by Rabbi Debra Smith Why are we sitting on the ground in the dark? The holy day of Tisha B’Av (the ninth if the month of Av) begins Saturday eve Aug 6 and lasts until sundown the next day. During this time we mourn the destruction of the first and second Temples and also mourn other Continue Reading »
by Nina Fondiller Woldin We are so grateful for the opportunity to make an impact! Our connected and growing Chai Mitzvah family – 1,680 participants this past year Teens we have been able to help get to Israel through the Chai Mitzvah Summer Israel Travel Stipend – 40 this past year, despite Covid! States and Continue Reading »
IN TEL AVIV: (left to right) Audrey Lichter, Executive Director of Chai Mitzvah, Dr. Olga Kirschbaum, curriculum developer for Chai Mitzvah There is such a thing as the Israel Glow. Someone said that I had it the first time I returned from a trip to Israel. Ever since then, on my multiple trips to Israel, I can attest Continue Reading »
by Nina Woldin As a designer of Jewish educational materials and programs, for decades my summers have been planned around the CAJE (The Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education) conference. CAJE originally stood for the Coalition for Alternatives in Jewish Education. Its activities included an annual conference that drew more Jewish educators than any Continue Reading »
by Jill Maidhof I’m a gardener. Not, by a long shot, a master gardener who “amends” her soil, keeps a journal and plans ahead so that one plant blooms right after its neighbor has shed its flowers. Mainly I just lug, dig, pluck and watch nature do its thing. The back yard, filled with mostly Continue Reading »
by Michalee Merritt How can we embrace and foster respectful debate and dissent in our communities during this time of extreme polarization? People are increasingly seeking out news from sources that support their own viewpoint and engaging in conversations with people of a similar mind. Respectful dialogue with an opponent has become a lost art Continue Reading »
by Nina Fondiller Woldin It’s 1:30 PM and I’m going into my fourth meeting of the day. I’m so hungry that I can’t think. I am prepared to make this upcoming meeting go as quickly as possible by just answering questions, not adding any additional information. The meeting is with Anita Gordon, a group facilitator Continue Reading »
by Reb Deb We have just enjoyed the beautiful and inspiring holiday of Shavuot. One of its major themes is gratitude and expression of gratitude. In Temple times people would bring the first fruits of their harvest to the Temple as an expression of their gratitude to God for their successful harvest. This was a Continue Reading »
by Jill Maidhof Are you getting smarter every day by taking advantage of the hundreds of webinars available online? I’ve listened to so many Jewish lecturers that I have to stop myself from correcting my local rabbi! At the same time, though, I occasionally suffer the symptoms of Webinar Weariness: An aversion to listening to Continue Reading »
I’ve been thinking a lot this past year about the pros and cons of open and closed communities, and the confusion we sometimes have about which is which. Let’s start with some definitions of sorts from Wikipedia. The term “open” for an open community refers to the opportunity for anyone to join and contribute to Continue Reading »
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