My friends, Normally for Shabbat, I strive to take a break from the news and the constant news updates we receive both on TV and online. But with news of the strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel, being updated became a matter of urgency. For some...
Each of our Shabbat’s and holidays together, we have paused our service and recited the prayer “ahainu” (Our Brothers). A simple prayer asking G1d to free those held captive and let that release come soon. We’ve all seen or heard the news of a ceasefire in Gaza. And with that...
I live my life guided by a theme of my maternal grandfather. The theme he imprinted on my psyche is “10 minutes early, is almost late”. Now this flies directly in the face of the concept of “JST” or more commonly, “Jewish Standard Time”, where 20 minutes late is on...
Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem and Israel On Shabbat and holy days, our Sephardic and Mizrachi sisters and brothers recite Psalm 122, a late Psalm, in which holy day pilgrims in Jerusalem reflect on what it might have been like for pilgrims of prior eras to be in Jerusalem....
Dear Am HaYam family, I returned home last Sunday from a family simcha, and was under the weather. I am still recovering, but wanted to send you another note before Shabbat (It is Thursday, 10/19). I understand the Israel Solidarity Gathering that was hosted at Temple Beth Torah, and which...
Dear Am HaYam family, I wanted to follow-up my initial response to last Saturday’s brutal attacks on Israel. As you know the attacks came not only on Shabbat, but on the holy day of Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. At the time of writing this (Wednesday evening) more than 1,200...
Dear Am HaYam Family: We have all been in agony since hearing the news of the coordinated Hamas terror attacks on Israel on the holy day of Sh’mini Atzeret/Simchat Torah. While we celebrated both days on Shabbat, for many Jews outside of Israel, the holy day period actually ended Sunday...
PAINTING JERUSALEM: Modern Artists Portray Jerusalem (A teaching by Rabbi Sacks in honor of Yom Yerushalayim, May 18, 2023) [NOTE: This was part of a two-part session. Lifelong Learning Chair Fran Lande taught the first part, which focused on how Jerusalem remains sacred to three major world religions: Judaism, Christianity,...
Israel Shabbat: Celebrating Israel’s 75th Birthday (Special services and a Shirah B’tzibbur Singalong were held on April 21-22) We celebrated Israel’s 75th birthday with a special Israel Shabbat. On Friday night Rabbi Sacks and Student Rabbi Maayan Lev led us in a special liturgy conceived, compiled and edited by Rabbi...
A story emerged from Russia years ago that expresses a truth about Jewish life and the importance of Israel. The secret police in the Soviet Union knocked upon the door of a Russian Jew. They accused him of corresponding with a foreign agent named Rabinovitz in the state of Israel....
