By Rabbi Jeffrey Lipschultz WILDWOOD, New Jersey — Memorial Day is approaching and as many take out their BBQ pits and contemplate a three-day weekend and the beginning of summer we Jews begin to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. Shavuot is also called the holiday of weeks because we have been counting down [...]
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — It is told: A rabbi lived in the Polish village of Danzig as the storm clouds began to bring in the Nazis in the late 1930s. This week’s Holocaust Remembrance Day is a chance to reflect on human behavior. It was the rabbi’s custom to take a daily [...]
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Nothing challenges the belief in a benevolent God like the ubiquity of evil in the world. For the Jewish people, the experience of the Holocaust revealed the inadequacy of traditional theology. The God of the Exodus seemed “to be out for lunch.” Asked in more simple and [...]
VISTA, California (Press Release) – A capacity crowd attended Congregation B’nai Tikvah’s annual, “2nd Night Seder” Saturday evening, April 7. Congregation B’nai Tikvah was honored to host a very special guest, Corporal Samuel Roochnik from Bethesda, MD, who is currently stationed at Camp Pendleton Marine Base. The seder, officiated by B’nai Tikvahs’ Rabbi Ben Leinow was “lively, entertaining and spiritually moving,” according [...]
By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–Some of our seder customs were originally introduced to help children pay attention during the service (for example the youngest child asking the Four Questions and the hide and seek game played with the afikoman). Over the years most of us have found it is just as challenging to keep [...]
By Sandi Masori SAN DIEGO — Oh, oh, first night of Passover is coming Friday night, April 6, and with it, a big, big meal. What is a weight-conscious Jew to do? That’s the question I put in the video embedded below to Shari Marks, a rebbitzen who, having shed 60 pounds herself, is now [...]
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — Pesach is a time of salvation and redemption. Despite our bitter bondage, we were faithful to Hashem (G-d) and the ways of the Torah. Against all odds, open miracles occured to sustain our lives and freedom. This happened then and it still happens now as the following true [...]
By Leah Singer SAN DIEGO — Many of you have heard of the December Dilemma — the conflicts that arise when interfaith families need to chose how to celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas. But few talk about what I’m calling the Spring Dilemma — Passover and Easter. I hesitate even mentioning them in the same sentence [...]
By Sheryl L. Rowling SAN DIEGO –As usual, the Money Maven needs to take a break for “tax season.” Luckily, the Passover Fairy has agreed to answer your questions. The Money Maven will return next time! Dear Passover Fairy, I’m trying to save money. Passover food is so expensive! Nobody even likes to eat matzo! [...]
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Children have an unusual ability when it comes to confronting our spiritual hypocrisy as parents and as adults; very often they get to the essence of the problem as they perceive things. Frequently, as parents, we often fail to hear the questions our young people ask of [...]
