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As we approach the fourth anniversary of the Covid 19 lockdown and as we look back at the last four years, it is easy to be overwhelmed by what we have all lived through, what we have learned to live with (and, perhaps more importantly, what we have learned to live without) and what challenges … Continue reading “To life, To Life — L’chayim…”

On Tuesday, November 14th, a number of TE members joined the Greater New Haven delegation and traveled to Washington, DC to participate in the March for Israel. It was such a powerful experience, standing with hundreds of thousands of Jews (and some allies) from all over the country, demanding safe return of hostages, renouncing antisemitism, … Continue reading “Standing with our people…”

“The individual may pray in prose or even in wordless silence; a congregation must sing or disband.” Israel Abrahams, Poetry and Religion (1920) Music has always been a part of Judaism. From the Levites who sang the Psalms and played instruments on the steps leading to the Temple in Jerusalem, to the ancient system of … Continue reading “Music to our ears…”

Oops, Help, Thanks & Wow! At one point or another, all of us have said these short words. Often, multiple times a day! As you read this column shortly before the start of High Holy Days, you are most likely concentrating on the ‘oops’ part – that is the nature of ‘accounting of our soul’, … Continue reading “Oops, Help, Thanks, Wow: Jewish Prayer 101“

It’s been over a year of the war in Ukraine when we boarded our flight to Spain to support Ukrainian refugees in Europe as part of the JFNA’s Global Volunteer Hub Initiative. It was a third such trip for Rabbi and a first for Olga. A year is a long time. In April 2022 (Rabbi’s … Continue reading “Supporting Ukrainian refugees: a year-long journey.”

“In every generation we must see ourselves as if we personally have come out of Egypt…” Pesachim 116b, Passover Haggadah As we approach the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine, we continue to look at the events unfolding with utter disbelief. After the initial shock wore off, like so many others we responded by … Continue reading “Supporting Ukrainian refugees wherever they are”

When I stand on the bimah next to a young person celebrating their arrival at the age of taking responsibility for observance of mitzvot, I often say something like this: ‘as you arrive at this moment of celebration, please remember that this is not the end of the journey of Jewish learning – quite the … Continue reading “Sweet as Honey, or never stop learning”

Wow. Let me say that again: wow. From the amazing High Holy Days season, back in the sanctuary for the first time in 3 years, to the Gala celebrating Temple Emanuel’s 60th anniversary, my heart is full of gratitude for the blessings bestowed on us all and on this cherished community of ours. A huge … Continue reading “Temple Emanuel at 60“

The three weeks between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av are a period of mourning in Jewish tradition. On the 17th of Tammuz the walls of Jerusalem were breached, and on the 9th of Av the Temple was destroyed. According to the Jewish tradition, both the First and the Second Temple were … Continue reading “Taking care of the stranger in the strange land“

As many of you know, I have just returned from spending a week in Poland as a volunteer. The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) had asked for Russian and Ukrainian speaking clergy to travel to Poland, Hungary and Moldova to support the Jews fleeing war in Ukraine, … Continue reading “Bringing comfort to Ukrainian refugees”

Judith Kaplan, at age twelve, became the first woman to celebrate a Bat Mitzvah on March 18, 1922. Judith was the oldest daughter of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, the founder of Reconstructionist Judaism. Believing that girls should have the same religious opportunities as their brothers, Rabbi Kaplan arranged for his daughter to read Torah on a … Continue reading “Mazal Tov: celebrating a Jewish milestone”

A few years ago, while sorting through some of the archives of Temple Emanuel, and marveling at some of the history (including terrific photos and a collection of the old Shofar editions, going all the way back to typed-up pages from 1966), I flipped to one of the first issues — December 1969  — and … Continue reading “Celebrating a TE milestone”

The Festival of Chanukkah celebrates a historic moment of dedication – or rather, of re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Maccabees, following a successful revolt against the Syrian Greeks in 164 BCE. The fighting was still ongoing as they proceeded to clear out the Temple, remove the idols and re-kindle the Temple Menorah. … Continue reading “Chanukah: time of re-dedication”

The arrival of the month of Elul in the Jewish calendar is always tinged with both excitement and sadness. The summer is beginning to wind down, and even though we may still have a few weeks of summer weather, fall is on the horizon, and with it the return of “regular” routines for many of … Continue reading “The month of Elul as the doorway to the High Holy Day Season”

We have lived through a pandemic. No, we are not yet done with Covid-19 – it will continue to affect the world and our lives for some time yet, but at least as I write this column, the CT vaccination rates continue to rise, and the infection transmission rate allows us to begin to go … Continue reading “Mikdash mei’at – The ‘Small Sanctuary’ of our homes.”

