Counting the Omer: Our Kids Leading

Ever seen a young boy stand up to lead, and then a second child stand with him, starting a small movement? At today’s service for this year’s last day of Berkman Mercaz Limud, when Rabbi Freedman was about to announce the year’s total in collected tzedakah (righteous giving), one boy stood up, held a dollar high in his hand, and brought it to the front of the sanctuary.  A second child then stood with him and brought tzedakah to the front of the room.  Child by child, then adults too, brought more money to add to the collection to go to people in need.  Our year’s tzedakah total was increased by over $100 in just one morning, because one kid stood up, and then another.

“Teach them to your children,” Rabbi Kuhn reminded us this morning, the Torah teaches us to teach the words of Torah to the next generation.  And yet, Rabbi Kuhn said, so often it’s the children who teach us!  When was the last time a child taught something to you?Continue reading

Counting the Omer: The Lighter Side

http://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-seth-meyers/video/seths-story-seths-jewish-enough/2776163

For Lag b’omer custom teaches us to lighten up the Omer intensity a bit with picnics, bonfires and celebration.  Enjoy!

Baruch Ata Adonai, Elohenu Melech ha-olam asher kidishanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al s’firat ha’omer. Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who makes us holy with sacred actions and enjoins us to count the omer.

Hayom shloshah ushiloshim yom, shehem arbah-ah shavuot vachamishah yamim la-omer.

Today is 33 days which are 4 weeks and 5 days of the Omer.

Counting the Omer: Deeds of Lovingkindness

“The Torah begins with deeds of lovingkindness and ends with deeds of lovingkindness” (BT Sotah 14a).

The renowned and beloved singer-songwriter Debbie Friedman, of blessed memory, observed that it tends to be easy for us human beings to be loving with babies and old people.  The challenge is to off that kind of easy affection toward everyone. (Thank you to Rabbi Amy Eilberg for sharing this teaching in her book: From Enemy to Friend: Jewish Wisdom and the Pursuit of Peace).

As we count the Omer today, can you think of a recent time when you found it difficult to offer someone lovingkindness?Continue reading

Counting the Omer: Special Needs and A Different Place

Welcome to Holland

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability to try and help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel.  It’s like this…..

When you are going to have a baby it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip-to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. The coliseum the Michelangelo David, the gondolas etc. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all exciting. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later the plane lands and the stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.” “Holland?” you say, “what do you mean Holland?” I signed up for Italy I’m supposed to be in Italy! All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.” But there has been a change of flight plan and you’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting place full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place. So you must go out and buy different guide books and learn a new language. You will meet a whole bunch of people you never would have met. It’s just a different place, slower pace than Italy, less flashy than Italy. After a while you catch your breath and look around you and you begin to notice that Holland has Tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from ItalyContinue reading

Counting the Omer: Happiness Is…

Today, as you count the Omer, understand Jewish wisdom about the source of our happiness.

Baruch Ata Adonai, Elohenu Melech ha-olam asher kidishanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al s’firat ha’omer.  Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who makes us holy with sacred actions and enjoins us to count the omer.

Hayom tishah v’esrim yom, shehem arbah-ah shavuot v’yom echad la-omer. Today is 29 days which are 4 weeks and 1 day of the Omer.

Counting the Omer: 2 Impact Opportunities For Marriage Equality

There are 2 opportunities to act for LGBT civil rights this week, so in today’s count, we focus on social change!  FIRST: FOR THE RIGHT TO HAVE A MARRIAGE RECOGNIZED STATE TO STATE, JOIN US THIS THURS–US District Judge Mary McLaughlin has scheduled the oral arguments for Cara Palladino & Isabelle Barker v. Governor Thomas Corbett for Thursday, May 15, 2014 at 9:30 am in Courtroom 13-A, US Courthouse, 6th & Market Street, Philadelphia. Supporters of marriage equality are encouraged to be present at this historic case.

SECOND: SIGN-UP TO STAND TOGETHER WHEN THE MARRIAGE EQUALITY JUDGMENT COMES IN–If you would like to be on “stand-by” to gather for a rally on the evening of the decision of the Whitewood case which seeks to open the door to marriage equality in PA, please add your name by emailing edu@rodephshalom.org.

This week of Omer counting focuses on Hod, glory, and the glory of just decisions is exactly what we are praying for.  Inspired by the Torah’s teaching that human beings are created in God’s image, our congregation affirms the worth and dignity of all God’s children and is proud to support Why Marriage Matters Pennsylvania and the movement to bring the freedom to marry to loving same-sex couples in Pennsylvania. For some time, the Why Marriage Matters PA campaign has known that our congregations and clergy stand with Marriage Equality. Now, we literally have the opportunity stand with the movement and to show up. Sometime in the next weeks, the judge in Whitewood v. Wolf, the case that seeks to strike down Pennsylvania’s law denying same-sex couples marriage equality, will decide in a summary judgment.

Continue reading

Counting the Omer: Sad Desk Lunch

Sad desk lunch and social isolation– another angle on our community conversations about the role of food in our lives.  Consider in today’s counting of the Omer: Have you recently connected with someone as you broke bread together?Continue reading

Counting the Omer: For the Love of Math

Can you find meaning in numbers?  Reformjudaism.org explores the inspiration in math in this article.

Baruch Ata Adonai, Elohenu Melech ha-olam asher kidishanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al s’firat ha’omer.  Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who makes us holy with sacred actions and enjoins us to count the omer.

Hayom shishah v’esrim yom, shehem shloshah shavuot vachamishah yamim la-omer. Today is 26 days which are three weeks and 4 days of the Omer.Continue reading

Counting the Omer: My Cup Overflows

Photo (9)

Gevurah sh’b netzach – strength within endurance – my cup overflows- (Psalm 23:5).  With discipline, right intention, and compassion, I may dwell the divine and share/spread the abundance. (Thank you to our congregant Elise Luce Kraemer for sharing your inspirational Omer art!).

In what way does your cup overflow this Shabbat?

Baruch Ata Adonai, Elohenu Melech ha-olam asher kidishanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al s’firat ha’omer.  Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who makes us holy with sacred actions and enjoins us to count the omer.

Hayom chamishah v’esrim yom, shehem shloshah shavuot v’arba-ah yamim la-omer. Today is 25 days which are three weeks and 4 days of the Omer.

Wishing you a meaningful omer– Your RS Clergy

 

Counting the Omer: Faith in Animation

What is faith to you?

Baruch Ata Adonai, Elohenu Melech ha-olam asher kidishanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al s’firat ha’omer.  Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who makes us holy with sacred actions and enjoins us to count the omer.

Hayom arba-ah v’esrim yom, shehem shloshah shavuot ushloshah yamim la-omer. Today is 24 days which are three weeks and 3 days of the Omer.

Wishing you a meaningful omer– Your RS Clergy