Rosh Hashanah The Ten Commandments for Building Resilience
|
|
- Gabriella Mathews
- 5 years ago
- Views:
Transcription
1 Rosh Hashanah 5779 The Ten Commandments for Building Resilience Rabbi Lea Mühlstein 10 September 2018 I want to begin by taking you back to my sermon last Yom Kippur following which so many of you obliged and queued at the voting booths to select those issues that most concern you. The overwhelming majority of you voted that Mental Health and Wellbeing is the number one concern. In the months since last Yom Kippur, a team of volunteers has worked alongside me to explore how we can use our local community organising alliance, Harrow Citizens, to effect positive change. One year down the road, we know a lot more about the jungle of funding for mental health and the lack of good signposting. And we have made small steps towards practical solutions: our member Vanessa Berle, who is being honoured this year at Simchat Torah, was instrumental in working with our mental health action team in creating a resource sheet to help sign-post to local mental health services. You can pick up a copy after the service at the loan book table. Yet, I realise today probably more so than a year ago how long and complicated the journey will be to facilitate positive improvements in our local mental health services. Yet as I was reflecting on the difficult journey lying ahead, while being swamped with a never ending stream of bad news both from within this country and looking at the situation around the world, I realised that what maybe all of us need today at the cusp of a new Jewish year is strategies to help us respond to personal or national tragedy, in a way that does not require us to look away and pretend all is good, but nonetheless allows us to look towards the future with hope. What we need is to build our own resilience our ability to cope when life is scary, awful and unfair. So, as we assemble here today at the start of a new year, I want to give you a new set of aseret hadibrot Ten Commandments for building resilience.1 You can imagine this new set of Ten Commandments on two tablets like the ones we are told Moses received on Mount Sinai: on one of the tablets are the commandments that help us build our own resilience and on the other tablet those commandments that enable us to help others find resilience. So let s begin by looking at the five commandments that help us build our own resilience: 1 This sermon was in large part inspired by two books: A. Grant and S. Sandberg, Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, and K Crowe and E. McDowell, There is no good card for this: What to say and do when life is scary, awful and unfair to people you love.
2 1. Don t allow the three P s to hold you back If we look at Hagar s response in the Torah portion that we read today, we can imagine that walking away from her son, sitting down in the distance she was thinking: What did I do that got us into this terrible mess? Hagar expresses her total and pervasive sense of loss in just four Hebrew words: Al er eh b mot hayaled Let me not look on as my child dies. As she bursts into tears, we sense her feeling that this is the end; their fate is sealed for eternity. Hagar is helped by God in escaping what the psychologist Martin Seligman called the gridlock of the three P s: personalization, the belief that we are somehow at fault, pervasiveness, the belief that an event will affect all areas of our life, and permanence the belief that the aftershocks of the event will last forever. Our first commandment reminds us that we do not require Divine intervention to recognise that these three P s will only hold us back in our recovery. And that brings us to our second commandment 2. Look for sources of self-confidence & find the strength for self-compassion There is a Chasidic teaching that we should carry two pieces of paper in our pockets. On the first one it says: I am but dust and ashes; just as we sing in Avinu Malkeinu, eyn banu ma asim there is little merit in us. During these Days of Awe, we are called upon to perform cheshbon hanefesh an accounting of the soul, to examine our life, to ask forgiveness for our wrongdoings and reflect so that we will do better in the New Year. But the Chasidic Masters also taught that we must carry a second piece of paper with us: For my sake the world was created. That is exactly what the second commandment teaches us: that to ensure good mental health we mustn t forget that, despite our shortcomings, we are special just the way we are. We must look for sources of selfconfidence and find the strength for self-compassion. Before we can truly forgive others, we must forgive ourselves and assure ourselves that we are worthy to be granted absolution for our faults and recognise that indeed we can and will learn from our mistakes. One way of building our self-confidence and our ability for self-compassion is to pay heed to our third commandment: 3. Count your Blessings There is indeed a Jewish custom, originating in the Talmud (Menachot 43b), to recite 100 blessings a day. Maybe it sounds like a hard thing to achieve. But rather than looking for a strict requirement of a 100 blessings, what if we even started with ten? What would our daily lives be like if we expressed gratitude for the blessings around us at least 10 times a day? This is a particularly important commandment to pay attention to at times when we experience severe hardship, when illness or grief or the news on social media seem to