“Resilience is often described as a personal quality that predisposes individuals to bounce back in the face of loss. Resilient leaders, however, do more than bounce back—they bounce forward.” (Elle Allison, “The Resilient Leader”) Over the years I have learnt great many things from my mentor, Rabbi Mark Winer. He was (and remains) a great … Continue reading “Resilient Leadership”

Purim last year marked a powerful moment for many of us, marking the ‘before’ and ‘after’. It was the last time our religious school gathered in the building in 2020, an incredibly joyous celebration, followed by a community-wide megillah reading the following day. In just a few days after that, our building was ordered closed … Continue reading “Freedom, Passover and the Pandemic…”

Music stirs our souls in a way that words often cannot, activating emotions within us that we did not know existed… Music is such a strong presence in Temple Emanuel worship style that it is almost unimaginable without it! Yet music in worship (especially instrumental music) has a complicated history in Judaism. Following the destruction … Continue reading “The power of music and the legacy of Debbie Friedman.”

By the time you read this column, the High Holy Days 5781 may seem like a distant memory, but I wanted to start by acknowledging what an incredibly different, challenging, difficult, inspiring, comforting and creative experience it has been this year. I want to thank Laurel and Anna for their incredible talents and commitment, treasured … Continue reading “Chazak, Chazak v’nitchazek – Be Strong, Be Strong, and Let Us Strengthen One Another.”

דער מענטש טראַכט און גאָט לאַכט.  Der mentsh trakht un got lakht. This summer was carefully planned in our household. Robert was headed to Europe and Israel for the trip of a lifetime with NFTY and his Eisner camp friends. Sam was combining exciting summer internships with travel and time with friends. Olga and I … Continue reading “Man plans and God laughs.”

Last week we celebrated the Jewish Festival of Shavuot. We marked the giving and receiving of the Torah, the Revelation. I read from the Torah scroll the Ten Commandments (actually, Ten Utterances, or aseret hadibrot in Hebrew), laying out the foundation of our lives, our understanding of the world, our faith and our behavior. One … Continue reading “Revelation, Pain, and Suffering…”

As a popular meme reminds us, 2020 is a leap year – there are 29 days in February and 300 days in March… As I think back over the last few weeks, I cannot quite believe what we have all been through, what we learned to do, to live with (and more importantly, live without). … Continue reading “A Shofar Column in the time of a pandemic”

I often talk about the importance of transitions in Judaism: the threshold marked with a mezuza, the start of Shabbat marked with candles and kiddush, the end of Shabbat marked with Havdalah ceremony and so on. The new beginnings are to be celebrated with much joy and excitement, but so are the endings! In fact … Continue reading “POSTPONED: Siyum – a sacred celebration of ending a sacred task”

Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make for themselves fringes (tzitzit) on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe (tzitzit) at each corner. That shall be your fringe (tzitzit); look at it and recall all the commandments of Adonai and observe … Continue reading “On Memory and Ritual”

Earlier this year a Torah scribe visited TE to inspect our Torah scrolls, provide minor repairs and to teach our students and our teachers a little about the scribal art. In the process of his visit, we discovered a few minor fixes that were required for two of our scrolls – which were properly performed. … Continue reading “Restoring the Holocaust Memorial Scroll #1178”

Rosh Chodesh Elul falls on September 1st this year, a somewhat unusual aligning of the Hebrew and Gregorian calendars. The month of Elul offers us a chance to arrive at Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Awe a little better prepared for the experience. Just as the Kabbalat Shabbat section of our Friday night service … Continue reading “The month of Elul and the opportunities it offers us”

In most synagogues in America and around the world, July 1st is an important day. It is the start of the new fiscal year, when the old budget gives way to a new one, officially marking a transition which would otherwise be left unnoticed. Presidents and synagogue boards begin their new terms. Most Jewish professionals … Continue reading “Mazal Tov!”

