Bulletin Article – Page 2

“A Place at The Table” Film Screening and Jewish Values about Hunger

Understand how we are “One Nation, Underfed,” at our Sun, Nov. 3, 10am screening of the Jeff Bridges narrated film about hunger in America, A Place at the Table, followed by a discussion led by The Food Trust executive director, Yael Lehman. A part of our What is Your Food Worth partnership with Temple University’s Feinstein Center.

When I was in college, I was introduced for the first time to the extended Jewish Grace After Meals blessing recited by traditional Jews. I thought the Birkat Hamazon version Reform Jews recited was long, but this traditional text at least quadrupled the blessing I had heard in my youth.

As I listened, I noticed that some people at the Brandeis Shabbat dinner, omitted a verse. Instead of reciting the words, they just hummed the tune when it was time to say the line that reads: “I have not seen a righteous person forsaken, or children begging for bread.” Continue reading

The Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art Opening “Mis/Constructed Identities: Exploring Jewish Stereotypes” and our Jewish Path

Is Judaism an ethnicity? A faith? A family? A few years ago, Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman visited as our scholar and guide for our congregation’s vision. He taught us that modern Jewish life has experienced immigrations, the additions of majors groups that bring a new voice and have an impact of Judaism. Immigrations include women in leadership, interfaith families and Jews by choice. Such immigrations and the transformations they bring are powerful reminders that Judaism is not a race and can no longer truly be understood as an ethnicity. Judaism is a spiritual path that, unlike ethnicity, can be joined. And Jews are and have always come from many different ethnicities.Continue reading

All That I Am, I Will Not Deny: Women’s Voice and Sheryl Sandberg

Rabbi Laura Geller, the third female rabbi ordained in the United States, shared these reflections on the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique:

“In 1979, I had been a rabbi for three years. The Central Conference of American Rabbis Convention was scheduled to take place in Arizona, a non-ERA state. There were just a handful of women rabbis. It felt important that women rabbis be at the convention, but we wanted to honor the boycott of non-ERA states. Not knowing what to do, I called Betty [Friedan]. She not only took the call, but her advice was clear: “Go to the convention and invite me to speak!” We did, and that speech was the first time Betty Friedan made a public connection between her feminism and her Judaism.Continue reading

Addressing Poverty & Humger

From Rabbi Kuhn
A recent study found that Philadelphia has the highest rate of “deep poverty” – people with incomes below half the poverty line – of any of the nations 10 most populous cities (Philadelphia Inquirer and Temple University Sociologist David Elesh analysis of the U.S. Census American Community survey, Inquirer article March 19, 2013). The study found that Philadelphia’s “deep poverty” rate (individuals living at half the poverty line of $5,700 per year – or a family of 4 of $11,700) is around 12.9%, or 200,000 people. As Jews, we should be troubled by these distressing statistics, and we should be moved to act to solve the problems of poverty and hunger.
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Jewish Meditation

What is Jewish Spirituality? A recent conversation with a few congregants helped to shine a light on the spiritual quest many in our community are pursuing. Some of you have shared an interest in Eastern traditions of meditation and mindfulness and asked whether there is a place for such practice in Jewish life. Absolutely! We are not the first generation of the Jewish community to contemplate our purpose on earth, our connection with others, the nature of God, and the journey we take.

Center City CSA

Members of the Center City CSA (community supported agriculture) look forward to Thursdays when Farmer Phil comes and drops of fresh produce and cheese. Some of the produce we have received so far include swiss chard, kale, onions, peaches, blueberries, plums, lettuce, arugula, zucchini, cucumbers and chives- all organic and straight from the farm. Along with trying new vegetables, each participant volunteers to help with distributing the produce.

Members will have the opportunity to visit the farm where everything is grown and take a canning class to learn about preserving the fresh produce.

Rabbi Freedman and the farmers sample some of the Men of RS’ beer

CSA members chatting with Farmer Phil during the first pickup

Check out more pictures at Rodeph Shalom’s facebook page.

Like the Center City CSA on Facebook.

Congregational Choir Gathering

Throughout the year, the members of our Congregational Choir grew closer and wanted to socialize outside of the synagogue. A potluck dinner was arranged and everyone had a wonderful time. After dinner, the choir enjoyed a brief Havdalah service.

The choir is getting excited about singing in this year’s Alternative High Holy Day services. If you would like to participate please contact Cantor Murley.

: Enjoying a brief Havdalah service.

Check our more pictures at Rodeph Shalom’s facebook page.

Buerger ELC End of Year Celebration

Our rabbis joined the end of year celebration at the Buerger Early Learning Center wth Shabbat Blessings, which was almost as exciting as the fire engine, water ice and face painting.

Check out more pictures at Rodeph Shalom’s facebook page.

Toast for Trees

On June 23, the Young Friends of Rodeph Shalom hosted the Toast for Trees fundraiser to directly benefit the Buerger Early Learning Center, making it a better and greener place for kids to play. Trees will help soften the edges of the Synagogue, improving and beautifying the neighborhood. The tree planting will engage younger audiences in RS while managing stormwater, reducing heat island effect and greening the City.

The event was a lot of fun for all involved and included raffle prizes and samples from the Men of RS Brewing Club, Old City Coffee, Bird Song Wines, Y+B Wines, Philadelphia Brewing Company, Las Bugambilias, The Khyber Bar & Dos Segundos Restaurant.

toast for trees 7 — The Toast for Trees committee sample the home-brewed beer the Men of RS were graciously sharing.

Check out more pictures from the event at Rodeph Shalom’s Facebook page!

Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art: A Journey to Your Soul

To read Ahron Weiner’s own words about his photographs, click here.

Have you walked into RS’ Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art in the last few weeks? The new PMJA show, “Next Year in Uman: A Journey to the Ukraine,” by Ahron Weiner, exhibits photographs of Jewish men who have made Rosh Hashanah Pilgrimage to Uman in the Ukraine, to the site of Rebbe Nachman of Bratslav’s grave. As these photographs make clear, the spiritual pilgrimage happens within an Orthodox context. The beauty of these photographs lies in their subjects, who have traveled far and wide in search of spiritual community and closeness with God. The danger of the photographs is that one could misinterpret the message to be saying: This is what spiritual quest looks like; a spiritual journey is for men who look very different from you. Continue reading