co-officiates-at-clinton-wedding
Rabbi co-officiates at Clinton wedding
July 31, 2010

NEW YORK (JTA) -- Chelsea Clinton was married under a chuppah in a ceremony co-officiated by a rabbi.

Rabbi James Ponet, head of the Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale, was joined by Rev. William Shillady, a Methodist minister. Clinton and the groom, Marc Mezvinsky, reportedly were married under a chuppah, in a ceremony that featured friends and family reciting the seven traditional blessings and a ketubah, the traditional Jewish wedding contract. The event took place Saturday night before the end of the Jewish sabbath.

Mezvinsky, who is Jewish, wore a yarmulke and prayer shawl.

Ponet, a Reform rabbi, has been the Jewish chaplain at Yale since 1981. He currently teaches a college seminar with Dr. Ruth Westheimer on “The Family in the Jewish Tradition," according to the bio on the Slifka Center website. He and his wife, Elana, also "lead a weekly discussion in Slifka Dining Room on the value of peace in Jewish life and thought."

MO Protest

2010-07-29T15:22:00.018-04:00

Rabbi clashes with Israeli embassy in Washington over Western Wall arrest

Natasha Mozgovaya http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/rabbi-clashes-with-israeli-embassy-in-washington-over-western-wall-arrest-1.304852

Modern Orthodox rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld enraged by Israeli silence over arrest of woman whose crime was holding a Torah scroll.

Hoffman, founder of the Women of the Wall movement, was arrested on July 13 for carrying a Torah scroll at the Western Wall, which Israeli courts have prohibited women from doing. Herzfeld, along with dozens of protesters, demonstrated at the Israeli embassy in Washington following the event.

"He basically blackmailed us and made some headlines at the expense of the [Israeli] ambassador [to Washington]. These North Korean-style negotiations are not in the spirit of our relationship with the Jewish community," a source at the embassy told Haaretz.
The source quoted the letter, penned by Herzfeld, which read "I have invited Ambassador [Michael] Oren to come to Ohev Sholom – The National Synagogue to explain this arrest. So far we've received no word from him on whether or not he will show up. But if I don't hear from him by tomorrow morning, then I will be forced to announce a public protest in front of the embassy."

"We are dealing a lot with the Women of the Wall story," the diplomat said. "The ambassador met with the Chief Rabbi and with the minister of the interior to discuss this matter. The way Rabbi Herzfeld chose to deal with it looked more like a public relations exercise. He called on the ambassador 'to come out and say that he is ashamed of this policy' – that's not how sensitive issues are dealt with. It was not appropriate and it left an unpleasant impression that the organizer seeks press coverage and ignores the serious and quiet work done by the embassy to deal with this issue."

Rabbi Herzfeld told Haaretz that his intention was to make the responsible side feel uncomfortable.
"The Israeli government did not criticize it at all. Michael Oren didn’t say anything about it. So if we keep silent, at a certain point we become associated with this policy," he said. "Women and men in our synagogue – it affects all of us and it is starting to embarrass us."
"We are an orthodox synagogue and there is a phrase – silence is like acceptance. Our question to them was: do you agree with that? And the answer was: we don’t know the facts. And I say, I am sorry, it's not good enough. You had 10 days to check. There is a YouTube video of the arrest with the facts," the rabbi went on to say.

Herzfeld stressed that he is an ardent supporter of Israel. "Many times I stood there counter protesting voices against Israel - it is something I take pride in. But I had two reasons to protest this time - I wanted Anat Hoffman to know she was not alone, that there are people who supported her and other women's right to hold a Sefer Torah. She had the right to do it based on a freedom of religion, but also from a halakhic (Jewish law) perspective, I think it's definitely permissible."

"If the government of Israel is going to continue with this type of action, they should know it's not acceptable and they will hear it from us," he said. "Some people say 'don’t raise your voice, it will embarrass Israel' But even they won’t defend the policy. How can Michael Oren and [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu defend this policy?"

"Michael Oren was in my synagogue at Rosh ha-Shanah when the Torah was passed to the women's section. That demonstrates clearly that he doesn’t have an ideological problem with this," Herzfeld continued.He confirmed that embassy officials asked him not to demonstrate. "One of their arguments was that the ambassador had already discussed it directly with Netanyahu in a private meeting after the previous arrest. But clearly this quiet diplomacy is not having an effect. What could have an impact is if the government understands that there will be negative publicity."

Following the demonstration, Herzfeld was invited into the embassy to talk, but he wasn't placated. "The only thing they said is that they don’t know the facts yet. I am sorry – 10 days after the arrest, they still don't know the facts? It shows they don’t take it seriously. It’s not going to blow over."

"One of the reasons I went out there is because I heard from a lot of people in our synagogue how upset they were about it. Most of the people in our synagogue are strongly affiliated with Zionism and support of Israel – and they tell me how outraged they were. I felt that this arrest was like a punch in the face."

Rabbi Herzfeld said that his invitation for Oren to visit the synagogue still stands. "I invited him to come at any point. He knows how to get here. He’s been here before. But he refused to come. If he doesn’t want to address these concerns, what should we do? Just be quiet?"

The Conversion Carousal

2010-07-19T17:56:00.014-04:00

The conversion carousal goes round and round...if you pay too close attention you might fall to the ground, not enough watching you may miss the golden ring...and you better watch out for the devistation that could bring......

a smathering of the more recent "news"

Op-Ed Contributor
The Diaspora Need Not Apply
By ALANA NEWHOUSE

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/16/opinion/16newhouse.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

Non-Jewish, until proven otherwise
by Rivkah Lubitch

http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3896261,00.html

Netanyahu says he will oppose conversion bill
By ARON HELLER (AP)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jM6aBRPdyhkPppg6lryZftNL2wzQD9H1HE5O0

Interior Minister Yishai: Absence of conversion law poses danger to Jewish people
Netanyahu, who opposes law giving the rabbinate sole control over conversions, says issue will tear the Jewish people apart.
By Barak Ravid and The Associated Press

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/interior-minister-yishai-absence-of-conversion-law-poses-danger-to-jewish-people-1.302602

RCA Statement Regarding The Rotem Knesset Legislation Pertaining to Conversions(Monday, July 19th, 2010)
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/General+News/65903/RCA-Statement-Regarding-The-Rotem-Knesset-Legislation-Pertaining-to-Conversions.html

Doing Tisha B'Av

2010-07-19T13:43:00.010-04:00

I "do" Tisha B'Av...many would think...so what, your Jewish,right?...well it appears that in my world, a Conservative Synagogue in suburban New York, compared to Yom Kippur, not so many take on the mitzvot of this day. I will go tonight, I will fast, I will go tomorrow.Yet I find this ritual hard. It is hard to fast no matter when it is done, but without the collective energy of the full community I find it harder. There is something empowering when we all do it together. I do try to summons up the energy to think about all the other Jews in the world who are participating in this ritual and use that to help, but there is something different about the power of the collective energy when you are in the middle of it.

Perhaps I am missing the point, but I also find it difficult to get "sad" for this day when thinking about it in the traditional way...the destruction of the Temples etc.... I tend to think about it as the day we use to remember all the suffering, all the pain and all the terrible things that have occurred to the Jewish people throughout the eons. I am basically very happy, I use the practice of mindfulness to help manifest more peace and more serenity in myself daily. To purposefully throw myself into sorrow, can be tough for me. There is enough current suffering in this world that I do not think we need to conjure up more. I am not an ostrich I know there is "bad stuff" happening everywhere, yikes even in my neighborhood...but to dwell on suffering is difficult. I prefer to think of it as honoring those who have suffered and honoring our collective traditions.

How do you do Tisha B'Av?

Knesset lobby discusses freedom of prayer

2010-07-14T10:56:00.005-04:00

http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=181352

at Western Wall
By JONAH MANDEL, GIL SHEFLER AND GREER FAY CASHMAN
07/14/2010 02:02

US Jews continue to slam passing of conversion bill as ‘divisive.’
Talkbacks (12)
A day after Anat Hoffman, chairwoman of the Women of the Wall prayer group, was detained for holding a Torah scroll at the Kotel, the Knesset Lobby for Civil Egalitarianism and Pluralism held a preplanned discussion Tuesday on the freedom of all Jewish streams to pray at the Western Wall.

MKs Shlomo Molla (Kadima) and Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz), who head the new lobby, led the chorus of speakers from numerous liberal religious and civil groups condemning Hoffman’s arrest and noting the importance of making the Western Wall a site where any Jew could freely express his or her religious beliefs.

Hoffman herself relayed how Knesset security had initially refused to let her in with her tallit, as her entry permit had not detailed that she would be carrying “equipment.”

“I’d like to see them telling an Orthodox man he can’t bring his tallit or phylacteries into the Knesset,” Hoffman said.

“From a symbol of the Jewish people, the Western Wall has become a symbol of concessions in our Judaism,” she noted, adding that transforming the Kotel into a site open to all streams of Judaism could provide inspiration for similar trends in other Israeli institutions.

The new lobby’s mission is to deal with issues that are being insufficiently addressed at the parliamentary level, such as the struggles against religious coercion and for equality in military and civil service.

Many of the speakers at Tuesday’s session mentioned the importance of galvanizing the public to join the struggle to wrest the Western Wall out of the “haredi hands that currently hold it.”

A recent poll conducted among 500 respondents by the Smith Institute on behalf of Hiddush – an organization that promotes equality and freedom of religion – showed that 42 percent of the public was in favor of allowing men and women to be together in the entire Kotel plaza, including the area where prayers are conducted. Some 37% think that the current situation, in which there is separation only in the prayer area, is desirable, while 21% would rather have men and women separated in the rest of the plaza as well, according to the poll.

“The current trend of radicalization is counter to the spirit of Judaism,” said Hiddush head Rabbi Uri Regev, who presented the data.

Notably absent from Tuesday’s discussion was Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, who canceled his participation following the incident with Hoffman.

In an explanatory letter to Molla and Horowitz, Rabinovitch referred to the incident as “a group of women insistent on defying the Supreme Court decision and offending thousands of people attending prayers, by creating an unnecessary and loud provocation... that caused me and others deep grief.”

Rabinovitch expressed his concern that Tuesday’s lobby would be a continuation of the argument, and ended the letter with a call for cooperation and dialogue, imploring that the Western Wall not be turned into an arena for a conflict.

Horowitz rejected the notion raised by The Jerusalem Post that the conference’s timing, so close to Hoffman’s detainment, might not be coincidental, and noted a recent chain of similar detainments and arrests at the site.

Horowitz also said that in the next few days, an amendment to the Holy Sites Law would be presented to the Knesset, to ensure tolerance and pluralism at holy sites for members of all religious streams.

Meanwhile, the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), the world’s largest group of Jewish clergy, issued a statement strongly condemning Hoffman’s arrest.

The CCAR said it “looks with shock and revulsion” at the detention of Hoffman, adding, “We view her arrest, interrogation and subsequent ban from visiting the Western Wall for a month... a desecration of God’s name.”

In a related development, angry reactions continued to pour in from North American Jewry on Tuesday over the Knesset Law Committee’s passing of the conversion bill on Sunday.

Officials from a broad spectrum of Jewish organizations joined in condemning the passing of the bill, which they said would put the haredi-controlled Chief Rabbinate in charge of conversions and harm ties with the predominantly non-Orthodox Jewish community in the US.

Rabbi Steven Warnick, executive vice president of the Conservative Movement, said his organization would not allow the bill to become law.

“I think that [MK David] Rotem’s goal of easing the process of conversion in Israel is something we all support, but this bill does more harm than good,” said Warnick, who is currently on a visit to Israel.

