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
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.
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.
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
Lift Every Voice and Sing
By Fred Strober, RS President
I’m the first to admit it: I have a horrible singing voice. It’s easier for me to carry a 100 pound sack of flour than it is to carry a tune. You may not want to be near me when I sing. Your first instinct may be to move a few feet away once I’ve started. Continue reading
The Universal Struggle For Freedom
By Rabbi Bill Kuhn
It was impossible to watch the recent uprising in Egypt and not think of the Passover story. How ironic! Egyptian citizens in the year 2011 felt they were oppressed and enslaved by an authoritarian dictatorship. Perhaps their political oppression was not on a par with the ancient Pharaoh’s enslavement of our Israelite ancestors, but the Egyptians of today certainly felt the need to achieve freedom no less than we did over 3,000 years ago.Continue reading
