- 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 other days of Creation are denoted, as you would expect, using ordinal numbers – second, third, and the like; but not the first day, Yom Ehad – Day One. Rashi teaches that “Day One” is to be understood as the Day of the One, the Day of God, and that God created everything in all its potential on that Day. From that day on, it follows that, as my daughter Sarah has recently begun quoting Martin Buber in the tag line to her email messages — To p…
…ad that when one is lying with a man, one must not pretend that one is not doing so. One must face facts, despite fear and communal disapproval. Maybe you’ve seen the t-shirt that reads: I’m not gay but my boyfriend is. I’m not a lesbian but my girlfriend is. They’re meant tongue in cheek, but have a grain of truth. There are many, many people who, for fear of repercussion, from internalizing what we hear on the news every day (this week’s attempt…
…nsgresses a prohibition, as Scripture states, “Do not add [to the required number of lashes]” — if the Torah warns not to add blows to a guilty person, how much more does this apply to an innocent person. Even to raise one’s hand against another, even if one doesn’t actually hit him or her, is called wicked, as Scripture states, “And he said to the wicked one, Why do you hit your neighbor?”7 Rabbenu Perez, in his decree, cites a responsum of Rabbi…
…ive himself more time and to keep them from learning anything about him or doing anything unexpected, he places them in jail. This action is also an expression of his anger towards them, an anger that is reflected in much of his behavior to them for a while. If he never expressed this anger, I find it hard to imagine him ever getting to the point where he could ultimately reconcile with them. After a few days of thought, he decides to subject them…
…blessed memory, worked hard for his family. As a young man he worked as a traveling sales agent. After he married Gramma Esther, of blessed memory, he tried several businesses. He had a General Store in New Leipzig, ND, an egg candling operation in nearby Ashley, ND, and a clothing store in Iron Mountain, MI, to mention a few. He tried many businesses and he went broke many times. It wasn’t until 1938 — as he approached age 50 — when he went into…
…ed for last? But where does that leave Ina? Perhaps she is it like a queen traveling with part of her retinue in front and part behind. There were six possible orders, but 70 possible reasons for the order. That is why Talmud scholars can’t navigate – by the time they have considered all of the possible interpreta tions of the highway sign, they are long past the exit. Bump Ahead? But whose head to bump? So deciding the order of listing may have b…
…uest. The Midrash says, and I quote, This may be compared to a man who was traveling from place to place when he saw a building in flames. “Is it possible that the building lacks a person to look after it?” he wondered. The owner of the building looked out and said, “I am the owner of the building.” This is as Abraham our father said, “Is it conceivable that the world is without a guide?” The Holy One, blessed be He, looked out and said to him, “I…
…el invisible anymore. One day I was speaking with my brother-in-law on the phone. I was talking about BEKI (which by this time I had joined) and the feeling that I have here. And I confided in him that one day I’d like to get up on the bima and read from the Torah. And as I said these words I began to tremble. The very thought was overpowering to me. To even think of myself as playing such an honored role among Jews seemed so bold. Who was I to ge…
…in the Synagogue To volunteer, contact the office at office@beki.org or by phone at 203.389.2108 x114. Administration – Members are needed to serve on the work-groups, committees and board that steward and administer the congregation. Membership recruitment and retention, financial management, library services, and the Gallery are among the many areas that require eager and willing volunteers. Office Tasks – Stuffing envelopes, preparing mailings…
…evision programs around the world some months ago depicting an Israeli Telephone Company employee stuffing faxes into the Western Wall. It is in fact a custom among many of our brothers and sisters to insert small handwritten personal notes and petitions to God between the stones of the Kotel, the Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem. The service provided by the phone company allows people unable to visit the Wall in person to fax their petitio…