“It puts into the hands of the rabbinate, which we don’t have great confidence in, the authority for conversions, and it’s a big issue for us. It’s divisive; both [the conversion bill issue and the Hoffman incident] happening on the same day and [in the Hebrew month of] Av is heart-wrenching.”

He added that “if Israel wants to continue to be the land of the Jews, it needs to become the land of all the Jews, and I say that as someone who is wholly committed to the land of Israel.”

Meanwhile, the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) sent a letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressing its “dismay” over the legislation.

In the letter, URJ president Eric H. Yoffie questioned both the bill’s substance and its timing, saying it could cause a rift in ties between Israel and US Jewry when a joint effort was needed to face outside threats.

“[The bill comes] at precisely the time when we are all working so hard to strengthen these ties and to deal with other concerns – such as Israel’s security and the nuclear threat from Iran,” he wrote.

Netanyahu said Monday that the bill would not be allowed to become law. A Prime Minister’s Office spokesman told the Post that it was in the process of drafting a response to the URJ letter.

At Beit Hanassi on Tuesday, President Shimon Peres told a delegation of 120 federation leaders of Jewish communities from across North America that “we have to find a proper solution to enable giyur [conversion] in Israel, but not at the cost of unity with the Jewish community in the United States. A split in Jewish life will be catastrophic and is totally unnecessary.”

He added that he appreciated Netanyahu’s comments that the legislative process would be postponed in order to conduct a serious and inclusive discussion.

Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, welcomed the president’s remarks and told The Jerusalem Post, “We are hopeful that the prime minister will strongly support and continue down the path that he began by appointing Natan Sharansky to lead the dialogue, and that the parties that are trying to drive this bill will stop and think about the entirety of the Jewish people.”

Let's Make Some Noise!

2010-07-13T22:30:00.011-04:00

Immediate Action Required to Prevent Passage of Conversion Bill to ask Prime Minister Netanyahu to prevent passage of the MK David Rotem Conversion Bill.

http://www.masorti.org

Letter: Prevent Passage of MK David Rotem's Conversion Bill

The Honorable Benjamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister of Israel
Office of the Prime Minister
Jerusalem, Israel

Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu,

We write to request your immediate intervention to prevent passage of the Conversion Bill being brought forward by MK David Rotem.

We are deeply concerned about the proposed grant of authority over conversion matters to the Chief Rabbinate. The advancement of this legislation is offensive to the non-Orthodox streams which reflect 85% of world Jewry. As a Conservative/Masorti Jew, I find this very distressing.

While we are supportive of efforts to create greater accessibility to conversion courts in Israel and to encourage and facilitate the conversion of those living in Israel as citizens whose halachic standing may be in doubt, the overall impact of the Rotem Bill will set back these efforts. Should this bill be enacted, it will exacerbate a widening gap between Diaspora and Israel communities, a gap we very much want to avoid.

It is imperative that you, as leader of Israel, and as one who cares deeply about the well-being of Klal Yisrael, intervene and urge immediate withdrawal of this bill.

Opponents alarmed as Israeli conversion bill moves ahead
By Jacob Berkman · July 13, 2010

NEW YORK (JTA) -- Opponents of a controversial bill that could give the Orthodox Rabbinate the final say over conversions in Israel are trying to keep the bill from moving ahead in the Israeli Knesset after its surprise introduction and passage by a Knesset committee.

For months, Israeli lawmakers have been discussing a bill that would put more power over conversion into the hands of Israel’s Orthodox-dominated Rabbinate by giving local rabbis the ability to perform conversions and giving the Chief Rabbinate oversight and control over the whole process.

The bill, sponsored by Yisrael Beiteinu Knesset member David Rotem, gained steam Monday with its approval in the Knesset law committee by a 5-4 vote. The bill now must pass three readings before the full Knesset to become law.

Opponents are desperately trying to stall the process, at least until the Knesset starts a two-month break next week.

“They have to bring it to the Knesset now for a first reading, and we have to make sure that it will not happen,” the chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Natan Sharansky, told JTA.

Sharansky is leading a coalition against the bill that includes the leaders of the North American Jewish federation system and the non-Orthodox Jewish religious movements in the United States.

Rotem’s bill originally was intended to ease the conversion process within Israel and make it easier for non-Jewish Israelis of Soviet extraction to obtain conversions and marry within Israel.

Despite its intent, opponents warned that the bill would consolidate control over conversions in the office of the Chief Rabbinate and drive a wedge between Israel and the Diaspora by carrying the risk that non-Orthodox conversions performed in the Diaspora could be discounted in Israel. In addition, they said the bill would affect the eligibility of converts for the Law of Return, which grants the right to Israeli citizenship to anyone who is Jewish or at least has one Jewish grandparent.

The opponents urged Rotem to revise the proposal. They believed they had a deal in place with Rotem to hold off on the bill pending more discussion after Rotem came to the United States in April to discuss the bill with them, and after a number of meetings between Sharansky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Several top Israeli officials, including the justice minister and minister for Diaspora affairs, had agreed to work with Sharansky on altering the bill.

But Rotem caught Sharansky and the Diaspora leaders by surprise by bringing the bill to a committee vote this week; Sharansky was given only a day’s warning. The move set off a maelstrom of criticism from the Diaspora.

The CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, Jerry Silverman, called Rotem’s action a “betrayal.”

In a letter of protest from the president of the Union for Reform Judaism that was signed by 14 other organizations, including various arms of the Conservative movement, Rabbi Eric Yoffie wrote, “Rotem’s actions are contrary to the assurances we received in meetings with him and with others over the last several months.”

In an interview with JTA, Rotem was unapologetic about moving ahead and said, “This bill will pass, no doubt.”

“I never promised anything,” Rotem said. “I told them all the time in the meetings that if I will see there is a majority, I will bring it a vote. No one can say I promised anything.”

In their discussions with Rotem, Diaspora leaders expressed concern about an item in the bill that would have taken away the right to automatic citizenship for anyone who comes to Israel as a refugee but then converts to Judaism. Rotem removed that item before pushing the bill through the law committee.

Now, he says, the bill has no effect on American or Diaspora Jews and that this is solely an Israeli matter over which non-Israeli Jews should have no say.

“I don’t know why they wanted to have discussions,” he said. “I came to the U.S. I spoke to leaders, and I explained this is nothing that touched the American community. It has nothing to with Jews in the Diaspora. It is only an Israeli matter.”

Since Monday, Sharansky has engaged in a number of discussions with Israeli lawmakers, including Netanyahu. The Jewish Agency chief said he believes the bill will not come before the Knesset this week, and hopes it will not be on the agenda before the two-month recess provides a chance to alter or scuttle the bill.

Sharansky said he is pushing for Netanyahu and his Likud Party to publicly oppose it.

“If it is clear Likud will not support it, it will not pass,” Sharansky said.

“It is important for us, for the unanimity of the moment, that we have to keep the pressure on,” Rabbi Steven Wernick, the executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, told JTA.

“I think it would be an error to think that in the political society as dynamic and hyper-dynamic as Israel is that we are done with this,” he said. “The people who care about these issues have to constantly keep them on the agenda and explain why they are important to decision makers.”

Why Can't We All Just Get Along

2010-07-12T12:36:00.010-04:00

Women of the Wall head arrested at Kotel
July 12, 2010

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- The chairman of the Women of the Wall was banned from the Western Wall for 30 days after being arrested for holding a Torah scroll at the site.

Jerusalem police arrested Anat Hoffman on Monday morning following the monthly women's Rosh Chodesh prayer service. She was taken in for questioning and held for five hours before she was released, the organization said.

Women of the Wall said Hoffman was ordered to stay away from the Kotel for the next 30 days.

A Supreme Court ruling prohibits women from reading the Torah at the wall; the group said in a statement issued Monday that she was just holding the scroll.

According to the organization's account, Hoffman, holding the Torah scroll, was leading about 150 women from the women's section of the Western Wall in a procession toward Robinson's Arch, where they are permitted to use the Torah scroll. Police tried to remove the Torah scroll from Hoffman's arms and arrested her for not praying according to the traditional customs of the Western Wall.

"The arrest of a woman on the first day of the month of Av is a harsh reminder of the price that Israeli society may pay for its religious intolerance and fanaticism," Hoffman's group said in a statement.

Police have not commented on the case.

More Conversion News
(coppied from the Kansas Star)
Jewish groups were angered Monday after a parliamentary committee in Israel approved a bill that would give Orthodox rabbis more control over the sensitive issue of conversions to Judaism.

The Reform and Conservative movements, which are the largest Jewish denominations outside Israel but wield little clout inside the Jewish state, fear the new bill could increase the influence of Orthodox rabbis at their expense and undermine their own legitimacy and connection to Israel.

Nathan Sharansky, the former Russian political prisoner who now heads the Jewish Agency organization responsible for Israel's relations with Jews abroad, said he had received angry calls from Jewish leaders.

"The meaning of this is a split between the state of Israel and large portions of the Jewish people," he told Israel Radio.

Of the world's roughly 13 million Jews, half live in Israel, with most of the rest concentrated in North America. Each Jewish denomination has its own requirements for people who want to convert, typically a prolonged process that involves studying Jewish tradition and accepting Jewish observance.

Under the current practice, Israel recognizes only conversions performed by Orthodox rabbis inside Israel, but people converted by non-Orthodox rabbis outside the country are automatically eligible for Israeli citizenship like other Jews.

The liberal Jewish denominations are concerned that the new bill, which would make minor changes in the conversion system in Israel while enshrining the control of Israel's Orthodox religious establishment, could mean that immigrants who converted to Judaism with non-Orthodox groups abroad would now be denied Israeli citizenship.

Uri Regev, a rabbi who heads the religious equality group Hiddush, said the bill threatened to sideline the liberal Jewish denominations.

"This bill hurts Judaism outside Israel because it embraces the Orthodox monopoly here," Regev said. He called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has yet to publicly express his position on the bill, to oppose it.

The bill's sponsor, David Rotem, an Orthodox lawmaker from the largely secular Yisrael Beitenu party, rebuffed the criticism, saying his goal was to make conversion easier for immigrants from the former Soviet Union who make up the majority of his party's voters.

"This will not affect non-Orthodox conversions performed abroad. The non-Orthodox denominations have no reason for concern," he said.

Monday's approval by the committee clears the way for voting in parliament. The bill has to pass three rounds of voting before becoming law, a process that will likely take months.

Another

2010-07-09T08:57:00.007-04:00

As the sun sets tonight and we welcome the Sabbath Bride, I experience something that is both historic and religious but ultimately something that is alive, vibrant and meaningful...I am thankful that I have found my way here. I am feeling good today about my JBC-ness (Jew By Choice)and believe I do have much to contribute as I continue to go deeper personally and become more connected socially to my community. This month I start my term serving on my synagogue’s board....ME! They know who I am, all of me and they voted for me....I feel this is an external form of acceptance that I value...but actually the acceptance I value more is the one in my heart. The acceptance that I know in my bones...I have arrived...I am home.

The following video is from a women who showed up on the Empowering Ruth list serve...A wonderful resource for JBC women of all persuasions.She is a strong and vibrant committed and dedicated woman.... another JBC to look up to!

Shabbat Shalom

Next Dor!

2010-07-01T18:24:00.003-04:00

I recievied the following announcment today....this is a project of the Synagogue 3000 folks. (http://synagogue3000.org/) they are a wonderful organization. Their web site says they are catalyst for excellence, empowering congregations and communities to create synagogues that are sacred and vital centers of Jewish lifes.

