Visioning Initiative Weekend: Continue the Conversation

Our Visioning Initiative Weekend with Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman (click here for Friday’s sermon) provided a meaningful and scholarly foundation for our community to immerse in profound conversations that will transform and deepen the relationships we share.  

To engage in the Visioning Initiative, comment on what you experienced this weekend (thoughts to jog your memory, below), or contact Catherine Fischer (cfischer@rodephshalom.org) to participate in a “Face to Face” conversation, or to sign up to be trained to initiate a Face to Face.  Choose 1 of 2 training sessions:  Wed., March 23, 12:30-2:00 pm (bring your own lunch) OR Thurs., March 24, 5:30-7:00 pm (snacks served).

Our experience with Rabbi Hoffman revealed that Judaism is about conversations.  Reflect and comment on these moments (or others) from this weekend:Continue reading

Buerger Early Learning Center Invites You…

The Buerger Early Learning Center: A Joint Program of Congregation Rodeph Shalom and Federation Early Learning Services, is preparing to open!

There will be an Open House for parents interested in learning more about the center (619 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA.  19123) on Thursday, July 22, 4-7pm and on Sunday, August 1, 10am -12noon.  You will have an opportunity to meet the center director, see the furnished, equipped classrooms and the onsite playground.  If you are interested in attending either of these events, please RSVP to Director Megan Nachod, mnachod@felskids.org.  Parking is available onsite and refreshments will be served.  We hope that we have the opportunity to meet you and your child.Continue reading

Connecting in Our Open Tent

by Rabbi Jill Maderer

When it comes to city living today, many of us are living on top of one another while we don’t even know each other. The neighborhood is so transient; one of the greatest challenges of our day is to make meaningful, lasting connections. Such ties are the inspiration for our new RS Empty Nesters group that draws members who want to share their experience in their new chapter of life. And such ties are the promise for our plans for the RS Buerger Early Learning Center, where we hope families will begin life-long shared journeys together. In so many different forms, RS members’ lives are enriched by sharing their experiences in community.

Personal stories are such a powerful way to invite others into our open tent. How do YOU connect at RS? Why did you join and how does congregational life bring you meaning?

The Torah of Blogging

by Rabbi Jill Maderer

Do you feel comfortable commenting on a blog article publically?  What would Moses do?

One internet scholar explains that when social networking was first introduced, teen-agers were the most comfortable with it.  Children of the internet, teens commented on any blog post that so moved them and often exposed their private feelings.  Their parents, and adults over the age of 45 were more likely to expose nothing on the internet.  Adults were accustomed to communicating with one person and not with the public. Continue reading

Welcoming You to the High Holy Days

Rabbi Jill L. Maderer

At last night’s “Taste of the New Year,” Philadelphia’s wine-tasting and synagogue-matching program for young adults, I met many people who are seeking a congregation.  If you are a young adult (22-40), missed the event but would like an invitation to High Holy Day services (“High Holy Day tickets”) at RS, please contact our Membership Director Catherine Fischer.  Thank you to Deborah Gordon Klehr, Ivy and Matt Olesh for representing RS and inviting so many new-comers to High Holy Day services this year!  We were proud that Deborah was interviewed on KYW during the event!   We look forward to joining together on Rosh Hashanah to celebrate the new year and on Yom Kippur to experience the depths of spiritual connection.  L’shanah tova–a sweet new year.

Welcoming is Not Only a Jewish Thing: We Are Obligated to Do It

By Catherine Fischer, Director of Programming and Membership

The Torah, our Jewish guide to living, teaches over and over again, more times than any other mitzvah (commandment), that we are supposed to welcome the stranger (aka a person whom we do not know).  Being welcoming, showing compassion and doing acts of loving kindness are just some of the mitzvot that Jews are instructed to adhere to.

Congregation Rodeph Shalom works hard to live up to our obligation.  Our rabbis, staff, president, lay leadership and every congregant of RS share in this responsibility.  We work together to assess and reassess our efforts so that everyone who walks through our doors is personally welcomed.  Our goal is that no one will ever come into this building and leave unnoticed and unappreciated.

As the High Holy Days approach, we carry our welcome with us.  Many are used to buying High Holy Day tickets to attend services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  At Rodeph Shalom, we try to distill the notion of purchasing tickets as we don’t see that as the role of a synagogue.  Rather, we invite our prospective members to come as our guests and become acquainted with our community.  We hope that once they have a chance to get to know us and begin building relationships and memories here, they will want to be part of our community.  Being part of a community is analogous to being part of a family.  A family does not purchase tickets to attend Thanksgiving; however, there is a healthy give and take and a sense of responsibility that one has for another. Continue reading