Routines are important. We begin to learn the routines almost immediately after we are born: we sleep, we eat and everything in between. Parents of newborn children quickly learn that if something happens once, it is not yet significant – but once a skill or an action is repeated 3 times, that may very well … Continue reading “Routines of our lives”

Torah scrolls are very special. It is an incredible honor and privilege to read from the Torah scroll in front of the congregation. It requires skill and effort, and lots of preparation for each such occasion – a labor of love on behalf of the community and of the Jewish people. Holding the Torah scroll … Continue reading “Holding a Torah Scroll…”

I often take too long to write my shofar articles, waiting for the ‘right’ moment to put together words that would resonate when the new TE Shofar will reach your home. This month I was quite happy to submit my column in a timely manner, but then… Pittsburgh tragedy rocked our world, and the crafted … Continue reading “After Pittsburgh…”

Over the past few days we have been sorting through some of the archives of Temple Emanuel, and marveling at some of the history, including terrific photos, and a collection of the old Shofar editions, going all the way back to typed up pages from 1966! I flipped to one of the first issues (December … Continue reading “Honoring TE traditions”

The arrival of the month of Elul in the Jewish calendar is always tinged with both excitement and sadness. The summer is beginning to wind down, and even though we may still have a few weeks of summer weather, fall is on the horizon, and with it the return of a ‘regular’ routine for many … Continue reading “The month of Elul as the doorway to the High Holy Day Season…”

Some of us may remember the world BEFORE Israel came into being. Some of us remember when Israel became a fragile reality. Many, if not most of today’s Jews live in a world where Israel has always been there. What a powerful statement it is: for nearly two thousand years, for the first time Israel … Continue reading “Israel is 70!”

As I write this column, our nation continues to reel from the pain of another devastating school shooting, this time in Parkland, Florida, that claimed 17 lives. As always happens after such tragic events, we engage in fierce debates and discussions, in person and increasingly online, on how best to prevent such tragedies. As always, … Continue reading “Fragile Dialogues in the 21st Century”

At the recent URJ Biennial in Boston over 6000 Reform Jews from all over United States, Israel, UK, and a number of other countries spent five days together learning, singing, discussing and debating, praying and engaging, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones, and celebrating Shabbat together. The Boston Biennial was doubly special for … Continue reading “Sacred Communities Matter”

The chagim (festivals) are over, the regular year is moving full steam ahead. The building is buzzing with learning: kids in Hebrew school, adults in Mishnah class and iEngage series, committee meetings, Men’s club, Sisterhood – TE is full of energy this fall!   This year’s Shir Magic will span an entire weekend of music with … Continue reading “From the Rabbi’s Desk…”

What a whirlwind of a summer it has been! I was privileged to attend the Rabbinic Torah Seminar at Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and engage in 10 days of profoundly impactful learning, together with some 150 colleagues from the United States, Israel, and Europe. We explored the last 100 years of Jewish history, based … Continue reading “Shanah Tovah! May the New Year be filled with learning!”

Every year that I have served Temple Emanuel, my summer begins in a similar way: I find myself sitting in a chair in the faculty residence at Camp Eisner, writing the Shofar article for the summer edition. Every year I strive to have it all finished before I go to camp, but alas this little … Continue reading “Yerushalaim shel zahav: Jerusalem of gold…”

There is no doubt that the Jewish calendar is designed in a way that can easily confuse just about anyone! I was always absolutely certain of that! J What, with the new year in September (or thereabout – only proving the original statement!) and Chanukah and Passover that fall all over the place… no one … Continue reading “Counting the Omer…”

Spring is in the air; the month of Adar is here – and it can only mean one thing: Purim is coming! Got your costumes? Ready to party? We got big plans on Sunday morning (March 12), so bring your family and friends! However, Purim is not just for children at TE – the Saturday … Continue reading “Spring is in the air…”