Next Dor Conference

As the Next Dor initiative enters its second year, we want to invite you and your community into the conversation. S3K is planning its first national Next Dor Conference, October 24-26 in New York. Come join organizers, educators, lay leaders, rabbis, cantors, researchers and others in stimulating discourse on the potential and challenge of new ways of building connection and community by and for Jews in their 20s and 30s. Mark your calendars and make plans to join us.

Next Dor
for those dedicated to the next generation
The S3K Team

Kosherlious...

2010-06-23T13:16:00.004-04:00

Of late I have felt like the "Queen of Food Issues" not only have I been watching my weight, low carbs, I have been trying to up my Kosherability outside of my house...At home I maintain a kosher kitchen, but outside I still will indulge.

To continue to climb the ladder of observance is difficult because where I live/work the only fast food kosher are bagel places and deli...great deli and bagel places but they are tough on the low carb diet! There are only so many salads one can eat! So I am always on the look out for another alternative

Lately a lot of the kids I work with have been talking about a new frozen yogurt place that was coming to town. (This is the suburbs...not much else to do!...lol)
It a self serve type of place...well this week I went to go grocery shopping in the same place this new frozen treat place is located. When I went to check the place out on the door along with the wifi sign, and heart healthy notice is a kosher symbol. Right on the door!

I never thought I would get so excited about something like this...but it truly made me happy. Additionally when I went inside they had no sugar choices...JACKPOT!
Seeing that I have already lost 10 pounds, I don't want to jeopardize it on a sugar feast...this was wonderful...and the 4 ounces of strawberry yogurt with some blueberries on it......Kosherlious!

Epilouge Try a Little Tenderness

2010-06-17T09:55:00.004-04:00

After some minor drama, voting and wating for the count. The election results are in...

I was elected to the board!

What have I done!...lol

"Ba’ruch Ah’tah Ah’doh’nai Eh’lo’hay’nu Melech ha’o’lam ha’notayn la’ya’ef koach."
"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who gives strength to the weary."
"Try A Little Tenderness"
She may be weary ...Women do get weary...
ok a bit weary,
First the interesting/positive news
I have been nominated to serve on my Synagogue's Board. Me, the Jew By Choice, Jew of only two years plus, on the board?I think this has been a lovely compliment that the nominating committee has asked me. The process was comprehensive. First I was asked if I would like to be considered, then I filled out a questionnaire and lastly I went in for an interview with the nominating committee.
A letter was then sent to the entire synagogue community with the entire slate.
but then a glitch....The not so good news
Someone has put in a petition to run for the 2 year position, meaning there are now four people and three positions. This is highly unusual, in fact most folks believe it has only happened once before. When I was told about this event, I was also re-assured it wasn't about me. Despite this reassurance, I do feel vulnerable for all the obvious reasons. I am told it has to do with some other political situation. But now what had been a beautiful surprise and an honor has turned into something else. At every Shabbat since this new turn of events, folks in the know come up to me and say with a concerned expression make sure you get folks to the meeting etc...
I have talked to a few friends about coming to vote, but also have decided not to go crazy over this. It was an honor to be considered, and if I don't make it this year I plan on being around a while! I want what is best for our community, fighting and making camps of voters is not good for the community. I believe that would be a version of Lashon hara. I will not speak about things I do not absolutely know to be true or speak words that can cause our community to break. It is not me. I believe my aspirations are clean. When I was asked to serve I thought this was a way to give back to my chosen religious home some of what I have received.
Despite my resolve to be centered and calm I am nervous. In three or so hours I will first show up for evening prayers, attempt to center myself, and then be fully present for the meeting. It is out of my hands, what will be, will be.
Posted by Dunking Rachel at 3:00 PM

Try a Little Tenderness

2010-06-16T15:00:00.020-04:00

"Ba’ruch Ah’tah Ah’doh’nai Eh’lo’hay’nu Melech ha’o’lam ha’notayn la’ya’ef koach."

"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who gives strength to the weary."

"Try A Little Tenderness"

She may be weary ...Women do get weary...

ok a bit weary,

First the interesting/positive news

I have been nominated to serve on my Synagogue's Board. Me, the Jew By Choice, Jew of only two years plus, on the board?

I think this has been a lovely compliment that the nominating committee has asked me. The process was comprehensive. First I was asked if I would like to be considered, then I filled out a questionnaire and lastly I went in for an interview with the nominating committee.

A letter was then sent to the entire synagogue community with the entire slate.

but then a glitch....The not so good news

Someone has put in a petition to run for the 2 year position, meaning there are now four people and three positions. This is highly unusual, in fact most folks believe it has only happened once before. When I was told about this event, I was also re-assured it wasn't about me. Despite this reassurance, I do feel vulnerable for all the obvious reasons. I am told it has to do with some other political situation. But now what had been a beautiful surprise and an honor has turned into something else. At every Shabbat since this new turn of events, folks in the know come up to me and say with a concerned expression make sure you get folks to the meeting etc...

I have talked to a few friends about coming to vote, but also have decided not to go crazy over this. It was an honor to be considered, and if I don't make it this year I plan on being around a while! I want what is best for our community, fighting and making camps of voters is not good for the community. I believe that would be a version of Lashon hara. I will not speak about things I do not absolutely know to be true or speak words that can cause our community to break. It is not me. I believe my aspirations are clean. When I was asked to serve I thought this was a way to give back to my chosen religious home some of what I have received.

Despite my resolve to be centered and calm I am nervous. In three or so hours I will first show up for evening prayers, attempt to center myself, and then be fully present for the meeting. It is out of my hands, what will be, will be.

Shabbat at the Beach!

2010-06-13T11:38:00.012-04:00

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all that is in it. Let the field be joyful, and everything in it; then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy

ok, not actually Shabbat, but pre-shabbat...but it was joyous...beautiful and ultimately a wonderful way to start shabbat!

The rabbi has been doing this for 2 years now, once at the start of the summer and if we can get it in, one near the end. On a regular Friday night, if there is no Bar Mitzvah etc... we would never get as many folks as what showed up to the beach. Perhaps more innovative services are the key to getting more participation.

Pro Israel Rallies

2010-06-09T00:15:00.010-04:00

Dibbat Haaretz

2010-06-08T18:42:00.006-04:00

My Rabbi, due to many requests emailed his last sermon to the entire congregation...I thought folks might want to read it.....

RABBI CHARLES A. KLEIN

Today’s Torah portion is well known by many of us. Twelve scouts were sent out by Moshe to tour the Land of Israel and return with their assessment of the land and the people who lived there. Ten of them came back and spoke what the Torah called dibbat haaretz – a lot of negative talk about what they saw in Israel. True that they saw that the land was good – but nonetheless their conclusion was negative. They advised putting off entering into the land – preferring to emphasize their fears and concerns. And the message of the other two scouts, Joshua and Caleb – who were positive about the land, who were inspired by what they had seen and prepared for the many challenges they would face in conquering the Land of Israel – their message was lost amidst all the negativity of the other ten scouts.

In a week in which over 200 nations have condemned the State of Israel – we can say that not since the time when the ten scouts returned to Moshe have we heard such negative things spoken about Israel as we did over the last few days. At least the ten scouts had seen some good in Israel – what we heard this week was a worldwide chorus of orchestrated condemnation, sanctimonious criticism and misplaced scorn.

Frances’s President Nicholas Sarkozy criticized the “disproportionate use of force.” Turkey’s Prime Minister called the incident “state terrorism.” His Foreign Minister described it as “barbarism.” Also using the term “barbarism” were the Saudi Arabians. Syria charged Israel with a “blatant defiance of civilized values.” Italy’s Foreign Undersecretary referred to the incident as “the massacre of Gaza.” Russia condemned “the use of force against civilians.” President Ahmadinejad chimed in and said, “Israel added another shameful chapter in its long history of blatant disregard of international law.”

Listening to their words I was reminded of a Hasidic story which tells of the people in a particular town who were eating grain products which made them insane. The king and one of his advisors held out for as long as they possibly could – they did not want to consume the grain knowing what would happen to them. Eventually they realized that they too would have to eat. So their solution was that before they would consume the grain products they would make a mark on each other’s forehead which would help the two of them to remember that they are insane. Listening to the disproportionate condemnation of Israel from the likes of Russia, Iran, Syria and others – one has to wonder if they have any understanding about just how insane they are in singling out Israel for their harsh condemnation.

For those who love Israel it has been a painful week. For those who believe in Israel - who see the good, the remarkable good in Israel – it has been painful to listen to the unrelenting condemnations – and to watch Israel become increasingly isolated. No other democratic nation in the history of the world has faced the challenges Israel has in trying to survive. I wonder which nation could have endured what Israel has over these decades and respond with a greater commitment to the ethical treatment of one’s enemies?

\It is clear to me that we have a moment in history which must be understood. Overwhelmingly the nations of the world would prefer a world without Israel. The world has grown tired of Israel’s struggle to exist, tired of the way they believe Israel has made the world more complicated than it needs to be. It is so clear that a large portion of the world community has become convinced that the world would be a better place, a simpler place, without Israel. A large portion of the world community wants Israel as we know it today to disappear. As Charles Krauthamer wrote this week, “The world has grown tired of these troublesome Jews refusing every invitation to national suicide.”

And so for those of us stung by the condemnations of nation after nation – I share with you the words of my colleague, Rabbi Daniel Gordis, who wrote this week that, “Their condemnation is preferable to Israel’s annihilation.” Israel will never be moral enough to justify its existence to the vast majority of the world. It will never be moral enough to meet the “high ethical standards” of the nations which rush to judge her. They see nothing good in Israel – every response of Israel to the existential threats to its existence is labeled a crime – and nations which long ago lost the moral right to judge anyone now throw the first stones. Their condemnation of Israel is without end – but Rabbi Gordis was so correct – their condemnation is preferable to Israel’s annihilation.

It is too easy to question the morality of the blockade of Gaza when you live in London or Paris or New York or Rome. How convenient to minimize what are the impossible realities of trying to exist with a Hamas state on your border. End the blockade, the world demands. The world community would like Israel to embrace a moral standard for the treatment of an enemy state that no nation in this world would ever, could ever, or should ever accept. Let’s be clear – the blockade would end today if Hamas would recognize Israel’s right to exist and renounce violence. The blockade exists because Hamas is working overtime to rearm itself to initiate the next round of lethal attacks on the citizens of Israel. The threat of Hamas is not hypothetical – it is real and it cannot be wished away. Israel’s moral responsibility to its own citizens is to minimize that threat. And Israel has done so over the years accepting its humanitarian responsibility to make certain at the same time that food and medical supplies are available to the people of Gaza.

The loss of life is tragic and once again the Israel Defense Forces initiated a military operation purposely designed to absolutely minimize the loss of life. We all know that Israeli authorities urged the flotilla to dock in the port city of Ashdod and to unload their cargo there. Israel promised that truly humanitarian goods would be delivered to Gaza and it intended to stand by that promise. But because the real intention of those participating in this flotilla was to break the blockade and open up a shipping lane which would allow anything and everythingto be brought into Gaza – including heavy weapons, missiles and rockets at some point in the future – some chose to provoke a confrontation with Israel.

I listened to the words of the commander of the commandos as he spoke to them before they left on their mission. His instructions were clear. His commandos were to show absolute restraint. He said to them that they will face every provocation once they board the boat. He told them that the people on board would spit at you, curse at you and throw lit cigarettes at you, and he ordered, take it all, don’t shoot. He did not imagine – nor could he imagine – that the so-called humanitarians would savagely attack the commandos. By now we have seen the pictures of the bloodied commandos who were beaten, stabbed and shot at. For 40 minutes the Israelis did not fire a shot – not a single round was fired – because their orders were to hold fire so that there would not be a loss of life. Only when the commandos became convinced that “the humanitarians and activists” were intent on killing them – because that’s what some humanitarians do – did they finally open fire. Any other army in the world would have used their guns much sooner and would have been justified for doing so.

