Prayer – Page 2 – Rodeph Shalom

Shabbat: A Metaphor for Meditation

At our congregation’s Jewish Meditation just before Shabbat 2 weeks ago, Moshe (Mel) Seligsohn shared this intention (join us for our final week of this series of Meditation this Friday, 5:00-5:30 pm, and please contact me to share whether you’d be interested in more meditation opportunities in the future):

How Is Jewish meditation different from other forms of meditation, especially the “still” forms we think of as those from India, Tibet and the East?

Any prayer is a meditation, so if you’re praying, you’re meditating and vice versa. This is true in all faiths. And the intention is universal–the desire to create an intimate relationship to the Devine Realm. Perhaps what makes Jewish prayer somewhat distinctive is verbalization…”Hear (listen!), Oh, Israel…” and its communal expression…”the Lord OUR G-d, the Lord is One.” Our silent prayers are also invoked communally.Continue reading

Women of the Wall Victory: The Kotel’s Local Custom No Longer Means Orthodox Custom

The Jerusalem District Court considered the main grounds that police cite for detaining members of Women of the Wall, the interdenominational feminist group that gathers monthly for prayers a the Western Wall and concluded that there was no justification for the detention of five women earlier this month, and that the police’s request for restraining orders to keep them away from the Wall can’t be granted.

“Today Women of the Wall liberated the Western Wall for all Jewish people. We did it for the eight-year-old girl who can now dream of having her Bat Mitzvah at the Wall, and for the grandmother who cannot climb on a chair in order to see her grandson’s Bar Mitzvah. We did it for the great diversity of Jews in the world, all of whom deserve to pray according to their belief and custom at the Western Wall,” Anat Hoffman, the group’s chair, said in a statement.

Read here for more about the decision and its impact.

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.

Judaism and the 12 Steps: A Message for Everyone

What can Judaism offer to the spiritual journey in recovery? The more I learn about Judaism and the more a learn about recovery, the clearer the answer becomes. Jewish wisdom enriches the spiritual journey of recovery in many of the same ways Judaism deepens any of our spiritual journeys.

In Jewish recovery author and teacher Rabbi Kerry Olitzky’s discussion with us at Rodeph Shalom last night, “The 12 Steps: A Message for Everyone,” he spoke about how the core foundations of Judaism, Torah, community and God, can support someone in recovery and can support every one of us in the struggles of life we face. I’d like to share some of my take-aways from Rabbi Olitzky’s teachings.Continue reading

Profound Moments: Dena Herrin

By Dena Herrin, RS President

Before I tell you about a profound moment that I had, let me give you some context. As some of you know, my connections to Judaism for most of my life were weak at best. I left Hebrew school, which I hated, at 10 years old and barely stepped in a synagogue for the next 25 years. I occasionally went with my parents for the High Holy Days, but really didn’t understand or engage in the service. The word and concept of God made me very uncomfortable, still does. Our Rosh Hashanah dinners, Yom Kippur breakfasts and Passover Seders were occasions I enjoyed as family gatherings, and to a much lesser extent, cultural events. For me, there really was no spirituality or deep religious context to these holidays. I joined Rodeph Shalom in an effort to find some Jewish connection for my children. We are an interfaith family and my Jewish foundations were simply too shallow to provide relevant content and meaning for my family. I share this background because the moment that I want to tell you about occurred in the sanctuary here, at Rodeph Shalom, at a time when my connections to Judaism and to the synagogue were very superficial.

Open the Gates: The Spirit of Prayer

By Rabbi Jill Maderer, sermon delivered Kol Nidre evening 2011

If you enjoy cruise-ship vacations, you have likely come across a cruise-ship rabbi. Often times when rabbis retire, they take a cruise-ship gig. Unless you suffer from sea-sickness, it’s good deal. The cruise can offer Shabbat services and the rabbi can enjoy an all—inclusive vacation.

Thrice Blessed with Torah

By Fred Strober

Rosh Hashanah at Rodeph Shalom had special meaning to me this year. I attended both the “alternative” and “classic” services, finding each inspiring in its own way. Having played some role in shaping the back-to-back nature of the services, I felt that I wanted to participate in both, but I never thought that I would come away so moved with my very personal involvement with the Torah over the course of the morning.

Phillies vs. Yom Kippur

Tonight’s Phillies’ playoffs game-Kol Nidre conflict has inspired a lot of commentary, a few jokes, and I am guessing a few dvr’s ready to record. I hope the schedule conflict dilemma has deepened Jewish identity! Our member Glenn Kutler just shared this beautiful story:

As a junior at Central High School, I tried out for the offensive line on the varsity football team. I was cautiously optimistic about making the team until I realized that the final practices were scheduled for Rosh Hashannah and that the final team roster would be established based on those practices.

Shabbat at RS: A Palace in Time

by Rabbi Bill Kuhn

The vision of Congregation Rodeph Shalom is to offer the kind of Friday evening Shabbat worship service which will help create profound connections among all of our congregants. On Friday evenings we hope all of our congregation will come together to welcome Shabbat and to pray together, to support each other in times of need and in times of joy, to socialize together and to build a strong sense of community. In order to do this, we are trying to create the kind of uplifting and transformative worship service that will attract the diverse population within Rodeph Shalom, a service which will be participatory, warm, inclusive, welcoming, spiritual and meaningful, which will help everyone connect with each other, with the soul of Jewish prayer, and with God. Continue reading

Torah as Our Constant Love: A Profound Moment

Presented by Michael Mufson at August 5 Shabbat Service

When I first remember the concept of God being introduced during my first year of Hebrew School, I can still remember vividly the scene in the class room. The teacher was telling us that God is all around us. You can’t see him/her, smell him/her but you can see his deeds- and also you cannot spell his name, please use a hyphen in place of the o. Already being the mediocre intellect at age 5, I looked around the room and kept trying to locate where this omnipotent, omnipresent god was hiding and how could I come to grips with something I cannot see? Continue reading