A continuing theme running through the book of Exodus is the coming and going of both Moses and God. After the lengthy drama of the Exodus, Moses disappears up the mountain and reappears to see the chaos of the episode of The Golden Calf. He is God’s corporeal messenger to...

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...

On Friday night, we celebrated the Equality Forum: Philadelphia’s Global LGBT Summit, and we prepared for the observance of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.  At our Shabbat service, we discussed the Gay Holocaust Memorial that was dedicated in Berlin in 2008.  Responses to the design were mixed; there was pride,...

I remember a family car ride to the end of Long Island.  I was 15 years old and my father decided it was his mission for me to become involved in the Jewish youth group.  So he played a cassette tape over and over until I agreed.  My family sat...

A wimpel is a traditional German-Jewish textile inscribed with prayers and wishes.  The wimpel was created in the first weeks of a child’s life and was used to celebrate the milestone of marriage.  For “Wimpel! Wrapped Wishes,” 12 artists, inspired by examples in the Obermayer Collection at RS, investigate, interpret...

by Rabbi Jill Maderer What kinds of questions can Jewish art challenge us to face? This week’s new RS Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art (PMJA) show inspires its curator, Matt Singer, to ask: When, how and where did Judaism begin? When Abraham and Sarah entered a covenant with God and...