What I Learned From Researching My Family Tree
My interest in Jewish genealogy goes back to 1992, but it was a librarian at my local public library who put me on the path to research my family history.
Debra Doppelt Karplus
What Being a Practicing Reform Jew Means to Me
When an acquaintance asked me: “Are you a practicing Jew?” I answered “Yes,” but the question got me thinking about what it means to be a practicing Jew.
Why Be in a Chavurah Group in Your Synagogue?
When we were new to our synagogue, it was forming chavurah groups. As soon as I discovered one would be for members with b’nei-mitzvah-aged children, we joined up.
How and Why I Sit with the Deceased Before Burial
Since 2011, I’ve been part of a group that ensures that the bodies of the deceased in our community are properly prepared for burial according to Jewish tradition.
The Things Other People Say to Small-Town Jews
I have many friends in town, but most are not temple members. They’re unaffiliated Jews, church-goers, or, as one friend succinctly put it, “believers but not belongers.”