Community is an interesting word. I encounter it in many different places, and often I find myself feeling that the word is overused, if not misused. A quick search provides the following two main descriptions for community: 1) a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common, and … Continue reading “A Strong Community”

עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר Aseh lekha rav, u’kneh lechah chaver… Pirkei Avot 1:6 Make for yourself a mentor (rabbi), acquire for yourself a friend… This rabbinic dictum directs each of us to build the relationships that go both horizontally and vertically. When Mishnah urges us to ‘acquire a friend,’ it suggests that we … Continue reading “Shalom, chaver…”

A number of years ago, we were discussing the need to review and edit the beloved TE ‘blue’ prayerbook, and the ritual committee made a decision to adopt an existing prayerbook that would fit the needs of our community, in addition to the TE’s own siddur. I was able to temporarily secure (from Camp Eisner) … Continue reading “Enhancing our High Holy Day experiences…”

With sadness in our hearts, we condemn with one voice the senseless violence that took place in Orlando, Florida last Saturday night. The heinous acts committed by a single gunman on Saturday night were an attack on all civilized people. They were an attack on fundamental American values. They were an attack on our shared … Continue reading “Statement by the Clergy of Orange on the Massacre in Orlando, FL”

  And so the time has come to say goodbye to the old house. For many of us this is a moment tinged with sadness. For over 40 years this house has been the center of Temple Emanuel’s universe – religious school classes, the office, committee meetings, book clubs, meals, parties, learning, and praying – … Continue reading “Goodbye, old house….”

In the recent weeks there has been much talk about refugees coming into this country. There has been no shortage of opinions offered, including some pretty offensive statements from politicians running for the highest office in the land. Some very real fears were expressed by the American public in light of the Paris terror attacks, … Continue reading “Refugees welcome”

When I was a rabbinical student back in the 1990s, I missed out on one of the most important elements of rabbinic training. Due to circumstances completely beyond my control, I found myself without a valid passport and was forced to give up one of the key elements of my education – a year spent … Continue reading “Shalom, Salaam, Peace…”

New Year is upon us! Rosh Hashanah is coming! The cycle of Jewish life is about to be renewed once again, with ritual, prayers, solemn and uplifting community gatherings, family reunions – and, of course, lots and lots of food. Food for the body, food for the soul. The spirit of renewal is very much … Continue reading “The door is open, walk right in…”

In just over a month I will be celebrating 14 years since my rabbinic ordination. It has been an incredible experience, and I am grateful every day for the opportunity to do what I love – to spend my days taking care of the Jewish people and my beloved community, Temple Emanuel. Early in my … Continue reading “Am Israel Chai…”

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the WWII. This symbolic date is marked on different days in different parts of the world. It is a date that is recorded differently in the psyche of the nations that see themselves as participants of that massive conflict. Most likely there will be little … Continue reading “on the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII…”

Judaism is all about the sacred time. To be sure, space matters too, but time – now that’s really important. Minutes, days, weeks – all of it matters tremendously – just take a look at the Jewish calendar, its’ beautiful, complicated precision. Just look at how carefully we monitor time – on March 6 Shabbat … Continue reading “Shehecheyanu, or how to celebrate the moments of transition.”

Last week together with a team of TE volunteers I participated in a poverty simulation organized by United Way and Jewish Federation as part of the Neighbor-to-Neighbor Lifeline campaign. I was assigned a role of a nine-year old boy, Roland, who lives with his father (who has a full time job and a paid off … Continue reading “Walking in someone else’s shoes…”

Music stirs our souls in a way that words often cannot, activating emotions within us that we did not know existed… Music is such a strong presence in Temple Emanuel worship style that it is almost unimaginable without it! Yet music in worship (especially instrumental music) has a complicated history in Judaism. Following the destruction … Continue reading “The power of music and the legacy of Debbie Friedman”

I hope your first post-Thanksgivukkah Thanksgiving was a wonderful time to reconnect with family and friends. If you missed the latkes at your table, no need to panic – Chanukah is almost here! Over the last few years we have spent a lot of time and effort building up the TE programs for our post … Continue reading “And the Youth Shall see visions…”

What a Holy Day season we had this year! A huge thank you to all the volunteers who have helped make this year the best yet! (We are blessed with so many, that I would not be able to thank everyone by name here – but that’s a good problem to have, I’m sure you … Continue reading “Vote, Vote, Vote!”