By what right do these people call themselves humanitarians? We know that many of them were far from humanitarians – a significant number had close ties with jihadist organizations. By what right do these people call themselves humanitarians – they who refused to deliver a note to Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas for four years? These humanitarians turned down a request from Gilad’s parents to deliver a letter to their son. God save us from such humanitarians. What, I wonder, is so humanitarian about strengthening the grip of Hamas on the people of Gaza? What is humanitarian about reinforcing the power of such a harsh and brutal regime? And for those who wish to condemn blockades – condemn then the blockade that Hamas put in place which has made it impossible for the International Red Cross to visit Gilad Shalit for all these years that he has been held in prison.

Many of these “humanitarians” came hoping to become martyrs and they created the conditions which saw their dreams come true. The world community which has abandoned all reasons and which refers to them as “ humanitarians and activists” - absolves them of all wrongdoing. It is, therefore, understandable that in Thursday’s New York Times Rabbi Daniel Gordis wrote, “Israel’s geographic vulnerability means that we do not the luxury of caving into the world’s condemnation. We will have to gird ourselves for the long, dangerous and lonely road ahead – hoping that what ultimately prevails will not be what is momentarily popular – but what is just.”

For Israel it is a lonely road – ia dangerous and lonely road – but Israel is not on that road by itself – we cannot allow Israel to stand alone. I think of words we just recited in the prayer for the new month. We said, chaverim kol Yisrael – all Israel is one fellowship – and if that is true – and I believe with all my heart that it is – we do travel that same lonely, dangerous road with the people of Israel. We travel it together. There is a

a young boy who lives in Los Angeles who understands this very well. This week this one young man – a high school student – heard there was going to be a protest against Israel in Los Angeles. He went to that protest carrying the flag of Israel. And there he was walking, proudly holding high the flag of Israel – taking the taunts, the threats and the curses of hundreds, but not backing down. One young Jewish high school student holding proudly the flag of Israel as hundreds of protesters yelled at him, screamed at him – called for the destruction of Israel – and told this young boy to go back to Auschwitz.

We’ve been to Auschwitz and we are not returning. We’ve been there and now we understand how many there are who would want us to return. “Go back to Auschwitz” has become the rallying cry for those who hate Israel and the Jewish people. Those in Israel who invited the ships in the flotilla to dock in Ashdod were told as well, “Go back to Auschwitz.” It is inconceivable – but these are the words being hurled at Jews in Los Angeles, in Florida, in New York and off the coast of the Gaza Strip. It is understandable, therefore, that one member of our congregation came to me with tears in his eyes and said, “Rabbi, I’ve been crying all week, I’ve lived through this once before and I’m worried.”

Our Siddur tells us this morning that God is the One who “wakes those who are sleeping and stirs those who slumber.” We have been sleeping – sleeping too long – and while we have a whole new reality has dawned upon us. We have taken far too much for granted – we have assumed that Israel and the Jewish people didn’t need our commitment – our support – our strength – our involvement. The events of this week should have finally awakened those who were sleeping within the Jewish community – and so I issue this call to action. Time and again I have urged our engagement – our involvement – in supporting the State of Israel – and all I can hope is that you can hear me now.

We must be like Joshua and Caleb – the two scouts who came back long ago with a good report about the land, who saw what was wonderful and beautiful about the Land of Israel – and who urged the people to engage in the struggle to challenge, the conquer it. They knew it wasn’t going to be a cakewalk – they knew it wasn’t going to be easy – and so they asked the people of Israel to be courageous enough to face the challenges ahead. We need to be like Joshua and Caleb – part of a small, ever-diminishing minority, who see what is good in the Land of Israel – speak about it and commit ourselves to it. And we must hope and pray that at the end of this long, lonely and dangerous journey that the truth will prevail and the State of Israel will prevail. As the psalmist said, Dear God, give strength to your people – not just the people of Israel – but the Jewish people – so that we can stand together and then one day bless us with the peace we so fervently desire.

What Do You Think?

2010-06-06T00:09:00.001-04:00

A different view....

Talking the Talk.....Walking the Walk

2010-06-05T13:56:00.002-04:00

Women of the Wall

2010-06-04T08:44:00.003-04:00

I know this is controversial in some circles...and it brings out passion on many points with many people. Just seeing women dressed as they are in the picture to the right, can cause very visceral reactions from some. I think it is very complicated. I would like to believe there could be a way for all the streams of Judaism to have a place to practice their rituals/beliefs.

the following was posted on face Book.....

Women of the Wall Nashot HaKotel: Your support is urgently neededWomen of the Wall Nashot HaKotel's Notes.
Your support is urgently neededShare. Today at 8:26am
Dear supporters of Women of the Wall,
When I wake up at 6:00 a.m. on Rosh Chodesh to go the Wall, you in Chicago, in New York City and Amsterdam, you wake up with me. When Nofrat Frenkel carries our 35 pounds (18 kilograms) sefer Torah, the only sefer Torah available to women at the Wall, you in California carry it with her. When Noa Raz is beaten at the central bus station of Be'er Sheva for having marks of tefillin on her arm, you everywhere are assaulted with her.
We, the Women of the Wall just do the leg work. You, our supporters all over the world, lift our spirits by keeping us in your hearts and prayers and even joining us at the Wall when you can. By providing financial support, and an avalanche of encouraging e-mails and solidarity photos, you give us hope.

Now you can support us with your online donations through Israel Gives https://www.israelgives.org/makedonation/580325207

Your donations will help us achieve the following:
• Funding our Public Relations Coordinator in order to get more visibility in the Press and influence decision makers to support our cause
• Paying for legal fees
• Providing guests from abroad a prayer book that has both Hebrew and English
• Maintaining our online presence and upgrading our Internet site in order keep our supporters informed and active in the struggle for pluralism
• Maintenance and insurance of our well traveled sefer Torah

Anat Hoffman
Women of the Wall

My Shavuot Contribution

2010-05-18T12:27:00.025-04:00

My conservative Rabbi sent out the following notice:

"For this year´s Tikun L´Eyl Shavuot the theme will be, "My Most Favorite Torah Portion or Torah Story." I´m recruiting volunteers to speak at our Shavuot Torah Study Session on this topic."

This Is My Contribution

Brief Overview

Korach stages a rebellion against mosha, accusing him of a power grab. He and his entourage are swallowed up by the earth. Others are burnt to ash. The people protest, and a plague ensues. staffs are submitted by all the tribes, only Aaron's blossoms; proving that he is G d's chosen. The Israelites are instructed about the various presents due to the priests and Levites.

Why this Parsha, this story?

From the first time I heard it read, remember that is only three year ago, this story has remained for me one the most dynamic, confusing and difficult stories of the torah. The issue of the complete and total annihilation of Korach and everyone and everything associated with him is for me the major example of the wrathful deity taking it out on the innocent. I remember sitting in synagogue on that Saturday and turning to Robert, my husband, and saying babies and dogs too?

Thus starts my musings about Torah, and this parsha in particular. If taken literally with only the torah as a reference , this is a devastating story who’s message to the modern ear is one of repression “DO NOT question authority" and “everything is preordained.”

On first glance Korach’s statement, his blasphemy:

"The entire community is holy, and G-d is within them; why do you raise yourselves over the congregation of G-d?"

sounds somewhat progressiv, almost democratic. It is only in the response attributed to Mosha in the parsha that we get a glimpse that something else might be afoot.
Mosha’s response "Is it not enough for you that the G-d of Israel has distinguished you from the community of Israel, that you also desire the priesthood?"

Yet from a purely torah interpretation of the events there are no other hard and fast facts given. The next place to go is the vast amount of commentary and Midrashim on this parsha.
The paradox of korach appears time and again in the various accounts of the mutiny. Korach comes across a champion of equality, railing against a "class system" that categorizes levels of holiness within the community. Yet, in the same breath, he contends that he is the more worthy candidate for the High Priesthood. He is both described in the most negative terms, but surprisingly also in positive terms.

To confuse this even more a large portion of the Midrashim, particularly Midrash Hagadol, focuses on creating an entire moralistic back story for the behaviors alluded to in the actual torah portion.

Briefly, this back story consists of a compare and contrast between two woman, the wife of Korach, and the wife of a once mentioned conspirator Ohn ben Pellet. This is a technique seen over and over again in the various texts books and torah. The wife of Korach fueling his greed and ambition and the wife of Ohn Ben Pellet who dragged" him out of danger and saved his life, by giving him strong drink to make her husband sleep and by sitting at the entrance of the tent with her daughter, each with uncovered hair to keep the messenger from getting him to join in.

Although I found these commentaries interesting and compelling none of them truly go to the heart of my issue, the total destruction of innocence, babies and dogs.

Therefore I am compelled to take on this story more in the realm of metaphor and parable. I see this story as the eternal tension between two distinct paradigms.

This tension was described by a modern commentary as follows:
Whether Korach spoke out of ego, or because he proposed a new communal and religious structure for which the people weren't remotely ready -- Korach erred, and the earth swallowed him up. The resulting communal furor plagued the community, yielding grave casualties. What ended the plague was Moses and Aaron's willingness to step up and to smooth things over, to facilitate forgiveness for everyone. Only then did the staff, symbol of power-over, flower and bear fruit. Only when those in positions of leadership are able to rise above the conflicts of the community can leadership reach its fullest potential and flower-forth something remarkable and new. Thusly the tension between the two forces the emergence of a new third paridghm.

Psychologically speaking The tension between change and status quo is an on going for most humans and it is inherent in most relationship and in our spiritual communities as well.
From the more spiritual stand point I offer the following in conclusion
Later in the book of Numbers we read “B’nai Korach lo maytu” “The children of Korach did not die,” concretely this could mean they did not die in the great disaster that ended their father’s rebellion. Yet In many of the midrashirm and commentaries there is a more metaphoric suggestion made that this means that in every generation there are people who are ready to assume autonomy because they believe that they are as close to God as they need to be.

We live in a state of constant tension between listening to the voice of God and answering our own inner conscience sometimes it is the same, yet sometimes the interpretations of our leaders diverge from our own. There are no easy answers or simple solutions. We continue to struggle with this tensions of status quo vs change in Jewish life and in our lives in general.

Making and Keeping Jews

2010-05-16T09:50:00.007-04:00

Chaviva on her blog "Just Call Me Chavia" posted a discussion point, subtly and artfully may I add, about inter marriage and Jews...
http://www.kvetchingeditor.com/

below is what I wrote for a comment.....

ok....I think it is never so clear cut.....my daughter is paternally Jewish...she had a mom who was not Jewish(me....Jew by choice in 2nd marriage)

I believe she was raised with loving care exposed to all her root spirituality and ethics.

although not "Jewish" to most, she identifies with that part of her being.... I believe if her future life involved marriage to a Jewish man there would be a strong possibility of her becoming Jewish in the formal way...if not a Jewish man she is strongly grounded in her root spirituality that she would still be able to pass on good and strong values....and her offspring would be exposed to her Jewish roots...and supportive of the Jewish people.

my rabbi talks about "keeping our kids" all the time...and I get it....I understand the fear and concern...

But may I add that the Jewish people loose as many of their youth from totally Jewish families...

perhaps there is something to be looked into there...I watch it, many folks are involved enough to "get" the bar mitzvah. they "send" the kids to do the schooling but after the party....the kids AND the parents are gone.....

finding ways to make a Jewish life valuable beyond several holidays a year...to make our communities, open to all, inviting and a worth while investment.