3 overshadow everything that is good; because even when times are really tough there are things that we can be grateful for! We just have to pay attention. 4. Pay attention to your contributions Counting our blessings is a powerful way to improve resilience but the psychologists Adam Grant and Jane Dutton found that counting blessings doesn't actually boost our confidence, which is essential for long-term mental wellbeing. However, counting our contributions can do exactly that. Grant and Dutton believe this is because gratitude is passive: it makes us feel thankful for what we receive, while contributions are active: they build our confidence by reminding us that we can make a difference. So, in addition to counting our blessings we must not forget the fourth commandment: pay attention to your contributions when you feel down, think of the ways in which you have made a difference recently or make plans for making a contribution in the future. You don t have to single-handedly change the world it can be a small act like helping out at an event at the synagogue or calling a friend or acquaintance, who might be going through a tough time or feel lonely. All it requires is a conscious effort to do something as we are reminded at the end of the Unetaneh Tokef prayer: good deeds annul the severity of the decree. 5. Kick the elephant out of the room The fifth commandment that helps us build our own resilience might be one of the trickiest so far. Sheryl Sandberg, in her book Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, called this one Kicking the elephant out of the room. An instinctive reaction of many of us, when facing a difficult time, is to withdraw and hide our pain. But as understandable as this reaction is, it leads to a sense of isolation. If we don t speak about our pain, others will likely also avoid addressing it. Sandberg observed this about her own behaviour after the sudden death of her husband aged 47. Because she did not mention him, colleagues and friends did not bring him up either leading Sandberg to feel very isolated. It might be hard to share our pain but Judaism offers many ritual opportunities shiva, yahrzeit, joining together in communal prayer. Being part of a community helps us to be supported to be more open to sharing our pain. The fifth commandment has value in itself but is also important because if we fail to kick the elephant out of the room, we will prevent others from following the second half of our new Ten Commandments recorded on the second tablet, which focus on the things that each one of us can do to help others find resilience. 6. Express empathy The first of this set of commandments sounds very simple, yet can be rather difficult: express empathy. Don t just feel sorry to hear that someone is struggling, tell them that you are sorry. Reach out even if you don t know what to say that s what Bikkur Cholim, reaching out to those in need of healing, is all about. This simple gesture will help a fellow
4 human being to feel less isolated even if it cannot change the sad reality with which they are dealing. 7. Relate to the other person s pain but avoid unhelpful comparisons When observing the sixth commandment it is important to also remember the seventh commandment: relate to the other person s pain but avoid unhelpful comparisons. The graphic designer Emily McDowell was 24 years old when she was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin s lymphoma. For her, the most difficult part of her illness wasn t losing her hair or sickness from chemo. It was the loneliness and isolation she felt when many close friends and family members disappeared because they didn t know what to say or said the absolute wrong thing without realizing it. Based on her personal experiences, she started a greeting card business called empathy cards. One of my personal favourites, which beautifully illustrates the essence of our seventh commandment, reads: When life gives you lemons, I won t tell you a story about my cousin s friend who died of lemons. It is a normal reaction that we want to relate to others by sharing our own pain but often these comparisons feel belittling and irrelevant to the person we try to comfort. Instead let s relate to someone else s pain by asking how. How are you? How does this make you feel? How can I be most helpful and supportive? 8. Help by providing perspective The third way, in which to help others build their own resilience, links back to our first commandment. Remember the three P s personalisation, pervasiveness and permanence? Just like Hagar was held back by the three P s and needed Divine intervention, when we suffer, we sometimes need help to overcome the three P s too so our eight commandment instructs us to help by providing perspective. This doesn t mean that we should pretend to be experts when we are not but through active listening, each of us can help to provide perspective and validate the other person s pain. 9. Show interest The best way to do this is to follow the ninth commandment show interest. Don t probe beyond the other person s comfort zone but reach out with questions even giving permission to not receive an answer. 10. Help in the search for hope Which leads us to the final one of our commandments: help in the search for hope. Hebrew has two words for hope Tikvah, the term that most of you will be familiar with from the title of Israel National Anthem Hatikvah, and Tzipiyah. The rabbis talk about Tzipiyah when they speak about the hope for salvation and redemption. The word is based on the same root as the word to scout. This type of hope is not just a passive but an active hope. We must go and seek it like scouts exploring unknown territory. The darker the territory the more difficult is the task, making the help of friends and family all the more important. Tzipiyah is a type of hope that does not require us to
5 deny the existence of darkness but that reminds us, as the modern sage Leonard Cohen z l put it: there is a crack in everything, that s how the light gets in. For this is the essence to mental wellbeing and the key to living a life filled with joy even when the world seems to be turning against us: to support one another in fulfilling the ten commandments to build resilience so that together we can bravely look at the cracks all around us and still acknowledge that that is how the light gets in. May the New Year be a year of resilience for all of us enabling us to find light even amidst the brokenness. Ken yehi ratzon May this be God s will.
