September 11, Honoring the Memory
Psalm 23The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.Continue reading
Crisis in Syria: A Tzedakah Opportunity
No matter your position about the U.S. response to Syria’s atrocities, we share empathy for the devastation human beings are facing. In these Days of Awe, when we try to ease the suffering in the world through acts of tshuvah, tefillah and tzedakah–repentance, prayer and righteous giving–here is a way to give:
Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief: Syrian Refugees in Jordan:
September is National Recovery Month
Some inspiration for National Recovery Month:
For anyone who would find strength in Jewish insights for a path of recovery, Rabbi Kerry Olitzky’s book Twelve Jewish Steps to Recovery: A Personal Guide to Turning from Alcoholism and Other Addictions.
Thank you to Emma Fiebach for “My Taglit (Discovery)” about her search for balance and spirituality in Alcoholics Anonymous and to Robert Fiebach for “The RS Caring Community Supports Recovery.”
And I share my recent Bulletin article: “Everyone’s Steps to Repentance.” Please contact me (rabbimaderer@rodephshalom.org) if you are a parent of someone struggling with addition and might be interested in participating in an upcoming parents’ support group.
Warm wishes for a sweet new year–Rabbi Jill Maderer
Everyone’s Steps to Repentance
You can picture the daily scene: A father yells in anger as his daughter comes home in the middle of the night, after hours of drinking. The entire household touched by her alcoholism, they begin to isolate from some friends, tell protective lies to other friends, and close down emotionally to one another.
My Taglit (Discovery)
by Emma Fiebach
In June of 2012, the day I graduated from Drexel University, I received the most prophetic gift from our Rabbi Emeritus, Rabbi Alan D. Fuchs and his wife Carol Fuchs, Oh the Places You’ll Go, by Dr. Seuss. I smiled at the novelty of the gift, having no imagination for what lay ahead of me in the months to come.
But let me rewind even more, to the year 2006 when I was nineteen when I stayed in a rehab facility for alcoholism to receive treatment.
RS Caring Community Supports Recovery
by Robert Fiebach
I was at home at our house at the shore going through some accumulated mail – most of which appeared to be junk mail – when a brochure from the Jewish Community Center of Margate caught my eye. The JCC was advertising a concert and it advertised that singer songwriter Jimmy Webb would be there in a few weeks.
Why would a famous singer songwriter such as Jimmy Webb – who had written hits such as “Up, Up and Away”, a trilogy for Glenn Campbell, “Wichita Lineman”, “By The Time I Get to Phoenix” and “Galveston” – be coming to Margate, New Jersey?Continue reading
Elul Reflections: The Black Zero of Beginning
The Head of the Year
The moon is dark tonight, a new
moon for a new year. It is
hollow and hungers to be full.
It is the black zero of beginning.
Now you must void yourself
of injuries, insults, incursions.
Go with empty hands to those
you have hurt and make amends.
Elul Reflections: Forgiveness
L’shanah tovah–Your RS Clergy
Elul Reflections: Apology
L’shanah tovah–Your RS Clergy