I could go on and on...but it starts with the parents...and how they choose to raise a child, with what values? My daughter may not be Jewish to most, but I can tell you she is more "Jewish" in her values, respect of tradition and holidays than a lot of "Jewish" 21 year olds I know.

Funny Pages

2010-05-14T08:24:00.009-04:00

http://joi.org/ruth/commentators.htm

The Jewish Outreach Institute, JOI, has a wonderful, Illustrated, (read as cartoon!) version of the book of Ruth. It fun to check out. I have found the JOI to be another wonderful resource for me as a Jew by Choice. From their website the JOI is

" a national, independent, nondenominational organization dedicated to creating a more inclusive Jewish community for intermarried families and unengaged Jews, by working to transform existing institutions and by creating new programs where necessary"

JOI also developed the Empowering Ruth program and list serve as another resource for women in the conversion process and also for those post conversion. This list serve is a great way to learn and find support. It has been a great way to connect with other women who are on the same path as me.

http://www.empoweringruth.org/

"Women are an Abomination"

2010-05-13T10:06:00.004-04:00

Another uplifting story from the holy land!

Thanks to JTA for following this...

Conservative woman attacked for tefillin imprint
May 13, 2010
JERUSALEM (JTA) -- A Conservative Jewish woman was attacked in Beersheba reportedly for having the imprints of tefillin lines visible on her arms.
Noa Raz was physically assaulted Tuesday morning by a fervently Orthodox man in Beersheba's Central Bus Station, where she was waiting for a bus to her job in Tel Aviv, according to a news release issued Wednesday by the Israel Religious Action Center.
According to the release, the man asked Raz twice if the imprints were from tefillin. When she told him that they were he began to kick and strangle her while screaming “women are an abomination.” Raz reportedly broke free from the man and boarded her bus.
Raz is a member of Women of the Wall, which holds a monthly Rosh Chodesh women's prayer service at the Western Wall. In March, fervently Orthodox men threw chairs at the women as they prepared to pray at the Wall.
Raz filed a police report on the incident on Wednesday. The Israel Religious Action Center has called on the Beersheba police to treat Raz’s assault as a hate crime.
Anat Hoffman, executive director of IRAC, stated that the assault on Raz for wrapping tefillin “should not be seen as an isolated incident, but as taking place within an atmosphere of growing violence toward and intimidation of women who seek to pray freely and equally. Too often these acts of violence are tolerated. The fact that this man thought it acceptable to attack a woman for performing a religious act in private is an example of the escalation of violence targeted against women and against religious pluralists in Israel."

I Didn't Know You Were Orthodox!

2010-05-12T15:54:00.016-04:00

I have been informing my patients this week that I will not be working next Wednesday and Thursday. Sometimes I let my guard down a bit and say it is a Jewish Holiday. Mostly, the non Jews shrug and wish me a happy holiday. The more problematic folks are those who are Jewish and are secular or considerably less observant of such things than me. I try to remember not to mention the personal stuff, holiday etc. but sometimes it gets away from me.

Today as I was telling a patient, and I accidentally mentioned "holiday" and she asked what holiday is that? I felt that wave of upsetness wash over me. "I should not had let this slip," I thought to myself. When I said "Shavuot" she answered "I didn't know you were Orthodox." with some serious reaction in her voice. So now here is the classic therapeutic conundrum bumping directly into my religiosity all because of a slip of self disclosure. Now I was stuck, either I let her think I am Orthodox, with all the complicated psychological associations that may bring for her, or I self disclose more. I was between that much talked about rock and a hard place.

So I attempted to go for the disclosure light! I say "well it is the cheesecake holiday!" in my best let's get off this topic voice. No luck! She repeats"cheesecake holiday?" "I never heard of such a thing." Now here I am telling this patient that "traditionally ...yada yada yada......" Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud are laughing at me now!

She goes on to say "well I never heard of this dairy thing...what type of synagogue do you go to?"

I am absolutely dying now, breaking all the self disclosure rules for therapy..."Conservative" I answer. this painfulness went on for a few minute more. When I was able to extract myself from the conversation I reminded myself NEVER AGAIN.

FYI article on My Jewish Learning and the "dairy thing." (see below)

From The My Jewish Learning Web Site

Excerpted from Celebrate! The Complete Jewish Holiday Handbook. Reprinted with permission from Jason Aronson Inc.
Although everyone agrees that the food of choice for Shavuot is cheese (most typically blintzes, crepe-like pancakes filled with farmer cheese, or a Sephardic [Mediterranean Jewish]equivalent such as burekas, cheese-filled dough pockets), there are differences of opinion (some quite charming) as to why it is a custom.
Some derive the practice directly from scripture, saying we eat dairy to symbolize the "land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8) promised to the Israelites, or that "milk and honey are under your tongue" (Song of Songs 4:11). These passages, along with "The precepts of the Lord are… sweeter than honey" (Psalm 19:9-11) also indicate we should eat honey, which is customary in some communities.A sage discovered that the initials of the four Hebrew words in Numbers 28:26, which describe the sacrificial meal offering on Shavuot, spell mei halav (from milk), suggesting that dairy food is the acceptable dinner for the festival. At Sinai, the Israelites were considered to be as innocent as newborns, whose food is milk.
Those of kabbalistic [mystical] bent equate the numerical value of the word halav, 40 ('het'=8, 'lamed'=30, 'vet'=2), with the number of days Moses spent on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments and other teachings (Exodus 24:18). Others look to the mountain itself, which is termed in Psalms mount of gavnunim (68:15), meaning many peaks. They connect that description with the Hebrew word g'vinah, meaning cheese.
Scholars who trace all Jewish customs and rituals to practices common among various ethnic groups claim that spring harvest festivals characteristically featured dairy dishes, perhaps because cheese was produced during that season.
There is also support for the custom based on the spiritual development among the Israelites in the wake of Sinai. After the Torah was given, they were obligated to follow its laws, including those governing dietary practice. As they returned to the camp from Revelation, they could not eat the previously prepared meat, which had not been done according to the laws of kashrut [dietary restrictions]. Since butchering and cooking fresh meat would take too long for the tired, hungry Israelites, they took the dairy food that was readily available. Symbolizing modesty, the dairy was also seen as appropriate for the occasion of receiving the Torah, which should always be approached with humility.
In some Jewish communities, it is customary to follow the traditional dairy meal with a meat dish (after waiting the requisite 30 minutes per the laws of kashrut, except in places where the rabbis waived the normal separation). The two foods represent the two loaves brought on the festival. We are also supposed to eat meat as a contribution to our joy on a festival day. This can cause practical problems, however, not only in terms of the time lapse, but because you cannot mix milk and meat dishes and utensils. Therefore, it is more common to have a dairy meal on the first evening of Shavuot and then serve meat the next day.
Along with blintzes and burekas, cheesecake is a widely popular Shavuot item. Some eat kreplach, three-cornered dumplings that are often filled with meat but can be cheese filled or even vegetable filled. They are supposed to remind us of the Torah, which is comprised of three sections (Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim / Torah, Prophets, and Writings), which was given to Israel, which is comprised of three categories (Kohanim, Leviim, and Yisraelim) through Moses, who was the third child of Amran (after Aaron and Miriam), following three days of preparation (Exodus 19:11) in the third month of the year (Exodus 19:1).

Tikun L´Eyl Shavuot Time!

2010-05-07T11:56:00.005-04:00

Ok, I'm a little too enthusiastic about this, but I just love being able to dig into a text and wrestle with it. This is when I wish I could just sneak into an Orthodox shul and go all night!

My conservative Rabbi sent out the notice yesterday:

"For this year´s Tikun L´Eyl Shavuot the theme will be, "My Most Favorite Torah Portion or Torah Story." I´m recruiting volunteers to speak at our Shavuot Torah Study Session on this topic."

So one thing came to mind instantly. It is the story/portion that has stuck with me since the first time I heard it three years ago. "Korach", Numbers 16:1-18:32.
Ok I realize this is not likely what he is looking for. This isn't warm and fuzzy, it's not Mt. Sinai or the parting of the Sea...But in my opinion it is one of the more spectacular, hard core smiting sections, post Genesis, of the Torah.

The first time I heard it read I remember turning to my husband aghast and said "the children and dogs too?"....

Since that time, this portion has been somewhat of an inside joke between my husband and I. Any time we encounter a situation where we are being challenged we will look at each other and make a gesture with our hand, imitating the earth opening up. And if we are in a little argument with each other, one of those minor married power struggle type of things, all one of us has to say is "watch out the earth is about to swallow you up!" we both laugh, ending the silliness.

I am not too sure what direction I am going to take my presentation in. I do love the back story of the good and bad wives also I could go with the straight up ambition thing....Any ideas are welcome!

Zionist Rap!

2010-04-20T08:45:00.005-04:00

thanks to leah in chicago for turning me onto this!

Obama's Statement

2010-04-20T08:08:00.003-04:00

My mom always said words are words, but actions count. I am still in a wait and see mode. I know many, including my Rabbi, appear to have made up their minds...wait and see for me is eyes and ears wide open and bearing witness.....It is my prayer, my deepest hope that the words will be followed by actions that match.

The White House released the following statement from President Obama on the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel:

“On the 62nd Anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel, I join the American people in congratulating the government and people of Israel on this celebration of their independence.”

“Minutes after David Ben-Gurion declared Israel’s independence, realizing the dream of a state for the Jewish people in their historic homeland, the United States became the first country to recognize Israel. To this day, we continue to share a strong, unbreakable bond of friendship between our two nations, anchored by the United States’ enduring commitment to Israel’s security.”

“Israel remains our important partner and key strategic ally in the Middle East, and I am confident that our special relationship will only be strengthened in the months and years to come. I look forward to continuing our efforts with Israel to achieve comprehensive peace and security in the region, including a two-state solution, and to working together to counter the forces that threaten Israel, the United States, and the world. On this day, we once again honor the extraordinary achievements of the people of Israel, and their deep and abiding friendship with the American people. I offer my best wishes to President Peres, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the people of Israel as they celebrate this happy occasion.”

Yom HaShoah Protest and Emotional Conflicts

2010-04-11T16:39:00.034-04:00

I am glad I attended this event but I must admit sometimes when I don't know anyone at something like this I get shy. This event was small but all the opinions were represented. This can be very awkward for me. My husband was unable to go with me, but I was feeling this strongly. When I went to Israel for my honeymoon, we had gone to Yad Vasshem and that was one of the most emotionally devastating experiences I have ever had. http://www.yadvashem.org/
I am an educated person and I "know" my history. Even when I was a child anything Holocaust related viewed or read affected me deeply, much more than any of my peers. (remember, Italian/Irish Catholic youth!) So here I am, a politically liberal to leftest individual, with an extremely strong tendency towards avoidance of anything that looks like, feels like advocating for aggression. But this feels like one of those moments in history. I have always mused about the regular folks in historic times. The person who watches the "bad stuff" start to peculate, grow and descend over a people, a country or religion. I don't want to be naive, or an apologist. Yet I have deep conflict over how to respond to this growing threat. I don't like the Republican agenda...it is not me, yet how can I find a way to voice my opinion to advocate for what is good and true, to fight what is evil without feeling like I am selling myself out?

Photos from the Yom HaShoah action in New York City outside the Iranian Mission to the UN

Dayenu?

2010-04-10T16:14:00.015-04:00

Is it enough for us just to light a candle to commemorate Yom Hashoah? To hear a story? To cry?...To rage? I have an idea...well it's not my idea, it is many many people's idea! Let's draw a line in the sand....lets contact our political leaders to tell them we do not want a nuclear Iran and we want to keep Israel safe. Never again should Jews be killed, humiliated, harassed and disenfranchised.