U netaneh Tokef. I love the story about the poor man who tried to get into a rich shul, and
Laura Schwartz Harari B nai Israel Amarillo, Texas Yom Kippur Morning 5766 U netaneh Tokef Rabbi Maurice Davis told the following story: I love the story about the poor man who tried to get into a rich
More informationthey lived under kings, kings with a lot of power: a king was the most powerful image they could think of.
It s a Metaphor Some years ago a family came to see me. Their daughter didn t want to have a bat mitzvah and she and her parents had reached an impasse. So they came to see the rabbi. Tell me why you don
More informationErev Rosh Hashana 5779 Rabbi Rachel Joseph We Can Be Resilient
1 Erev Rosh Hashana 5779 Rabbi Rachel Joseph We Can Be Resilient My mom was born in one room that my grandparents, two aunts, and uncle, all shared, in a small town in the former Yugoslavia. It was 1949
More informationLetting Go- Releasing to the Eyn Sof Rabbi Micah Becker-Klein Rosh Hashanah Day / 2015
Letting Go- Releasing to the Eyn Sof Rabbi Micah Becker-Klein Rosh Hashanah Day 1 5776 / 2015 Good Yuntif. Today I will be talking about Letting Go and Releasing to the Eyn Sof (one of the names for God).
More informationYom Kippur Day Sermon 5777
Yom Kippur Day Sermon 5777 As we gather together on this Yom Kippur, we know that our world is breaking apart. Yes, we could say it is no worse than it has been before. The wars, the environmental disasters,
More informationThe Abrahamic Religions:
The Abrahamic Religions: An Introduction to World Religions Judaism: Beliefs Session Week 5 Abba Hailegebriel Girma Aim and Learning Outcomes Week 5 Session Aims This session aims to discuss the Belief
More informationRabbi Amy Schwartzman
Rabbi Amy Schwartzman Yom Kippur 5779/2018 Practitioner of Hope Many of you know that I hail from the great City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia! I love my hometown and even after nearly 30 years here
More informationCrying for the World Rabbi Claudia Kreiman First day of Rosh Hashanah, Let me begin by sharing with you a personal story:
Crying for the World Rabbi Claudia Kreiman First day of Rosh Hashanah, 5771 This morning I want to speak to you about the experience of crying, and the experience of crying as an opening, as a path that
More informationRosh HaShanah Morning 5774 September 5, 2013 / 1 Tishrei 5774 Reflections Shofar Blasts and Boston Strong Rabbi Jeffrey Wildstein
Rosh HaShanah Morning 5774 September 5, 2013 / 1 Tishrei 5774 Reflections Shofar Blasts and Boston Strong Rabbi Jeffrey Wildstein EARLY: Are you ready for the Shofar? That s the highlight of this morning,
More informationPage 1 of 5. Kol Nidre 5778 Rabbi Daniel J. Fellman Temple Concord Syracuse, New York September 29, Tishri 5778.
