- Congregation Beth El–Keser Israel
85 Harrison Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1724 | P: 203.389.2108 | office@beki.org
85 Harrison Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1724 | P: 203.389.2108 | office@beki.org
…orm, not the exception. Creating a siyag LaTorah, then, sometimes requires changes in our practice. Change can be difficult for us sometimes. But it is part of our lives and our tradition. In front of this building is a beautiful tree that blossoms in the Spring. I thank the people who planted it; it is so beautiful. Thirty years ago when it was planted, it was just a little sapling. Over the years it grew and grew. It is still the same tree that…
…ciles; Priest 236/158 Generosity to gentiles expiates Jews’ sins Escapism: Flight or Fight 50/63 Aliya (emigration to Israel); Desire for aliya really means one must address local problems 127/137 Earthly matters most 158/144 Avoiding responsibility for restitution; Restitution made personally 210/150 Flight preferred Economic Issues 48/61 Repentance achieved by giving charity; Wealth; Charity 71/127 Livelihood protected when possible 79/127 Humil…
…While masks are not required at BEKI, we strongly suggest that everyone wear a quality mask inside BEKI. We encourage everyone who is eligible to please get vaccinated. We thank you for your help reducing the spread of COVID….
…duly done. In this way both the honour of the Emperor and the traditional policy regarding Jerusalem were alike preserved. In this episode unspecified threats of war (“Do not cause a war!” or something like that) would seem to preclude the classification of this episode as purely nonviolent resistance. Yet the events as reported suggest a realist, overall nonviolent approach to the conflict. The “Jews at large” chose to send a delegation to Pilat…
…gants thankful for the near end of the Covid-19 pandemic. But now with the Delta Variant and a rise in new Covid cases, some synagogues are still deciding whether to hold services inside or whether to resign themselves to another Zoom Jewish New Year. Even without the Delta variant, Rabbi Eric Woodward of Beth El Keser Israel (BEKI) in New Haven had already planned “Processing Our Return to the Building: Our Hopes & Fears” — two discussion session…
…s “should the RA admit openly Gay and Lesbian people?” That is a matter of policy, a political question, more than a halakhic or legal question. My answer to that is, Yes, the RA should continue its historic policy of admitting Gay and (more recently) Lesbian rabbis, acknowledging the fact that people now normally live openly Gay and Lesbian lives. All that changes is that whereas in the past we quietly overlooked what was considered a technical (…
…t publicity usually received more severe treatment. No explicit government policy towards conscientious objectors existed, and cases have been dealt with on an ad hoc basis. Notes 1. According to the Israel Defence Forces, 18,000 Yeshiva students had received deferments between 1948 and 1987, as reported by Dan Margalit in Ha’aretz, 28 Jan. 1988 p. 1. 2. Martin Blatt, Uri Davis, and Paul Kleinbaum, ed., Dissent and Ideology in Israel — Resistance…
…support the bill’s goals. Sometimes legislators compromise on a “package” of issues, or support a bill that is not optimal because it is just the best that they think is attainable. It is not fair to oversimplify the process – doing so is itself a poor way to influence public policy. I do think clergy can, and should, play a significant role in the development of public policy, and that our religious values should inform our positions on civil qu…
…18 Aug Elul Beit Midrash “Teshuva as Conversion: Psychological Reflections on Religious Change” w/Arielle Rubenstein (Zoom) August 18, 2021 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm Home Page Interior Page BEKIBeitmidrash copy 5 More Info…
…14 Apr Sisterhood Presents: How the Talmud Can Change Your Life April 14, 2024 10:30 am – 12:30 pm Events More Info…