I will stand and let my voice be heard! Will you?

contact the White House here:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

Find your Senator here:

http://www.senate.gov/reference/common/faq/How_to_contact_senators.htm

Find your Congressperson here:

https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

My First Chametz Burning

2010-04-09T19:54:00.070-04:00

As I continue to climb the ladder of observance I attempt to add practices and experiences to continue my Jewish exploration and growth. This year I actually made an attempt to fully do the traditional chametz search and then the next day Burn The Chametz.
One problem, by the time I had decided to do this I had already cleared the entire house of any leavened contraband! All I could find were some lowly pretzel sticks from the Purim basket fundraiser from our synagogue. So I diligently placed ten pieces of pretzels around the house in an honest attempt at the Chametz search. My husband and I had two of the three needed items for the search, candle, check, wooden spoon, check....feather? No feather! Well some improvisation was needed...the closest thing I could find to a feather was a swiffer duster! There we are candle, spoon and swiffer trying to beat our dogs to the hidden pretzel sticks. We were following the directions of our rabbi and something I had read on the Chabad site, but I couldn't help but think that this wasn't what Chabad had in mind! the next morning I was on my own. My husband had left the burning ritual to me. I have never witnessed this and didn't have anything to go by except what I had read on line. Once again I looked around the house and gathered my supplies......I had my printed prayers and materials, I had matches and paper and the now ever important pretzels sticks. I even saved the Lulov from sukkot. I was ready!....well except for the rain. Anyone who lives in the Northeast knows about the amount of rain that we have been getting. This was no ordinary rain, this is rain Noah would have related to. But neither rain, nor boiling chicken soup was going to keep me from my appointed task. I found my rain slicker and decided to light the whole event right at my back door and then throw it out the door onto my stoop! As smoke began to fill my kitchen, I feared it would set off one of the smoke detectors in the house. I recited the prayers...then ran like heck to open the windows!

I want to give myself an "A" for effort, but clearly on execution and form...well definitely "needs improvement."

Homer in Jerusalem

2010-04-07T20:33:00.004-04:00

I thought this was funny, some might not...if you know what the show is, and like it, do take the time to check this out!

"The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed"
03/28/10

"When Homer is playing noisily in the yard, it disrupts Flanders' Bible study group. Coaxed by the Reverend, a frustrated Flanders takes it upon himself to redeem Homer by inviting the Simpson family on his church retreat to Jerusalem. Unappreciative of the history and culture, Homer would rather hang out at the hotel's breakfast buffet rather than tour the city. But when an eccentric tour guide (guest voice Sasha Baron Cohen) takes the group to famous monuments, including the Dome of the Rock and the Wailing Wall, Homer finally proves he is not beyond salvation."

http://www.fox.com/watch/simpsons

Anniversary of the Dunk!

2010-04-01T17:39:00.001-04:00

Two Year Anniversary!

I Was Outed!

2010-04-01T16:34:00.007-04:00

and now for my mid holiday comment......

I was outed as a gefilte fish and chopped liver hater at our second night community seder!
As we entered the social hall a posting with names and tables were listed...what luck we were sitting with the rabbi. As the night progressed and the echoing sounds of "Lets Eat" reverberated throughout the room...there it came on large platters a choice, or wait, better yet, one of each....Gefilte Fish and Chopped Liver!

My husband who has so many food allergies that he has an out on all of this was trying to give me pointers...he suggested adding horse radish....but then it became apparent...as I dumped enough horse radish and beets onto the fish to kill a horse, I became the foccus of attention.
I said "I believe it is an acquired taste...." muttered somewhat sheepishly.
Rabbi Joked "if I had only known...maybe ...."

Lets Do It!

2010-03-26T12:45:00.007-04:00

I'm Fired Up!....lol

I have nothing poetic or inspirational to say. Yet I feel good about that. This week I noticed that two of the more prolific and known J-blogers that I read have hit their respective walls...each for their own reasons and circumstances. These are young women who appear to have passionate souls and aspire to such heights. Being older and perhaps much more pragmatic, or lets say jaded, I think I may take certain life events differently perhaps with less intensity? ....physical pain and suffering...yup I have that, occasional psychological suffering , Oh dear, just re read my blog for the past year it reads like an ad for Cymbalta! Yet I think I try to find my balance, my way of doing things....so if I can't physically write...ok...I'll post videos, if I'm feeling the blues and are stuck...ok...I'll just wait it out...if I feel attacked , well that is the other person's problem if I am sure that I have no finger prints on the moment. I hope those strong inspirational young women feeling physically and psychologically burnt out find inspiration in this festival of freedom. I hope they find freedom from their troubles and experience the freedom of joy!

So here we are again at the Passover extravaganza. My husband's family feels like it has fallen apart since the death of his mother. We are having a very odd first night Seder...then going the second night to our synagogue for a community event. Yet I have decided I'm doing Passover for me! I am invigorated and excited. to borrow a too much used phrase "IT IS WHAT IT IS!"

I 'm going soak up as much joy as I can find!.....

Are you ready...I am...LETS DO IT....! (lol)

Passover 2010

Chag Sameach

INSPIRED REDUX

2010-03-23T09:13:00.013-04:00

I am inspired! I have gotten my act together and have set forth on my passover adventure. The eat down the cabinet count down was the best so far. Last year I had 2 1/2 boxes of food left, this year only 1/2! Today I will bringing it to the food pantry drop off. Of course I also go through the selling ritual just in case......Now my main food cabinet has been turned over....

As you can see from the photos I am ahead of the curve....it is important to note I work mostly 12 hour days and have no time during the week to clean. So this past Sunday was crazy day.I started the kitchen clean out and I went to the 5 Towns area to do my shopping. It was crazy! Jews on stampede...the lanes of the store were so crowed that it reminded me of gridlock.

currently all non passover food left to eat this week, is living on my glass dining room table... and the microwave is going to be the last to get the treatment!
I must admit as I was covering the kitchen in aluminium foil, I was reminded of the poor souls I have worked with in my life who were plagued by psychotic thoughts. Most schizophrenics with delusions and paranoia at one time or another use aluminium foil to block the "mind reading waves" etc..... As I covered every inch I was thinking what would they say about me?

INSPIRED!

2010-03-23T08:38:00.005-04:00

Can I change my conversion to Sephardi ?

clearly you tube and I have recently become best friends!...I lost one hour of time this morning laughing out loud at home videos of little kids cleaning for the holiday! I want to hire the star of the next video for my cleaning adventures!

National Day of Unplugging

2010-03-19T09:02:00.010-04:00

Thanks to Chaviva's blog for putting this out there...http://www.sabbathmanifesto.org/about

having spent a good portion of my adult life in a contemplative meditation practice, "unplugging" actually is a way of life for me. I meditate every morning and use "Mindfulness" techniques to help keep equanimity and balance in my world. Choosing Judaism only enhances these practices for me. I see the various Mizvot as tiny bells of mindfulness, reminding me to pay attention to be awake and enjoy the present moment...the only moment we actually have!

This is something I have been giving a lot of thought to. My husband recently "upgraded" to an IPhone. This device has taken over his world...granted it has only been a short time and it is a new toy....but I can see the potential for folks to have issues.

" some of us have grown dependent on these handheld devices—perhaps even addicted. You wouldn't be alone: a Stanford University survey administered to 200 college students claims just that."

so I guess the only thing to do is to PUT DOWN THE THE IPHONE!

Join Sabbath Manifesto in a National Day of Unplugging
Sundown, Friday, March 19 to Sundown, Saturday, March 20
http://www.sabbathmanifesto.org/unplug

Join us in fighting back against the tidal wave of technology taking over society and our lives. Are you sick of having conversations with people with their noses buried in an iPhone? Are you that person?

Put down the cell phone, stop the status updates on Facebook, shut down Twitter, sign out of e-mail and relax, as part of our National Day of Unplugging.

People across the nation will tune out to reclaim time to slow life down and reconnect with friends, family, the community and themselves for 24 hours, starting at sundown, Friday, March 19. The Sabbath Manifesto’s principles were created for individual styling, but for one day we are asking you to take on the challenge of Principle Number 1: AVOID TECHNOLOGY. For those of you who can’t resist the temptation we created cell phone sleeping bags.

Let us know how you interpreted this Principle.

I'm Jewish.....I Don't Care What They Say!

2010-03-12T12:01:00.006-05:00

Extremist regardless of what head coverings they wear are still extremists! The Extremists in Israel are continuing their attack on all of Judaism! They continue to sell hate, fear and loathing. They are at the best bullies and the worst, only Hashem knows! They are a cancer in our mists wrapped in defiled holy cloth!

I AM A JEW!

THEY MUST BE STOPPED!

What’s Wrong With Israel’s Proposed Conversion Bill
by Seth Faber
Special To the Jewish Week

Only in Israel. On the day that the U.S. vice president arrived in Israel, reportedly to thwart Israel’s bombing of Iran, and following two days of intensive talks between Israel’s prime minister and President Obama’s special envoy to the Middle East, the Israeli government almost fell ... because of a proposed bill about conversion to Judaism.

How could a conversion bill, which set out to marginally expand the list of rabbis who can perform conversions in Israel, set off a string of events that almost brought the government down? Though hard to imagine, the Israeli government coalition agreements include clauses that call for legislation to improve conversion in Israel. This week, such legislation was discussed in the Knesset law committee, and the proposed

bill, which would be a first for the Jewish state, brought on a coalition crisis between the ultra-Orthodox and immigrant parties.

The chaos created by the proposed conversion bill highlights the fact that conversion has become the “threshold” issue for the Jewish world today. Demographics, religious extremism and the politics of power have all played a role in this basic shift in the Jewish agenda. In the past 18 months, the leadership of The Jewish Federations of North America has written letters to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asking him to engage the conversion issue. During the past year, the leadership of American Orthodoxy has engaged in seemingly endless negotiations with the Israeli Chief Rabbinate to ensure that their conversions receive acceptance within the Israeli religious establishment. And when Rabbi Haskel Lookstein of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in Manhattan gave his annual assessment of the Jewish world and Modern Orthodoxy some weeks ago from his pulpit in Manhattan, he focused on conversion.

Just this week, the American Jewish Committee wrote a strong letter to the Knesset protesting the new conversion law (something once considerably outside its agenda), joining a number of political parties and religious groups in criticism of the proposed legislation, albeit for a variety of reasons.
Clearly the issue is burning.

In the version of the law brought to the Knesset law committee this past Sunday, three reforms were proposed. First, rabbis of cities in Israel who are appointed by the Chief Rabbinate would be allowed to engage in conversion (rather than allowing conversion to be the exclusive province of rabbinical court judges). That would be an improvement.

Second, rabbinical courts that seek to annul conversions would be able to do so only with the approval of the chief rabbi. And thirdly, and here is the eye-opener, individuals who converted in Israel would be ineligible for aliyah.

That third provision seemed to come out of nowhere.

The bill met with opposition on several fronts. The ultra-Orthodox parties in Israel are generally xenophobic, and they see conversion as a stick with which they can impose their ideologies. Since almost all the rabbinical court judges are ultra-Orthodox and since some of the city rabbis are Modern Orthodox, the ultra-Orthodox parties opposed the bill vociferously, as it seeks to increase the power of the city rabbis and limit the power of rabbinical court judges. And in fact, a vote on the bill was delayed because of the clout and influence of the ultra-Orthodox in the Knesset.

