Avinu Malkenu. Our Father, Our King. Our Mother, Our Queen. The composition, first recorded in the Talmud and most associated with the Days of Awe, was described by former Chief Rabbi of the British Empire Joseph H. Hertz as “the oldest and most moving of all the litanies of the Jewish Year”. As the Hebrew...
The Hebrew month of Elul, immediately preceding Rosh HaShana, represents a time of repentance, introspection and other subjects you most likely won’t hear preached about the rest of the year. Communities have the tradition of blowing the shofar each morning to rouse us from our spiritual slumber. So if you’re up early enough on your...
The JCJ welcomes everyone back for what promises to be an exciting year of events, activities and initiatives. Please continue checking the much more comprehensive weekly newsletters to follow. Services Kabbalat Shabbat Friday, September 2nd Services: 6:30pm Dinner with Reservation: 7:30pm Shabbat Parshat Shoftim Kiddush open for sponsorship Saturday, September 3rd Services: 10:00am Kiddush: 12:00pm...
***Last Reminder for Friday Night Dinner Reservation by 2:00pm Wednesday 7/6*** The JCC was once described derisively as the ‘American Synagogue in Japan’, a play on the name of the institution which hoovers up an inordinately large percentage of members’ income known as ASIJ. But I think that characterization is a bit unfair. We are...
“For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens…May the children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the...
Since we celebrated Mother’s Day a Shabbat late, it only makes sense that the dads of our community should receive the same honor. Who is the greatest ABBA ever? No, I am not referring to ‘Dancing Queen’ and its eponymous nod to Shulamit, the first century daughter of Israeli King Herod. Greatest Abba means who...
BLUF*: Sign up for Family Shabbat on 6/24. It’s the last chance for Sunday School students to eat for free! And now back to our regularly scheduled programming. Rambam/Maimonides in his Mishneh Torah teaches that the highest level of tzedakah/charity is helping somebody become self-sufficient. Commitment to this lofty ideal may be a reason why...
In case you are wondering why the newsletter is landing in your inbox on a Wednesday morning, the JCC is hosting two exciting events these next few days that you won’t want to miss. In non-chronological order, here we go. Amelia Wilhelm’s Bat Mitzvah will take place this Saturday morning June 11th at 10am in...
Lag BaOmer is Lag BaOver, school is wrapping up and even the stock market is showing signs of being well, kind of done. Does that mean the JCC is tanking like your portfolio? Of course not! From upcoming B’nei Mitzvah to birthday kiddushes, Shavuot and even special guest Torah readers the JCC is rocking and...
Mother’s Day. Think we’re a week late? Hardly. Judaism commands us to treat every day as Mother’s Day. What is the source? Exodus 20:12 Honor thy father and thy mother... If you look at the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, you will notice that the first four relate solely to humanity’s relationship with the Divine...