In honor of Mother’s Day, Rabbi Eve Posen, assistant rabbi with Congregation Neveh Shalom in Portland, Oregon and co-author of the book Pirkei Imahot,the Wisdom of Mothers, the Voices of Women, shares her two favorite “pearls” of wisdom gleaned from looking at Jewish texts from a woman’s perspective. Here’s some other great life advice from Jewish moms—as sometimes mothers really do know best: “Never judge people fo...
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When Joel Hertz had his Bar Mitzvah, he spoke so well that people said, “Oh, you should be a lawyer.” “I was good in history and social sciences and always interested in reading,” he recalls, “and I liked to argue.” Decades later, Joel, who lives in Toronto in Ontario, Canada, has built a career for himself doing just that—and then some. In 1979, he was called to another kind of bar—the Ontario Bar Association—and went o...
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Thousands of years after Ruth—the “mother of all converts”—told her mother-in-law Naomi in the Book of Ruth, “Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people will be my people and your God will be my God,” large numbers of non-Jews from around the U.S. have been embracing Judaism as their religion of choice—in fact, current estimates show 1 in 6 American Jews are converts. While it’s one thin...
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A lot has changed since the time Rabbi Adam Kligfeld of Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles, California, served as USY international president in 1990 and 2019 when his eldest daughter Noa stepped into the same role. Here, the two talk about the differences 30 years makes, plus what serving meant/means to them and how one another’s leadership inspires their own. https://youtu.be/9ll3s_Zunc8 Also, be sure to watch: A...
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An hours-long Passover seder can feel longer than the 40 years our ancestors spent wandering the desert for young kids full of energy and wonder. So, what’s the key to keeping them engaged? Bring the experience down to their level with simple explanations and infuse it with fun and interactivity. What’s the Story? According to PJ Library, which celebrates Jewish culture, values and tradition through the joy of storybo...
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By Michelle Collins Michelle Collins My first memory of realizing I was different was in elementary school. I attended a public school, and we occasionally had catered lunches. I have a vivid memory of crying at the lunch table because everyone was eating hamburgers and I couldn’t. What a drama queen, amirite? I’m sure I didn’t go hungry that day. I’ve kept kosher my whole life. Even though I grew up in a subur...
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Three generations of the Daitz family attend Israel. With her husband, Ronald, on one side and her two sons, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren—ages 9, 14 and 17—on the other, Linda Daitz couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and gratitude as three generations of her family experienced the power of Israel together as part of Park Avenue Synagogue’s historic trip. Ranging from infants to seniors, congregants ...
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Michael Landau, AIA Michael Landau, AIA, who has more than 50 years of experience in the planning, design and construction of worship facilities and whose design work has been recognized nationally through awards, publications and exhibitions, answers the question: What’s a journey you’re on right now and what excites you most about it? The design of synagogues has been an integral aspect of my 50-plus years long c...
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Right down the road from Ruth Newstock’s home in Memphis, Tennessee, a nearby church opens its doors every Tuesday night during the winter months so those who are homeless can have a hot meal and warm place to sleep. Given her cheery, friendly personality, it’s no surprise that when a friend asked Ruth if she wanted to volunteer one evening, she quickly accepted the offer. At that time, as a soon-to-be 12 year old,...
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Purim celebrates the bravery of a young woman named Esther who was chosen to be the wife of King Ahasuerus of Persia. When the King’s adviser, Haman, persuades him to kill all the Jews in the empire, Queen Esther’s cousin and adopted father, Mordecai, calls on her to use her influence and stop the plan. The tale is told in the Book of Esther, known as the Megillah, and ends with Haman’s hanging and the Jewish people saved...
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