Page 1 of 5 Kol Nidre 5778 Rabbi Daniel J. Fellman Temple Concord Syracuse, New York September 29, 2017 10 Tishri 5778 Guilt Guts Us L Shana Tova. Thanks. Our teachers are not always who we think they
More informationPrayer. Erev RH Thank you for the baby brother but what I really wanted. If we come back as something, please don t let me be
Prayer Erev RH 5777 Dear God, Thank you for the baby brother but what I really wanted was a puppy. Dear God, If we come back as something, please don t let me be Jennifer Horton because I hate her. Dear
More informationYom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, which was yesterday, marks the celebratory close
Linda Simmons Yom Kippur Sermon September 15, 2013 Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, which was yesterday, marks the celebratory close of the High Holy Days in Judaism. The High Holy Days begin with
More informationRosh Hashana 2016 Batman, the Most Jewish of all Super Heroes Har Shalom Rabbi Irv Elson
Rosh Hashana 2016 Batman, the Most Jewish of all Super Heroes Har Shalom Rabbi Irv Elson When I was a little kid, long before I ever decided to be a rabbi, I have loved the High Holy Days. Even as a 5
More informationSLOW TO JUDGE Erev Yom Kippur, 5773/2012 Rabbi Marc Margolius, West End Synagogue, New York NY
SLOW TO JUDGE Erev Yom Kippur, 5773/2012 Rabbi Marc Margolius, West End Synagogue, New York NY I spoke on Rosh Hashanah about unetaneh tokef, that troublesome prayer which forces us to confront the reality
More informationRESILIENCE AFTER LOSS YIZKOR 5779 Rabbi Michael Pont Marlboro Jewish Center
RESILIENCE AFTER LOSS YIZKOR 5779 Rabbi Michael Pont Marlboro Jewish Center 1. Good Yontiv. On Rosh Hashanah we talked about resilience, and today we will pick up that theme, but specifically after the
More informationEnduring Unspeakable Loss Rosh Hashanah Day 1, 5762 (2001) Rabbi Carl M. Perkins Temple Aliyah, Needham
Enduring Unspeakable Loss Rosh Hashanah Day 1, 5762 (2001) Rabbi Carl M. Perkins Temple Aliyah, Needham Last Tuesday began like any other. Some of us woke up on our own; others had to be nudged out of
More informationPage 1 of 5. Rachel Zoe Baumann Sunday, July 5, :30 a.m. service
Page 1 of 5 Rachel Zoe Baumann Sunday, July 5, 2015 9:30 a.m. service Let me try some Spanish on you. Podran cortar todas las flores, pero no podran detener la primavera. This is one of my favorite lines
More informationTake out the cereal box with HHH label on it. Healthy Heart Habits worthy of daily consumption.
B rosh Hashanah yikateyvun, uv yom tzom kippur yechateymun (sing) On Rosh Hashanah our future is inscribed, on Yom Kippur it is sealed. A teaching from Rabbi Rachel Barenblat: Our futures are inscribed
More informationThese Are the Deeds. I want to share a teaching from our daily minyan, one of the cornerstones of our
These Are the Deeds I want to share a teaching from our daily minyan, one of the cornerstones of our community, a place where our community is strengthened every day. In the fall and winter, when it is
More informationOur tradition teaches us that in order to get a new head, we must begin with Teshuvah, with repentance.
Erev Rosh Hashanah 5776 NPLS at Watford Colosseum This is Your Year Rabbi Lea Mühlstein 13 th September 2015 Let me invite you to have a quick glance at the inside cover of your prayer book. You will see
More informationBASIC JEWISH CONCEPTS /5776. Curriculum and Reading List. A twelve-month program of Adult Jewish Learning
BASIC JEWISH CONCEPTS 2015 5775/5776 Curriculum and List A twelve-month program of Adult Jewish Learning Gain insight into the most important concepts that underpin Judaism and the Jewish people. INSTRUCTORS:
More informationsing Bar chu and Mi Chamocha to the same tune to which we sing Lshana tovah tikateivu.