ולקחתם לכם ביום הראשון פרי עץ הדר כפת תמרים וענף עץ עבת וערבי נחל ושמחתם לפני ה׳ אלקיכם שבעת ימים “On the first day, you must take for yourself a fruit of the citron tree, an unopened palm frond (lulav), myrtle branches, and willows [that grow near] the brook. You shall rejoice before God for … Continue reading “Chag Sukkot Sameach!”

I just returned from a long weekend in Washington, D.C. where I accompanied two TE teens (Noah Simon and Anne Ryack) who attended the L’taken seminar of the Religious Action Center (RAC) of the Reform Movement. They were part of a 12-strong group from New Haven area, bringing together teens from Temple Emanuel, Congregation Mishkan … Continue reading “Havdalah at the Lincoln Memorial”

I am writing this column at the end of a very long Sunday.  This morning our Hebrew School marked Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy and engaged in a series of projects to make the world a better place. The students shared their dreams and prepared gifts for those in need. It was a perfect way … Continue reading “On Legacies, Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Future Generation of Jews”

  For the last few months I seem to have received the same article once a week on average – in emails from friends and congregants, on Facebook. and through every Jewish news outlet and magazine online. Haven’t you heard yet? This year’s Chanukah starts as early as the day before Thanksgiving!!! According to the … Continue reading “Happy Thanksgivukkah?”

On Sept 23rd I met with Laurel, our High Holy Day Cantorial Soloist, to go over the recent High Holy Day services while the memory is still fresh in our minds. We reviewed our notes and made some corrections and adjustments to the service to make it run a little smoother and to make sure … Continue reading “Happy October!”

Today I met Natan Sharansky. A legend. An icon. A man, who had the audacity to stand up to the entire Soviet machine and insist that Jews, even Russian Jews, even Soviet Jews, had a right to explore their Jewish identity by learning Hebrew and being Zionists and – shock and horror – move to … Continue reading “True Heroes…”

Yom HaAtzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, marks the establishment of the modern state of Israel in 1948. It is observed on or near the 5th of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar, which usually falls in April. This year on April 15/16th we shall be marking the 65th anniversary of the creation of the modern State of … Continue reading “Ein li Eretz Acheret… Israel @ 65”

As I write this column, the music from our 2nd Annual Debbie Friedman z’l memorial concert is still ringing in my ears – what an incredible event it was! I want to take this opportunity to once again thank all our wonderful musicians who dedicate their time and talents to the TE band which, under … Continue reading “Chag Purim Sameach!”

Join Rabbi Michael Farbman and Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven on a family friendly experience in ISRAEL July 27, 2013— Aug. 9, 2013 On This Outstanding Journey, together we will… Explore the many faces that make up Multicultural Israel Enrich our knowledge of Jewish and Ancient History Enjoy outdoor adventures and the beauty of the … Continue reading “Temple Emanuel goes to Israel!”

From its very inception, Reform Judaism has looked for new ways to engage with Jewish ritual. Jews all around the world have looked for ways to make the traditional prayers and customs inspiring and attractive to a modern Jew. Services were shortened (mainly through the removal of repetition of certain prayers that arose at various … Continue reading “It is a Tree of Life to those who hold fast to it…”

About a month ago I read about a phone app called “tzeva adom” (code red), an Israeli early-warning service. Intrigued, I installed it (it was free) and tried to see what information it could provide. All the menus were in Hebrew — and in small print at that—making it hard to read quickly. I almost … Continue reading “Praying for Peace…”

Recent hurricane-turned-tropical storm Sandy has disrupted most of our lives. This month’s Shofar arrives late as yet another reminder of what a loss of electric power for a week can do. I hope that by now everyone has had their power restored, allowing us all to greet the cold weather with warm houses. My heart … Continue reading “On Hurricanes and the Power of Community”

The Jewish month of Tishrei is filled with a variety of ways to engage with Judaism. It is often seen as a long marathon of holy days and holidays, but each and every occasion offers a different way to connect with our heritage. Rosh Hashanah is all about the New Year, the new beginnings, and … Continue reading “Affirming Life and Moving Forward…”

The summer feel is still in the air, yet we are busy with a brand new academic year and that can only mean one thing: fall is not far behind. The schools welcome the students back, older kids head back to college, and coaches are putting together schedules for fall/winter sports activities, games and meets. … Continue reading “5773 on our doorstep.”

