- Congregation Beth El–Keser Israel
85 Harrison Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1724 | P: 203.389.2108 | office@beki.org
85 Harrison Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1724 | P: 203.389.2108 | office@beki.org
…rol facility in Israel that served Gaza and shot the people operating the border crossing, and then complained to the international press that Israel was withholding fuel to collectively punish the Palestinian Arab People – how do you say chutzpah in Arabic? There are dozens of recent examples, and these stories are manufactured and repeated intentionally, and unfortunately are widely believed. As bad as Israeli military rule of the non-Israeli Ar…
…urvival. The weight of law and tradition, I would assert, supports such an order. Some have complained that “Animal Rights” activists are at best “ahead of their time” or at worst placing animal “rights” ahead of human life. How can they worry about a few laboratory rabbits or a bunch of uncomfortable farm chickens while children (and adults) are literally starving and dying from easily preventable and treatable conditions? Would not their efforts…
…were accompanied by a man (a spouse, fiancé or brother). This was done in order to expand the role of women in the service. A woman could be allowed to go to the bima for a “joint aliya” because she didn’t count. The theory that permitted joint aliya for a woman with a man was that since she didn’t count, there was no concern that the practice violated any of the rules described above. She was viewed, at least for the purpose of the law, as if sh…
…ly Days, the cantor bows and prostrates during the middle of the Amida. In order to bow and bend without hitting his head on the table in front of him, our Hazan (cantor) moves back a few inches, all the while keeping his legs and feet together. Hence, the “hazan’s hop” (or “kefatz hashatz” in Hebrew). Dear Rabbi, In Birkat Ha-Mazon, there is a line that says: “Anahnu modim lakh, u-mevarkhim otakh.” Isn’t this a feminine grammatical construction…
…g.;” According to Rashi, the expression tsav, “command,” always implies an order that takes effect immediately, and that is binding upon future generations. It is in today’s parasha that we read of the ner tamid, the eternal flame upon the altar of the tabernacle that must never be extinguished. How can we hope to keep this commandment when there is neither Temple nor tabernacle, and when, moreover, the entire concept of altar sacrifice, of corban…
…to promote meaningful debt cancellation for the world’s poorest nations in order to reduce poverty and prevent further environmental degradation. There are now Jubilee 2000 campaigns in more than sixty countries, creditor and debtor alike. Grounded as it is in our own tradition, surely we should add our collective voice and support to this global effort. ***************** With the general context thus set, I ask you to indulge me in the personal p…
…ed – that we receive every day – we fail to bring Torah into the world. In order for it to be, as we call it – a tree of life – we must water and feed and care for that tree so that it will continually bring forth new growth. So here goes. Let’s look at our text: And a man shall not lie with a man as with a woman, it is an abomination. And a man who lies with a man as with a woman, they have done an abominable thing, they will both surely die and…
…female slaves, she-asses, and camels.” Why were the animals listed in that order? The riding animals were listed last. The separation of male and female donkeys reflects the experience of the herders. They did this because a male would become virtually uncontrollable if a female of his species approached. Because of this, females afforded superior convenience and greater ease of handling. The addition of camels was actually anachronistic. Camels d…
…idst – In the very moment of threatened annihilation. And in violating the order to remove himself, He carries with him a fire pan and incense, The very objects that, when misused just a day ago, Led to the instant incineration of 250 chieftains, And longer ago but impossibly closer, The objects that his own sons, Nadiv and Avihu, carried with them When fire came forth from G-d and ate them. Aaron’s act is provocative not only to G-d, But also to…
…srael, a group of young orthodox Jewish men and women in the community, in order that our temporary Home may be continued as a Home of Jewish Worship and Torah. Men such as George Horwitz, Jack Levine, Abraham Gubin, Louis Scherban, Herman Hodes, Louis Kasimer and Martin Janow assisted actively in those transactions. Our religious and cultural activities kept apace with our financial progress. Under the leadership of our spiritual leader, Rabbi Le…
