- 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
…into account the depths of feeling associated with the somber side of our brush with national destruction. Purim elicits two strongly conflicting yet sincerely heartfelt emotions. We are horrified at the attempted destruction of our people, but we are overjoyed that the attempt failed. At the same time, we must reflect on the other problem with Purim — the violent rampage of revenge our ancestors wreaked against their neighbors (at least according…
…ers, terrorists, corrupt politicians, rampant sexism, poor postal service, rude and lazy bureaucrats — who can stand it?” “You’re right,” said the other, “it’s terrible. As soon as they open another Jewish State, I’m moving!” While we must recognize that there are certain aspects of Jewish culture and Synagogue culture that ought to be changed, we must also affirm that much can be said in favor of our culture and institutions, and that taken as a…
…t moment, the fence was not electrified. She climbed over, and ran to the trucks. She found the truck that her sisters were in and got aboard. They kept each other alive through the horrors of that place and survived starvation and typhus to eventually start a new life in this country. Their children and grandchildren, some of whom are with us today, are the result of this miracle. Aunt Charlotte has been an example of charity, integrity, good dee…
…grity of each person, within broad limits, as essential to the search for truth. Some religions or philosophies claim to have the truth. In contrast, ours is a religious philosophy that seeks truth. Not all modern expressions of Judaism share this outlook, but this outlook is a mainstream core idea in classical Judaism and in Judaism as we live it today. This is one of the reasons that I believe that the philosophy of Conservative Judaism is the m…
…ating miniature plots too small to farm. As Fakhri Abu Diab, Director of Jerusalem’s Al-Bustan Center, noted in the context of the Jerusalem municipality’s restrictive building codes, “My parents had a house of 602 square feet. They had ten children, each of whom has married and had more children. Does the city really think that all of us can live in 602 square feet?” (Jerusalem Report, 30 March 2009, p. 13). (For reference, BEKI’s George G. Posen…
…ngs of love, joy and Torah that we experience through Batsheva.” The Ben & Ruth Marks Endowment The Ben & Ruth Marks Endowment was established by Ben Marks in 1985 to further the mission of the Congregation. Since its creation, the Endowment has provided a steady income to support the Congregation regardless of the general economic climate. The Ben & Ruth Marks Endowment was managed by the Directors of the Congregation until 2008, at which time ma…
…honestly. Living with great wealth was bad because people—following their human nature—could steal one’s wealth for their own personal benefit. Abram took his sheep with him because his intent was to never go back. When I went to Phoenix, I did not take my gerbil with me because I was planning on returning. Sheep were not something that you would bring with you wherever you went. God, at the end of this parasha, promises Abraham to an abundance o…
…h that the Torah forbids hunting on several grounds. First, it represents cruelty to animals (tsa`ar ba`alei hayyim). Second, it violates the prohibition against wanton destruction. Third, it constitutes “spilling of blood.” Fourth, it is a forbidden act of “copying the ways of the gentiles.” These four grounds represent Biblical prohibitions (Isurei deOraita). One who hunts would thus violate four distinct Biblical commandments and numerous secon…
…ll silent before the cries of the abused. To have faith in such a G‐d is inhuman (and perhaps all too human). To do so is an affront to our suffering and the suffering of our neighbor. And yet, if we can uncover and remove the projections of violence put upon G‐d then we can get at two important things. First, we can get to the actual hurt experienced by the community. Passages like those we’ve already discussed, or perhaps the best example that c…
…, but it misrepresents God to members of other nations. Rabbi Heschel says human wisdom is taken for granted. Humans forget that God gave us wisdom, and God can take it away from us. Rabbi Telushkin says that our ability to demonstrate ethical behavior and display honorable character represents God well, and if we blaspheme and ridicule God, we misrepresent Him. What exactly does the blasphemer do in this parasha? We don’t know. Some rabbis say th…