Back in December I attended the biennial conference of the Union for Reform Judaism in Washington, DC. Six thousand people, amazing atmosphere, learning, camaraderie… When I bumped into Eisner Camp’s director, he handed me a large button which had the Camp logo and the following phrase: ‘Because of Camp I…’ and invited me to come … Continue reading “Building the Future…”

Passover is a time for getting in touch with our past. We look back at the history of our people; we remind ourselves where we came from – not just in one or two generations, but the very humble beginnings of our people. We remember slavery and its bitterness. We remember divine liberation and freedom. … Continue reading “Dayeinu – or What is Enough?”

“The individual may pray in prose or even in wordless silence; a congregation must sing or disband.” Israel Abrahams, Poetry and Religion (1920) Music has always been a part of Judaism. From the Levites who sang the Psalms and played instruments on the steps leading to the Temple in Jerusalem, to the ancient system of … Continue reading “Music to our ears…”

Mishenikhnas Adar, marbim b’simchah… From the moment the month of Adar begins, we increase the joy… This ancient rabbinic dictum reminds us that we are to celebrate Purim with much joy and happiness – not only on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar (when the festival occurs) but from the very beginning … Continue reading “The joys of Purim… Adar is here!”

‘Deep winter, still winter, but the days are visibly longer. The sun is visibly brighter. In the Land of Israel, it is still raining – but the rains are beginning to slacken. Already they have filled the deepest recesses of the earth. Far underground, the roots of trees are beginning to suck at earth’s replenished … Continue reading “The quiet months are over…”

Happy New year! May 2012 bring you all much joy and happiness – and a little fewer snow days than last year! 🙂 Together with Lew Shaffer and Bruce Spiewak I have recently attended the Union for Reform Judaism biennial in Washington, DC. The program was absolutely terrific, as always – with multiple engaging sessions, … Continue reading “Dreaming of camp…”

There is a wonderful Chasidic story about a boy who did not know how to pray – so the rabbi advised him to recite the letters of the Hebrew alef bet. When someone protested that this would not help, the rabbi suggested that as long as the boy said the letters and put his heart … Continue reading “Prayer is for everyone…”

If God does not build the house, the workers labor in vain… (Psalm 127). There is an ancient Jewish tradition: when building a house, to leave one corner, one tiny bit unfinished. To let a little bit of brick show through plaster in the corner, to have something left not fully painted. Our ancestors did … Continue reading “Building the community…”

In our tradition, the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are known as the most awe-inspiring and powerful Holy Days. In our modern reality, the High Holy Days continue to serve as a draw for the Jews who rarely set foot in the synagogue during the year, but who nonetheless make big efforts to be a … Continue reading “Slach lanu… forgive us before the High Holy Days?”

If favorite books are like old friends, prayerbooks are like trusted and beloved family members. We turn to them in joy as well as in sorrow, in wonder and in confusion. While holding the prayerbook in our hands, we talk to God, it helps us find the right words when our own words fail us… … Continue reading “Shiru l’Adonai Shir Chadash, Sing unto God a new song…”

I could not honestly remember if I had ever experienced Chanukah begin on December 1st – but even if I did, this still feels very ‘early’! As the Jewish calendar tries to balance the lunar and the solar systems of counting months, our festivals travel slightly back and forth. This Hebrew year, 5771 is a … Continue reading “Chag Urim Sameach – a Happy Festival of Lights!”

Rosh Hashanah comes early this year! It seems like Elul has come and almost gone and before we know it, it’s time for Rosh Hashanah celebrations, for ushering in the new year, for apples and honey and joy, as well as introspection and taking stock of our lives that follows the Rosh Hashanah and precedes … Continue reading “Wonderful High Holiday Traditions”