- 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
…the government killing people when required, so it should not stand in the way of my appointment. Unlike other local clerics and public officials, I have never actually been convicted of a felony, which makes me a stand-out candidate. I get along fine with most government workers, except the people at the CT DMV; I’ve even slept in Ben Bernanke’s bed, though he wasn’t there at the time. Although the promise of government death panels was made by R…
…ngth picture set in an Africa devoid of (black) African people. Thatʼs one way to avoid racist stereotyping. The one unbelievable line in the film – direct from the Gospels – is the statement by the Jewish mob, “May his blood be upon us and our children” (Matthew 27: 25). Who would say such a thing? What Jew would utter such a curse on his or her own children? As my mother, of blessed memory, might have put it, only someone with a goyisha kopf (“n…
…rael but are mad as heck at the Government? One legitimate and appropriate way of working toward a solution is for us to be more directed in our Israel-bound tsedaqa (philanthropy). This means that we must directly fund our Conservative and other institutions that work to promote the ideals of the “Beautiful Judaism” that is growing steadily in Israel and that work for and according to the ideals of democracy. This also means that we must insist t…
…t together those two interpretive lessons and the Torah has taught us, partway through its first parshah, that it is a partial story that doesn’t purport to tell a literal truth. * * * That was our scenic overpass. We’ll get back to Cain’s city by traveling through these two stories and their culmination in the garden of Eden. The first story is the story of the unfurling of days, one after another, with humans as the climax. This is not the rib s…
…cond approach will cost incrementally more, but we can address things in a way that will shape our congregation for generations to come. What needs to be repaired right now? Our drafty single-pane windows are not energy-efficient. Our noisy HVAC system doesn’t even bring in fresh air. It needs an upgrade. Some of our seats have the stuffing coming out of them. The back divider is falling apart and is held together by a hope and a prayer. All of th…