Kol Nidre 5773 Why is this night different from all other nights? ** A collaborative sermon by Dusty Klass and Leah Citrin ** 1 Tonight, on this the 25 th of September, the 9 th day of the Hebrew month
More informationElizabeth M. Deibert 15 October 2017
Page 1 The Secret of Contentment Peace Presbyterian Church Philippians 4:4-20 Gratitude Season Elizabeth M. Deibert 15 October 2017 As we begin our Gratitude Season today, I want to talk about stress,
More informationOnly a tiny portion of Jews participated in worshipping the golden calf. So why does God seem to blame the whole nation? by Rabbi Ken Spiro
2008 Only a tiny portion of Jews participated in worshipping the golden calf. So why does God seem to blame the whole nation? by Rabbi Ken Spiro After 40 days on Mount Sinai, Moses came down with the Ten
More informationYom Kippur 5778 Questions & Answers. with Rabbi David Klatzker
Yom Kippur 5778 Questions & Answers with Rabbi David Klatzker My friends, I invited the congregation to submit questions in advance that I would try to answer on Yom Kippur. Neuroscientists report that
More informationWRITING OUR OWN AVINU MALKEINU
SERMON Rosh HaShanah Eve 5779 (2018) Rabbi David Edleson, Temple Sinai, Vermont WRITING OUR OWN AVINU MALKEINU Avinu, Malkeinu our father, our king, we have sinned against you. Avinu Malkeinu Our father,
More informationLearning Areas. The NSW Board of Jewish Education SRE Primary School curriculum has a two-year cycle, and this is reflected in how it is mapped.
Learning Areas The NSW Board of Education SRE Primary School curriculum has a two-year cycle, and this is reflected in how it is mapped. Contents Cycle A - Term... Cycle A - Term... Cycle A - Term... 4
More informationKnow Next to Whom Do You Sit? Yizkor, Yom Kippur 5779 Rabbi Neil Cooper
Know Next to Whom Do You Sit? Yizkor, Yom Kippur 5779 Rabbi Neil Cooper Having been the rabbi here for a while, I recognize nearly all of our members and even know the names of a large majority of those
More informationPlease, Rabbi, he said, my wedding is just hours away and I will miss it if you do not help me.
Temple Shalom of the South Bay Erev Rosh Hashanah Sermon September 14, 2015 By: Rabbi Toba August Avinu Malkeinu: Opening our Hearts to God Once, a long time ago, on the eve of his wedding, a groom s passage
More informationRabbi Leider s Sermon - Rosh Hashanah Day September 11, 2018
Shanah Tovah. Fear is in the headlines a lot these days. Artist Phillip Niemeyer recently published an op-ed called 100 Years of Fears, with a little graphic and a heading for the major cultural fear of
More informationBeing Godlike In Our Imperfection Or: If God Can Do It, So Can We
Being Godlike In Our Imperfection Or: If God Can Do It, So Can We This season in the Jewish calendar reminds us that we are broken. Try though we do, all year long, we are imperfect, we have made mistakes,
More informationBIBLE RADIO PRODUCTIONS
BIBLE RADIO PRODUCTIONS www.bibleradio.org.au BIBLE ADVENTURES SCRIPT: A1828 ~ The Ten Commandments. Welcome to Bible Adventures. Help for today. Hope for tomorrow. Jesus is Lord of all. In today s Bible
More informationPENTECOST 26 (33) 18 November Connection
PENTECOST 26 (33) 18 November 2018 Connection Introduction Disconnection (Hebrews 10.11-25) Grant Bullen When a relationship breaks down (marriage is the obvious example, but it also applies to a family
More informationSt Paul s, Rugeley/Wade Street Church am ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS Luke 24:13-35
St Paul s, Rugeley/Wade Street Church 19.04.15am ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS Luke 24:13-35 This is one of my favourite episodes of the Resurrection story. I don t really know why, but it really appeals to me.
More informationRabbi Richard Agler September 30, 2017 Keys Jewish Community Center 10 Tishrei, 5778
1 Rabbi Richard Agler September 30, 2017 Keys Jewish Community Center 10 Tishrei, 5778 Tavernier, FL Yom Kippur Sacred Conversations Making Peace We began our post-hurricane High Holyday theme on Rosh
More informationMy husband Ron has introduced me to the joy of mountain biking. We. fun. Except, that is, for the first 90 seconds. You ve barely had time to process
On Humility Rabbi Bonnie Koppell Erev Rosh HaShanah 2017 My husband Ron has introduced me to the joy of mountain biking. We have a beautiful, regular route at Brown s Ranch, just challenging enough and
More informationJudaism is. A 4000 year old tradition with ideas about what it means to be human and how to make the world a holy place
Judaism is A 4000 year old tradition with ideas about what it means to be human and how to make the world a holy place (Rabbi Harold Kushner, To Life) A covenant relationship between God and the Hebrew
More informationAm I My Brother s Keeper? A sermon on Parshat Ki Teitze by Rabbi Susan Leider, Congregation Kol Shofar
Our Bar Mitzvah Eli taught us about our obligation to go beyond what we see around us, to go further afield to help those in need. He taught us: If you find something that belongs to someone who is not
More informationHoffman. The Legend of Rabbi Amnon. P Ibid. 4. Ibid.