The bill also met with opposition because it alters one of the legislative untouchables of the Jewish Israeli ethos: the Law of Return. Since any Jew can immigrate to Israel and receive automatic citizenship, the authors of the proposed bill are genuinely concerned that illegal aliens and even terrorists could attempt to exploit conversion in order to achieve citizenship. However, by putting a blanket clause that precludes those who converted in Israel from making aliyah, the bill became preposterous. In principle, a convert to Judaism from overseas would be eligible for aliyah, while a convert who completed his conversion in Israel would be excluded from citizenship. Students, volunteers, or non-Jewish boyfriends and girlfriends of Israelis who completed conversion in Israel would not be granted immediate citizenship, even if they were fully Orthodox.

For now, the bill is in limbo, but the issues raised in the debate place the genuine issues of conversion — identity and the role of the land of Israel as a center for Jewish life — front and center, and for this I am thankful. The Jewish world has ducked these issues interminably, pretending that hakol yehihe b’seder (everything will be OK). As someone who has received more than a thousand phone calls and e-mails from converts and potential converts in the past year, asking for help in navigating the system, I assure you that everything is not OK.

Even if the conversion law passes with some modifications, there is serious need for conversion reform in Israel and around the world. There needs to be more consensus, greater access, and less politics, money and influence regarding this issue. In Israel, expanding the number and type of rabbis who can convert is an important first step in changing what has become a conversion process characterized by chaos. But serious improvements need to be made in the registration process, the courses of study, the rabbinical courts and the issuance of certificates. Greater accountability and transparency should be put in place in our conversion courts, and there ought to be increased responsiveness to the “needs of the hour,” particularly reaching out to couples who may otherwise intermarry.

Only in Israel can conversion bring down a government. But only in Israel can these issues be resolved for now, for the future, for ourselves and for our children.

Rabbi Seth Farber is the director of ITIM: The Jewish Life Information Center (www.itim.org.il) and rabbi of Kehilat Netivot in Raanana, Israel.

Why nobody's happy with conversion bill
By DAN IZENBERG
09/03/2010 03:57
The Jerusalem Post

Bill threatening solidarity of coalition is actually 2 bills wrapped into one, and each has its own political foes.
Talkbacks (3)
The Chief Rabbinate bill (Amendment – Powers in Matters of Conversion) that threatens the solidarity of the coalition is actually two bills wrapped into one, and each has its own political foes who, taken together, add up to an overwhelming majority of the Knesset.

In other words, if Israel Beiteinu decides to submit the bill to the plenum for first reading according to the wording presented on Monday to the Knesset Law Committee, it does not stand a chance of passing.

The bill was initiated by the chairman of the law committee, MK David Rotem (Israel Beiteinu) in the hope that it would make it easier for the hundreds of thousands of non-Jewish Israeli citizens to convert to Judaism.

The first part of the bill empowers local authority rabbis or those who served as local authority rabbis in the past, to establish a special conversion court together with two other local authority rabbis to hear and approve requests for conversion.

In doing so, Rotem hoped to break the bottleneck in the conversion process by adding a large number of new authorized courts and rabbis to grant conversions. He also hoped that local rabbis, who officiated at the grassroots level and knew their communities, would be more flexible in granting conversions. Today, only the government-administered conversion courts, headed by Rabbi Haim Druckman, and the district rabbinical courts may do so.

According to Paragraph 24b of the amendment, “A special court is authorized to consider the conversion of an Israeli citizen or a person who has permanent residency status according to the Entry to Israel Law and to grant a conversion document.”

Another sub-paragraph deals with the controversial question of whether the conversion courts may repeal a conversion that has already been granted. Rabbinical court dayanim have nullified thousands of conversion certificates granted by Druckman’s courts on the grounds that the rabbis in these courts were of too low a caliber to approve the conversion.

According to the bill, the court that converted the non-Jewish applicant may nullify the conversion if it discovers that the applicant provided false information or concealed information from it. If some other question arises about the Jewishness of the convert, the court that converted him or her will examine the matter, or the president of the High Rabbinical Court may refer it to a district rabbinical court.

This provision is meant to address the common phenomenon of local authority rabbis who refuse to marry a convert because they do not accept the legitimacy of the court that converted him.

The provisions of the bill presented to the Law Committee on Monday were dramatically different from the original bill that was approved by the Knesset in preliminary reading several months ago.

The changes came as a result of intensive negotiations between Rotem and Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar. The final draft of the bill for first reading was signed by Amar last week, with the blessings of Shas Party mentor Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.

But Shas has backed down from its approval, apparently because of the strong opposition of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) Party.

The provisions of the current bill and the fact that negotiations were conducted between Rotem and Shas without including the UTJ infuriated the Ashkenazi haredi party. At Monday’s Law Committee meeting, UTJ MKs Uri Maklef and Moshe Gafni complained bitterly about the alleged betrayal of its coalition partner Shas, as well as about the contents of the bill itself. The MKs warned that the legislation would pave the way for conversions that were not in accordance with Halacha.

But while the first two paragraphs of the bill kept to the spirit, if not the exact letter, of the original draft, the third paragraph appeared to come out of the blue. In fact, no one seems to know exactly where it did come from.

According to Paragraph 3 of the draft, which is an amendment to the Citizenship Law rather than the Chief Rabbinate Law, “the right to citizenship according to the Law of Return will not apply to anyone who, before entering Israel, was not eligible to receive an immigrant’s permit or an immigrant’s document” according to the terms of the Law of Return.

In other words, if a non-Jew enters Israel and is not eligible for citizenship according to the Law of Return, even if he converts to Judaism after legally settling in Israel and receiving residential status, the Law of Return will not apply to him. Even though he is Jewish, the convert will have to go through the naturalization procedure stipulated by the Citizenship Law and reapply for his residential status each year, like all non-Jews.

Representatives of the Reform and Conservative movements and Hiddush, an organization campaigning for freedom of religion and equality, charged that this paragraph was aimed at them and was meant, among other things, to prevent foreign workers or refugees who obtained formal status, from becoming citizens even if they were to convert.

“It is clear that the Ministry of Interior wants to forestall any possibility of foreign workers or asylum-seekers from settling in Israel,” said Shahar Ilan, director-general of Hiddush. “They are just using the amendment to the Chief Rabbinate Law to achieve their aim through the back door.”

He also charged that it was unacceptable that there be first-class and second-class Jews.

Nicole Ma’or, an attorney for the Israel Religious Action Center, which belongs to the Progressive (Reform) Movement, warned that the provision could be used to prevent non-Jews who converted abroad from immigrating to Israel according to the Law of Return. She charged that the bill was worded so loosely that it could open up possibilities in the future that Rotem had not intended.

Today, in accordance with a High Court ruling, a person who converts to Judaism abroad and moves to Israel will be granted automatic citizenship according to the Law of Return. But what if such a convert had visited Israel before his conversion? Would he retroactively lose his status as an Israeli citizen if the law were passed? And, looking toward the future, what if a non-Jew visited Israel as a tourist, returned to his home country and then decided to convert and return to Israel after his conversion? Would he still be eligible for citizenship according to the Law of Return? Who was responsible for this addition to the bill, which is not even mentioned in the words of explanation that accompany it because it was tacked on at the last minute?

Rotem would not say. However, he made it clear that without it, Shas would not support the legislation and that without Shas’s votes, he would not be able to pass the part of the bill that he cared about – that is, allowing local authority rabbis to convert.

Neither the communications adviser of Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman or Justice Ministry official Yochi Gnessin, whose names have been linked to the provision, were prepared to comment on the matter to The Jerusalem Post.

Shabbat Shalom

2010-03-03T13:31:00.003-05:00

Hello...I will get to some actual blogging (writing) soon! ....But I wanted to share this because once again...It Made Me Smile!

Purim Schpiel

2010-03-01T18:35:00.007-05:00

Some of these are high quality others simple but I love how they all make me laugh!

Why We have to Be Vocal and Vigilant

2010-02-18T19:30:00.003-05:00

The Rabbi said "Jews by Choice"

2010-02-06T17:45:00.012-05:00

The Rabbi,of the synagogue I attend,in reaction to Parshah Yitro, this morning riffed on how sometimes it takes new eyes, or an outsider to truly see. He then went on to talk about "Jews by choice", and he added the aside, "it isn't good to call them converts anymore" His message was that some how born Jews can get complacent, jaded and not fully engage in the wonder, joy and totality of the Jewish faith, even if they are observant.

It was funny, just prior to this talk, I had been slowly seething and deciding if I could get up the nerve to turn around and ask the three people behind me to please be quite. They were long time and involved members of the synagogue. We had a Bar Mitzvah today and this little boy was trying so hard and they were being so disrespectful. but I had gone by myself today, (I think my husband still finds it difficult to be in services with a celebration while he is still feeling the loss of his mother) and was feeling a bit too vulnerable. Added to this was that we had a low turn out due to snow and cold.

When the Rabbi started they were still talking, but as he went on they got quite! Did they see themselves in his talk? Myself, I became some what self conscious, he was saying lovely things about Jews by Choice, but because there were so few people there I felt like I couldn't hide in the crowd. Although he didn't mention me by name it was an odd feeling non the less!
Yet dispite some unease it was wonderful to hear him speak in such lovely terms about those of us who have chosen this path. Maybe next time I will turn around and ask them to please try and be more quite.

Hebrew Student Slacker Club

2010-02-04T10:14:00.006-05:00

I have found myself thinking like a hack comedian lately……. I say…”what’s up with this final letter stuff!” ....N Soffit - Phey-Soffit - Chaph-soffit!!

The website e-how puts it nicely:

“While there are only 22 letters in the aleph-bet, there are differing forms of certain letters when used at the end of a word---called the "soffit" form. The letters Mem (M), Nun, (N), Kaf (K), Peh (P) and Tsadik (TS) have soffit forms”

Well guess what, I do not think it is nice…no, not at all…it is frustrating, challenging and just plain hard! I had my weekly class last night. The good news is that I made my goal. I am no longer the worst student in the class; I am the second worst student in the class!

So now onward and upward!

I have been strategizing on how to take this to the next level. In service of getting out of the Hebrew Student Slacker club, I am going for an eye exam. Really, I think I need a new prescription! I can not differentiate the subtle difference between some of these letters. Additional I have enlisted my husband in this quest. He has become a great resource. He has even found me flash cards, and web lessons. Every Tuesday night, the day before Hebrew hell, he helps me go over the pages we will be reading in class. He isn’t a push over, he makes me sound it out, and only once did he say “you really do have a hard time with this.” This was after I had said crazy a word 3 times in a row…remember I am the poster child for “LD”, Learning Disabilities and dyslexia! Also my fellow students are starting to rally around my cause! They have picked up on the things I do to help me remeber vowels etc. For example for "O" as in "over",The women who sits next to me pats my head , as in "over my head" after I have said ooooo a few many times. This team work is helping. It takes a village, or at least a shull to teach me hebrew!

Now this week we have homework. There is a Bar Mitzvah this Saturday in Shull. We are supposed to follow the haftarah and see if he misses any words. My thought is the Cantor works with these kids, and he must know how well this Saturday’s reading will go. I have been told there is a site on line that has audio for all the haftarahs. I think I will use this to get a jump start on how it is suposed to sound.

So I am ready!......I’m going to learn this language if it is the last thing I do!

Help Wanted for Mourning and Existential Angst

2010-01-20T15:19:00.004-05:00

I am still mourning the death of my mother-in-law, so I know my darkish mood is an influence of what I think currently.... but it all seems so bleak out there...war, politics, natural disasters...I have not been up to following news etc. because of my family's personal loss...yet one can't help but notice...it is odd to experience such personal loss in the face of the global loss like Haiti. It just feels odd...I wonder if there is something from the Torah that helps with this state of mind of mine?

I have noticed the positive press Israel has received.....and that is good.

