In the words inscribed on my tallit, taken from Psalms: Pitchu li sha-arey tzedek, avovam odeh-ya/Open for me the gates of righteousness and I will enter in thanks. As I have stepped through new gates, I enter with profound gratitude.Continue reading
Building for Profound Connections
Legacy renovation and expansion begins next month! Visionary design ensures this is not just beautiful square footage; it is values-driven space that will enable us to further our vision: to create profound connections.
(architectural rendering by KieranTimberlake, as viewed from Broad Street)
Read more in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer.
A Taste of Judaism: Are You Curious?
Ever wondered how you could invite your friends and family to experience a “Taste of Judaism” at RS? Now there’s an answer! A Taste of Judaism: Are You Curious? is a FREE, three-session program designed for the unaffiliated – Jews or non-Jews – all are welcome. Please reach out to your extended family members, future in-laws, neighbors and friends and offer them a “Taste” of what makes Judaism so special. For more information or to register contact Catherine Fischer at 215-627-6747 x46 or email at cfischer@rodephshalom.org. Rabbi Eli Freedman will teach the course at RS on Wednesdays, August 7, 14 & 21, from 6:00-8:00 pm. Taste of Judaism was created by the Union for Reform Judaism.
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
How Do You Light Hanukkah Candles?
(Hanukkah blessings and songs, text and audio)
How do you light a Hanukkah menorah, or Hanukkiah? Jews have disagreed on this throughout the ages. The controversy surrounding the Hanukkah menorah lighting goes back about 2000 years. Talmudic rabbis coming from different schools of thought debated ritual practices and two schools that commonly debate one another were that of Hillel and Shammai. The school of Shammai taught that eight candles should be kindled on the first night of Hanukkah and each night, we should decrease a candle. Makes sense, right? Decreasing candles would symbolize the fact that remaining oil decreased each night. Yet, common practice sides with the school of Hillel, which taught us to increase a candle each night. The Maccabees didn’t increase the number of lights the kindled; why should we?Continue reading
Open Tent Initiative
The “Open Tent Initiative” is a wonderful way to build a strong sense of community.
Congregation Rodeph Shalom (RS) recently won an award given by the Union for Reform Judaism (the umbrella organization for all of the Reform Jewish congregations in North America) for our “Open Tent Initiative.” This initiative asks every member of the congregation to do one (or more) of the following five acts:
