Blog

By Rabbi Alana Wasserman After my daughter was born (a little over four years ago), I remained in the hospital with her for five days. While most people may not relish the thought of spending any time in a hospital, I loved every minute of it. This was my private bonding time with my new baby girl. In a way, I felt as though this time was a divine gift. As it turns out, not only was this a divine gift, but something mothers are commanded to do.

By Lindie Henderson We are taught that it is not up to an individual to complete a task but important to bear some responsibility. I am wondering, as sisterhood and district nominating committees are engaged in the task of securing new leaders or encouraging leaders to agree to serve in different positions, why it is difficult for many women to agree and to accept responsibilities for a two year period of time. In sisterhood, a woman is never alone. There are always other women waiting to be asked to assist. Perhaps, it is incumbent upon current leaders and nominating committees to focus on the personal benefits to women who choose leadership. We hone our skills and learn new ones, we connect with wonderful women each unique in what she brings to our work, we ensure the future of our sisterhoods and districts, we build community, we have fun, and, best of all, find new sisters to share our lives. Why would a woman hold back from these opportunities and experiences?

I didn't feel comfortable at my previous temple. There were too many things happening that I didn't think were appropriate. I chose to join a new temple much closer to our home. So, last May, my husband and I joined one of the bigger Reform temples in the area. I knew many of the women involved with sisterhood, because we had worked on the last Central District convention together. We became more than colleagues; we became friends. I started attending services and programs in other temples and sisterhoods and was drawn to the temple we joined.

By Marcia J. Levaur In the fall of 1963 my Mother and I planned a trip to Europe and Israel.  Mother told our rabbi, Dr. Solomon B. Freehof, of our plans.  He advised that we plan to spend Yom Kippur in Jerusalem and offered to write to the rabbi there. We re-arranged our schedule so that we could fly into Israel, to Lod Airport, before the holiday began.  Upon checking into the King David Hotel we received a welcome note from the rabbi with tickets for services and an invitation for tea, a few days later.  Kol Nidre evening we walked to the synagogue, which was very small, a converted house.  The city was still, nothing was moving.  Our reserved seats were in the front row!  Of course everything was in Hebrew and mostly chanted.  My Mother, with her Hebrew education was able to follow the service, much to the congregation's amazement.  The cantor was very good and the rabbi was terrific!  Rabbi Zaoui, the head rabbi of Paris, was spending two years in Israel promoting Progressive/Reform Judaism. Although there were several hundred synagogues in Jerusalem, this was the first Progressive.

By Rabbi Michele Paskow

Do you observe any of the kosher laws? Do you think they are still a means to spiritual, holy, or clean (“pure”- the Bible’s term) living today? Does it make one feel more spiritual to have certain dietary restrictions for religious reasons? This is a fascinating topic. Besides describing the tragic deaths of Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, in the opening two chapters of Parshat Shemini, Leviticus Chapter 11 provides one of the Torah’s main sources on the Kosher laws.

Interestingly, the word Kosher means “fit”, as in fit or permissible for consumption. (In modern Hebrew a “machon-kosher” is a fitness center, i.e. a gym!) From a sociological perspective, the kosher dietary laws had a profound impact on preserving Jewish identity and culture throughout our long history on many lands. The French anthropologist and ethnologist Claude Levi-Strauss once said that food is not only good to eat, but also good to think. The kosher requirements and restrictions forced Jewish people to curtail their social interactions with those who are not Jewish. Today we might find this harder to do, as we are (and want to be) less insular and more integrated into society. However, I find these observances and the whole notion of holiness in eating to have a strong spiritual meaning. We all eat; eating is a very physical act. Our eating is a big topic today because of what and how we eat as a nation.  

By Linda Zoll As I explored the varying aspects of this week’s parashah, Shemini (Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47), I found a myriad of interesting and important paths to be examined. I chose to study a path which led me to consider how we teach our children to be the best they can be. The story in this portion tells us that Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, were so impressed with themselves—being the sons of the highest priest among the Jews of that period and the nephews of the greatest prophet of all time—that they presumed to place themselves above the community. The moment that illustrated Nadab’s and Abihu’s fatal flaw occurred as the ritual sacrifices were being offered to God. Adonai’s instructions to the people were quite specific regarding ways to prepare the unblemished animals and to ignite the sacrificial fires. In their zeal to stand above their peers, Nadab and Abihu added incense to their offering. God immediately responded and both sons of Aaron were consumed by fire. Moses and even Aaron remained silent—choosing not to question God’s decision. Aaron recognized that his sons had to bear the responsibility for having ignored the law.

By Resa Davids Visiting the Reform Movement in Israel can seem like visiting the whole alphabet with stops with HUC/JIR, WUPJ, Gan HaChaim, EIE, and IRAC. WRJ is a major supporter of HUC, The Hebrew Union College, with its campuses in New York, Cincinnati, Los Angles, and Jerusalem.  We give scholarships to student rabbis and cantors.  The three of us invited the first year students to a luncheon and had an excellent discussion about the supportive role of WRJ in their future congregations and communities.  We discussed the tough issues, including tackling the question of why we need single gender organizations in today’s world. And we discussed the importance of our publication, The Torah:  A Women’s Commentary.

I stood in front of the open refrigerator door, peering intently inside as if the multi-layered plastic containers filled with the leftovers would give me the answer to my question. THE question, of course.. the one I had asked myself every morning this week