Gratitude, Leadership, and Partnership for the New Year
Being Holy - and Staying Alive
Acharei Mot, the first of this week's two parashiyot, begins on an unsettling note—a reminder of the death of Aaron's sons and the suggestion that such tragedies might occur again unless the priests take specified steps to prevent them
URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy, MA
URJ Goldman Union Camp Institute (GUCI), IN
A Vote for ARZA is a Vote for Progressive Zionism: Why We're on the ARZA Slate
Mourning and Meaning
We read in this week's Torah portion about the death of Aaron's two eldest sons, Nadab and Abihu.
Kohein
A descendant of the priestly class; according to traditional Judaism, Kohanim will only attend the funeral and burial of their immediate family as they are otherwise forbidden to come near a corpse.
What’s in a Name of God?
Several years ago, when the number of dogs in animal shelters was skyrocketing, someone hit upon a marketing strategy that increased pet adoption exponentially: Rather than names like Spot, Cuddles, or Fido, they gave them celebrity names like George Clooney, ... Never doubt for a moment the tremendous power of language! When it comes to establishing a connection, the names and images we use make a tremendous difference.We see this in our weekly Torah portion, B’shalach, where the imagery the Israelites use to describe God is striking.
Just a Taste of Judaism
Before we were married, my husband Matt had very little knowledge about Judaism. In fact, he made a comment once that Kosher must be the brand name of a salt. He’s a cutie. The only experiences he had were through various Shabbat dinners, Hanukah parties and Passover celebrations.
mezinka
An Eastern European ceremony celebrating the marriage of the last child in a family. Seated on chairs in the center of the dance floor, the parents are presented with bouquets and circled by the company in a dance that celebrates the completion of their parental responsibility.