by Rabbi Debra Smith Compassionate One in the Heavens Above: We pray for victims of cruelty, and violence, of all forms of hatred. We pray for those who have witnessed acts of violence. We pray for those who have succumbed to acts of violence. We pray for those who have perpetrated acts of violence upon Continue Reading »
by Jill Maidhof I’m writing this on July 11 and for many of us, the news is not good. If you’re on the east coast, I hope that you’re braving the rains and that your dams are holding strong. I wish those in the south a respite from unrelenting sun and hope that your air Continue Reading »
by Nina Woldin According to a Jewish Week article detailing the benefits of Jewish teen travel to Israel, “Israel [teen] trip alumni report higher levels of Jewish commitment, Jewish belonging and ritual observance years later than do others with similar Jewish upbringings.” (USCJ.org) One of the most rewarding parts of my job at Chai Mitzvah Continue Reading »
This morning over breakfast, our 8 year old grandson remarked, “I love the French Soccer Team, and if Israel was playing in the World Cup, I’d have a big dilemma of who to support.” This got me thinking about a discussion I had a number of years ago with Rabbi Bondenheimer, a German refugee who Continue Reading »
by Michalee Merritt The first day of summer was this past week. Kids are off from school and families tend to lead a slower pace. We plan vacations and outings. We look forward to seeing people that we only see in the summer. We talk about what books to read while we are laying by Continue Reading »
By Rabbi Deb Smith Our most recent virtual mussar lesson was about Humility/Anavah. In that class, we discussed a variety of Jewish texts that deal with finding a balance in terms of the amount of space, we take up in our relationships with others, and with our surroundings, and ultimately with the Divine. Our discussion Continue Reading »
by Jill Maidhof I don’t know what it’s like in your neck of the woods, but in Kansas it’s SUMMERTIME! I hope that you’re enjoying the sunshine and getting enough rain to nourish your garden – and enough Chai Mitzvah to nourish your need for meaningful conversations and fellowship. I’d like to share a discussion Continue Reading »
by Nina Fondiller Woldin Yesterday I attended the Celebrate Israel parade in New York City. The theme this year was Israel @ 75: Renewing the Hope. There were over 40.000 marchers, and from my vantage point, it seemed that 30,000 of them were schoolchildren from the New York metropolitan area. That should make us feel very Continue Reading »
by Audrey Lichter We are living in a very pivotal time for those of us involved in Jewish education. As opportunities for information to disseminate virtually has grown exponentially, many of us are looking to reinvent ourselves. The challenge of centralization versus decentralization is as old as Judaism is itself. The challenge of centralization versus Continue Reading »
by Michalee Merritt A simple way to grow your community is to offer small group learning. Small groups foster close relationships and integral community. They are great for people that would not normally participate in front of a whole class. More sharing happens in small groups. Small groups build lasting friendships. Chai Mitzvah offers programs Continue Reading »
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