Keep ‘Em Separated: Anti-Semitism vs. Anti-Israel
Anyone remember the song, “Come Out and Play,” also known as, “Keep ‘Em Separated,” by the 90’s alternative band, Offspring. The story goes that inspiration for the “keep ’em separated” […]
Reform Zionism: Caring for Both Israelis and for Palestinians
by Rabbi Maderer This article originally appeared in the March issue of the Rodeph Shalom Bulletin. Last month, I expressed here, and in a sermon, my gratitude about my extended […]
Parashat Ki Tisa: Religious Fanaticism in Israel
Israel’s non-profit SpaceIL launched its spacecraft from Florida’s Cape Canaveral last night in a bid to become the fourth country to make a soft landing on the moon. The unmanned […]
Staying at the Table: The Women’s March and Anti-Semitism
This week’s Torah portion, Bo, includes a text from the Passover seder. Through my family’s seder table ruckus, I always hear the special emphasis my family reads in this part. […]
Visioning Team Update
This article is an update from our Visioning Team, co-chaired by Aaron Weiss and Hank Bernstein, since the initial October meeting. Working with synagogue expert Rabbi Larry Hoffman, we are […]
Congregation Rodeph Shalom Response to Upcoming White Supremacy Rally in Philadelphia
Just last night at Rodeph Shalom, we experienced the remarkable performance of Broadway and TV star Tovah Feldshuh in Dancing With Giants. What is striking about the play is the […]
The Life of Sarah – Responding to Pittsburgh
I imagine many of you are feeling a lot of emotions right now. Sadness, anger, fear, comfort, faith, hope… I pray that we all continue to feel, and that we […]
A Message from Rabbi Emeritus Alan Fuchs
As we sang at the Interfaith Vigil on Sunday night, Rabbi Emeritus and past Pittsburgh rabbi Alan Fuchs asks “If not now, tell me when,” in this reflection– Rabbi Maderer […]
“Naamah’s Voice”
“Naamah’s Voice”: Cantor Erin Frankel’s sermon from Friday, October 12 I went to the movies recently. I went to see A Star is Born, because I felt an overwhelming compulsion […]
Lilith and the Demonization of Women
And on the 6th day… “God created mankind in God’s own image, in the image of God (B’tzelem Elohim) God created them; male and female God created them.” (Gen 1:27)