Labor on the Bimah + Kindness to Animals Legislation

Dear Haverim:

     *This Friday, August 31, 6:30 p.m. services will be mindful of Labor Day.  My Sermon Topic will be:

Labor on the Bima: Insights from the Torah. 

I will be focusing on the rights of restaurant employees, immigrant workers and advances in Hegsher Tsedek, which is the Conservative Movement’s efforts to add another layer to labeling meat kosher, which would include standards involving how the employees who process the kosher food are treated.

        *This Saturday, September 1, 9:30 a.m., my d’var Torah will be Ki Tetzei: (Tsa’ar Baa’lei Hayim) Kindness to Animals legislation, from shooing away mother birds to not yoking an ox with a donkey.  I will be exploring modern applications as well as asking medieval rabbinic questions like: are we doing this for the animal or we doing this for our own moral development?

        (Note later 9 a.m. service on Monday, Labor Day, September 3).

        Be relevant. Stay informed.  Attend Shabbat services at Congregation Beth Shalom.

        Shabbat shalom!

        Rabbi Michael

Shabbat Mincha correction

Dear Haverim:




Correction: Shabbat Mincha services will begin this Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. (not 5 p.m.)



My apologies for the mistake.



Shabbat shalom,



Rabbi Michael

Helpful Marriage Hints & Torah take on Paul Ryan Veep Nomination

Dear Haverim,

This week, Shabbat services will be held:

*Friday, 6:30 p.m., (happy hour 6-6:20 pm), featuring my drash:

Helpful Hints I’ve Learned After 18 Years of Marriage.

*Saturday, 9:30 a.m., my drash will be:

Tsedek,Tsedek Tirdof–“Justice,Justice Thou Shalt Pursue”     In Light of the Paul Ryan Veep Nomination.

Note: There will be an additional Shabbat Mincha service at 5 p.m., in which David Alonzo will serve as shaliach tsibor, as he is called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah.

Stay informed, seek relevancy, be moved, attend Shabbat services at Congregation Beth Shalom.

 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Michael

Hava Nagila @ Olympics + Is it Kosher & Why Do I Care?

Dear Friends,

       It’s great to be back home in the First State after several family reunions, reconnecting with old friends, and attending a wonderful wedding in Southern California.  This marks my first Shabbat working with our newly-hired Education Director/Hazzan, fellow Californian Cantor Elisa Abrams.  Please come and celebrate Shabbat with us.

        Friday, August 17, 6:30 p.m., (happy hour 6 p.m.).  My sermon topic will be:

 Hava Nagila at the Olympics !

      Saturday, August 18, 9:30 a.m., we are celebrating the bat mitzvah anniversary of our outgoing Education Director, Dina Lipshultz.  She will be chanting haftarah to mark the occasion, and she and Alan will be sponsoring Kiddush lunch.  We will also be beginning a tradition of integrating youth into our cadre of Shabbat Torah readings.  My sermon topic will be:

 Parashat Re’eh: Is it Kosher and Why Should I Care?

      Be relevant. Stay informed. Be moved. Celebrate Shabbat at Congregation Beth Shalom.

        Shabbat shalom!

        Rabbi Michael