In Charlottesville, the Local Jewish Community Presses On
After the nation moves on, we will be left to pick up the pieces. Fortunately, this is a very strong and capable Jewish community, blessed to be led by incredible rabbis.
M'tzora for Tweens
Teach the your tween about M'tzora in this family-friendly discussion guide!
Seven Shiva Lessons from My Mom
My mother passed away on Rosh Chodesh Iyar – May 1, 2014. It’s fair to say she was a legend in the Reform Jewish community.
A "Both/And" Outlook in an "Either/Or" World
Few words unnerve a student preparing to become a bar or bat mitzvah more than, "Your Torah portion is about leprosy." Queasiness about Parashat Tazria is practically as old as our Jewish tradition, but we would remind ourselves that Ben Bag Bag also said with regard to Scripture, "Turn
Haazinu: Don’t Forget to Remember
We will gather on Yom Kippur to recite Yizkor, our prayer of memory for our loved ones who have died. The Jewish value of "memory" pervades our lives, our sacred story, and this time in our Jewish calendar year.
Tazria/M'tzora for Tots
What can parents and teachers of young children learn from this portion of the Torah? Let's examine the concept of sequencing and how it relates to the importance of order and predictability in a young child's life.
The Mandela Plot
Adolescence, otherness, and Apartheid make a literally explosive cocktail in National Jewish Book Award winner Kenneth Bonert’s new novel, The Mandela Plot. Half hyperbolic adventure and half historical fiction, Bonert elevates his unlikely hero, Martin Helger, to almost mythic status, while reminding readers both of South Africa’s Jewish diaspora and the horrors of Apartheid.
Tu BiShvat: Customs and Rituals
R'eih for Tots
For you are about to cross the Jordan to enter and possess the land that the Eternal your God is assigning to you. When you have occupied it and are settled in it, take care to observe all the laws and rules that I have set before you this day.
-Deuteronomy 11:31-32
Podcast: Giving Kids 'Downtime' and Religious School They'll Like
Hear a discussion on the importance of un-scheduling your kids so they can learn for themselves how to construct a meaningful life.