Abraham Joshua Heschel was born on January 11, 1907. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. But there is so much more than just having birthdays this month that unite these two amazing men. The photograph of Abraham Joshua Heschel walking arm in arm with Martin Luther...
by Rabbi Jill Maderer (delivered Yom Kippur morning, main sanctuary) Picture an ocean. Two waves approach the shoreline and share a conversation along the way. The large wave reports to the smaller, “Trouble’s ahead! I wish you could see what I see. Then you would understand, that we have a...
by Rabbi Jill Maderer (delivered Kol Nidre “Alternative” service) A story is told of 3 astronauts who went into space. Upon returning, they were asked to reflect on the experience. One said, “I kept thinking, the world looks so small from outer space—the universe is so vast.” The second answered,...
The Buerger Early Learning Center: A Joint Program of Congregation Rodeph Shalom and Federation Early Learning Services, is preparing to open! There will be an Open House for parents interested in learning more about the center (619 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA. 19123) on Thursday, July 22, 4-7pm and on...
An interesting article caught the eye of RS member Matt Olesh. A recent CNSNews.com piece, “Jewish Clergy Group: Elena Kagan Isn’t ‘Kosher’ to Serve on Supreme Court” reports on the views of the Rabbinical Alliance of America. Although the title refers to “Jewish Clergy Group,” it’s important to understand that...
by Rabbi Jill Maderer In his recent New York Review of Books essay, “The Failure of the American Jewish Establishment,” Peter Beinart, professor of journalism and political science at CUNY, captures his understanding of the status of American Zionism with these provocative words: “For several decades, the Jewish establishment has...
One of the most common questions I am asked: Is the Torah true? Did it happen? Our liberal Jewish community is compelled to seek meaning in the Torah and understand it as sacred text. Yet, we don’t want to check our brains at the door or ignore biblical scholarship. One...
With pride, we share the accomplishments of RS officer, architect Michael Hauptman, as reported in this week’s The Jewish Exponent.
The “Open Tent Initiative” is a wonderful way to build a strong sense of community. Congregation Rodeph Shalom (RS) recently won an award given by the Union for Reform Judaism (the umbrella organization for all of the Reform Jewish congregations in North America) for our “Open Tent Initiative.” This initiative...
Boy is it cold out there. For me, a Miami boy, this is skin-peeling cold. I know because I just walked four blocks up Broad Street in this wind. I was walking to visit my friend Josh at the Red Shield Shelter. Josh is the Business Manager at the shelter,...