Israel prepares for the long-haul in quake-stricken Haiti

By Karin Kloosterman and Nicky Blackburn January 20, 2010
With anarchy growing, and the devastation vast, Israel vows to continue offering vital aid to earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

Photo by IDF spokesperson.
The IDF Medical and Rescue team in Port-au-Prince rescue a Haitian government worker who was trapped for 125 hours in the wreckage of last week's earthquake in Haiti.
With praise mounting worldwide for the work of Israel's aid team to the earthquake-stricken island of Haiti, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has announced that the Israeli rescue crew will remain in the Caribbean for at least another month to oversee an Israeli field hospital set up in the wake of the disaster.
A delegation of more than 240 Israelis flew to Haiti on Friday to offer search and rescue aid and medical help just three days after the disastrous earthquake struck the island-nation last week.
Since then, Israeli rescuers have pulled out a number of people from the rubble and treated many more at the field hospital set up in a football stadium in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince.
Dramatic rescues against the odds
The latest rescue mission took place on Monday when Israeli rescuers managed to free a female student, trapped for six days under the wreckage of Port-au-Prince's four-storey university building.
The Israeli team used special equipment to lift the rubble and managed to create an opening through which they could rescue the woman, who had been trapped in an air pocket. She was transferred to the IDF field hospital for medical treatment.
On the same day, a six-year-old girl, Jessica Hartelin, was pulled out of rubble by locals and rushed to the Israeli clinic, where an IsraAID/FIRST medical team was able to save her life.
Despite these successes, Yigal Palmor, spokesman for the Israel Foreign Ministry, tells ISRAEL21c that given the scale of the disaster, which has killed an estimated 200,000 people, it is important to keep things in perspective: "We must be happy for every new life saved, but there is a difficulty in rejoicing wholeheartedly because of the dimension of what has happened there. We must be modest with our satisfaction."
The Israeli relief team comprises doctors, nurses, logistics staff, the IDF field hospital rescue team, foreign affairs staff, representatives of Magan David Adom (Israel's Red Cross), police officers and volunteers from IsraAID and ZAKA search and rescue and body identification. Palmor reports: "People are being rushed to the Israeli field hospital every day. It is probably the biggest field hospital in Haiti right now."
Palmor, who warns that security is now becoming a major issue in Haiti, with anarchy breaking out on the streets, says the Israeli delegation is being helped on the ground by Israelis living in Haiti, including Daniel Keidar, who is married to a Haitian diplomat and has been in the country since 1991. He has been helping communicate with locals in search and rescue operations.
Google Earth saves a mother and child
He also praised another Israeli, Joel Lion, spokesman for the Israeli consulate in New York, who guided ABC news editor, Dr. Richard Besser as he rushed a Haitian woman in labor to the Israeli field hospital when it became clear that she needed urgent medical aid to survive the birth.
Besser was in Haiti filming a news item on pregnant women in the wake of the earthquake when he came across a woman in the final stages of labor. She was suffering a breech birth. Besser realized she needed urgent medical aid if she and her baby were to survive. The only place where she could receive the treatment she needed was at the Israeli field hospital, which includes a maternity ward and ultrasound equipment.
He had no GPS to find the hospital in the chaos, so he contacted Lion in New York for directions. Using Google Earth, Lion spoke French to Besser's Haitian driver, guiding them in real time, step by step, to the Israeli field hospital.
At the hospital, Israeli doctors discovered that the woman was also suffering from pre-eclampsia, a common cause of death in both women and babies in Haiti. They delivered the baby safely and the mother later said she would name her son 'Israel,' in tribute to the doctors who saved their lives.
The ABC story noted that, ironically, the earthquake had probably saved the lives of both mother and child. With most women giving birth at home, this woman would probably have died if she hadn't been taken to the field hospital.
Israel contributes $2 million in aid, so far
According to a release issued Monday evening, an additional IDF aid delegation was scheduled to fly to Haiti on Monday night. To be headed by Israel's Home Front Command Major. Gen. Yair Golan, it will include officials from Israel's Ministry of Health, and its chief medical officer. The team is expected to deliver more medicine and equipment. IsraAID/First will also be sending an additional team of 12 medical and logistical staff to Haiti this weekend.
A source at the Ministry of Health says that Israel has contributed about $2 million worth of aid to Haiti, in flying the Israeli teams to the scene, paying their salaries as well as the cost of medical care, and the cost of the team's return.
Meanwhile, according to the IDF, its field hospital is now one of the most advanced hospitals in Haiti. Staffed with doctors, nurses and paramedics, it includes a pediatric ward, a radiology department, an ICU, an ER, operating rooms and a surgical department, as well as a medical lab and an X-ray center. By Monday, 25 life-saving operations had been performed there and three babies had been delivered.
In a report from the MDA, which is working at the Israeli field hospital, the organization describes the overwhelming destruction in Port-au-Prince, where there is no electricity or fresh water, and rescue efforts are only sporadic.
"Surprisingly, it would appear that most of the citizens have returned to normal life," the report states. "One can see people moving in the streets next to bodies lying on the side of the street. There is no picture of hordes of worried citizens digging in the rubble of buildings." The report mentions that the MDA has been warmly received.
Getting the news out through the IDF communications center
"Anarchy" is how Shahar Zahavi from IsraAID/FIRST describes the situation in Haiti. The organization has a team of 15 volunteers, including those from the NGO Latet, on the island. The volunteers are providing medical assistance in a soccer stadium on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, in a different location to the field hospital.
"The minute they got there, they got hundreds of people asking for their help," Zahavi tells ISRAEL21c. "There are 2,000 people there already. About a dozen more people - medical staff and logistics staff associated with the relief organization - are expected to fly in this weekend to assist," he adds.
Apart from the medical relief and search and rescue efforts that Israel is providing, the IDF's Communications Corps personnel have established a fully functioning communications center.
The center was set up in a corner of the Israeli field hospital, and was the first of the Israeli units to be established in Haiti. Since then, the IDF has positioned satellites and antennas on the roofs of local buildings that are still standing.
Cpt. Barak Tzarom who is running the communications center, says that many civilians are benefiting from it as it is the only Internet point in the area. He says: "All media from the writers and reporters in the field, all information is being transferred using our command center. Because the communications tools here are not sufficiently prepared to transfer information from the field we are assisting them by enabling them to do all of that from Haiti, in the best conditions possible."

shiv'ah

2010-01-16T23:17:00.011-05:00

Eleanor Katz, of blessed memory

(she is the one standing...the other two pictured are my parents)

This has been among the longest 7 days of my life.

Elanor is/was the mother of my husband. She was a month or 2 shy of 90 when she died. She was living in her own home, the one my husband grew up in, she would stay up all night reading the New York Times and she was ever gracious to me.

I am the second wife of her beloved youngest son, and despite knowing the first Mrs. Katz for over 20 years she never once made me feel unwelcomed or second class. She was classy and tenacious!

She lived the way she wanted...she died the way she wanted and for that I am grateful, we all could learn a lot from her.

Shiv'ah is gruling....gut wrentching and hard work. For those who are in the process of converting, this was the compleation of my Jewish Life Cycle training...I hope you don't experience this any time soon!

For Eleanor,

Eshet Chayil

A woman of valor, who can find? Far beyond pearls is her value.
Her husband's heart trusts in her and he shall lack no fortune.
She repays his good, but never his harm, all the days of her life.
She seeks out wool and linen, and her hands work willingly,
She is like a merchant's ships; from afar she brings her sustenance.
She rises while it is still nighttime, and gives food to her household and a ration to her maids.
She considers a field and buys it; from the fruit of her handiwork she plants a vineyard.
She girds her loins with might and strengthens her arms.
She senses that her enterprise is good, so her lamp is not extinguished at night.
She puts her hand to the distaff, and her palms support the spindle.
She spreads out her palm to the poor and extends her hands to the destitute.
She fears not snow for her household, for her entire household is clothed with scarlet wool.
Bedspreads she makes herself; linen and purple wool are her clothing.
Well-known at the gates is her husband as he sits with the elders of the land.
Garments she makes and sells, and she delivers a belt to the peddler.
Strength and splendor are her clothing, and smilingly she awaits her last day.
She opens her mouth with Wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She anticipates the needs of her household, and the bread of idleness, she does not eat.
Her children rise and celebrate her; and her husband, he praises her:
"Many daughters have attained valor, but you have surpassed them all."
False is grace, and vain is beauty; a God-fearing woman, she should be praised.
Give her the fruit of her hands, and she will be praised at the gates by her very own deeds.

It's Official!

2010-01-07T08:42:00.009-05:00

I am the worst student in my Hebrew class.

Last night I suffered through another class. I know that my difficulties are based on a number of factors including some learning disability stuff rearing its dysfunctional head! As a kid I was identified as having some LD (learning disabilities...dyslexia etc) issues. As I matured I learned to compensated and cope and now they rarely manifest...or at least not until I have decided to make another run at Hebrew.

Another fact about my self that I beleive is more than likely some what self defeating, I am competitive and always, despite the odds against me, was an "A" student. Thus the mantel of being the Hebrew class slacker is killing me!

The Cantor of the synagogue is teaching the class. He is young and talented and very smart and quick. there are about 10 people in it. We go though our book lesson by lesson and take turns "reading." It is all going fairly smoothly until it gets to me. I feel that old rush of nervousness, I get a little shaky and attempt to sound it out. The dalet look like Resh and never mind all those dam dots that are vowels! AY...EEE OOOOO.!!! It feels like my mouth isn't working. It tries to wrap itself around the sounds and I feel like such a looser!

To add to this mortal embarrassment, I missed a class because I though it was cancelled. I had crammed and tried to get my review perfect and then I come to class and realize we are 4 lessons ahead of where I though we were.

So now I am determined. I have come up with a plan to try to be the second worst student in the class. I have identified my target, a man of similar age, (that doesn't help either, my almost 49 year old brain just doesn't fire the same at 8:15 at night like it used to!) who often confuses the the long swigly letters too. (Dalet, Resh, Nun, Vav etc)

I am going to have to study like I did as a kid. I have started making a vocabulary list, with root words, and flash cards with the letters and vowels. This is WAR!...lol

Hebrew I will master you...do you hear me?....I'm talking to you Hebrew!

עֹז־וְהָד ֥ר לְבוּשָׁ֑הּ וַ֝תִּשְׂחַ֗ק לְיֹ֣ום אַחֲרֹֽון׃

2010-01-04T19:33:00.003-05:00

"Strength and dignity are her clothing.

She laughs at the time to come."

Those of you who may have explored this blog know that I am a social worker/therapist. I work with individuals and families, children,adolescents and adults. Today something profound happened for me. I had a moment where my "Jewishness" spoke. It is important to note that I apply fairly traditional analytical boundaries to my work...all that to say I NEVER talk about myself unless it is used in service of the patient. ....and that is a very rare occurrence.

As I sat with a woman who is experiencing many difficulties, including image issues with aging in a culture that generally doesn't support it, the above quote began the bubble in my mind. Then all of a sudden I said it to her!

I often use different resources to help patients, from quotes and myths, to religion so it wasn't totally out of form...but what was new, was this just came to me, no struggle, no angst a pure thought in an effort to help. A Jewish Thought!

I have noticed themes in the Jews By Choice world, and "feeling Jewish" is a big one...today I didn't feel Jewish...I was Jewish!

Bat Mitzvah?

2010-01-03T21:19:00.003-05:00

So on Saturday I was called up for an aliyah....(Conservative Synagogue)
and the Rabbi leans over and says "we need to start you studying for a Bat Mitzvah..." I said "I need to improve my Hebrew!..."

Yet this got me thinking.......
should I?
part of me wants to...but I am not too sure if I am up to the challenge.