Who Shall I Say is Calling? Unetaneh Tokef as a call to change our lives for the better. 1 Rabbi Jordan M. Ottenstein, RJE Beth-El Congregation, Fort Worth, Texas Rosh Hashanah Morning, 5776 A story is
More informationWhat might we learn from the Days of Awe which might guide us on our own individual and collective journey?
MAKING AMENDS Observant Jews around the world have just come to the end of the Days of Awe, the holiest days in the Jewish religious year which begin with Rosh Hashanah, the New Year, and end with Yom
More informationTisha B Av:A Time to Weep
A MONTHLY STUDY ON THE JEWISH ROOTS OF CHRISTIANITY Limmud למוד This month s study with Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein Tisha B Av:A Time to Weep This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears. No one is near
More informationFearless and Searching
A sermon preached by the Rev. Lee Bluemel On October 2, 2016 At The North Parish of North Andover, Unitarian Universalist North Andover, MA Spirit of Love, of Life, of God, of Awe- help us to turn from
More informationLook Learn Understand & Respect. One We care for the earth God is the creator, he cares for us God is creator of the world
Judaism About the topic In this topic pupils will learn about their Jewish sisters and brothers, how they live as a family and how they worship Where this topic fits in This topic will be taught discretely
More informationThe Spiritual Challenge of Vulnerability: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story 1 Yom Kippur 2017 ~ Rabbi Yael Ridberg
The Spiritual Challenge of Vulnerability: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story 1 Yom Kippur 2017 ~ Rabbi Yael Ridberg I am often asked about writing sermons for the High Holy Days: Are there pre-packaged
More informationThe Baird Primary Academy Programme for Religious Education
The Baird Primary Academy Programme for Religious Education The Baird Primary Academy follows the East Sussex Agreed Syllabus A Journey of Discovery which is available on the czone website. https://czone.eastsussex.gov.uk/teachinglearning/curriculum/religiouseducation/pages/syllabus.aspx
More informationA Christian-Jewish CPE Experience in Australia: The Boot is On the Other Foot
A Christian-Jewish CPE Experience in Australia: The Boot is On the Other Foot Marilyn Ann Hope Summary This reflection on the experience of supervising a group of Chabad and Orthodox Rabbis as a Christian
More informationMENSCHLINESS BEFORE GODLINESS II ROSH HASHANAH 2006 By Rabbi Haskel Lookstein. Are you religious? Are you a shomer mitzvot? Do you observe the
MENSCHLINESS BEFORE GODLINESS II ROSH HASHANAH 2006 By Rabbi Haskel Lookstein Are you religious? Are you a shomer mitzvot? Do you observe the Commandments? If you wanted to answer those questions affirmatively
More informationThe High Holy Days. Questions and Answers to help you more fully experience and enjoy these Holy Days
The High Holy Days Questions and Answers to help you more fully experience and enjoy these Holy Days What do the words Rosh Hashanah mean? Rosh Hashanah is Hebrew for head of the year (literally) or beginning
More informationBegin Again in Love Sunday Katie Michael-Sanchez UU Fellowship of Bozeman December 30, 2018
Begin Again in Love Sunday Katie Michael-Sanchez UU Fellowship of Bozeman December 30, 2018 Good morning. That responsive reading was a bit heavy to start of the morning, but I think that this time of
More informationForgiveness is what you do to your soul when you choose to live in light rather than in darkness 1
For Sins Committed Bein Adam L atzmo: Forgiving Ourselves Yom Kippur 5777 Rabbi Leah Citrin and Rabbi Dusty Klass Temple Beth Or, Raleigh, NC Rabbi Karen Kedar wrote: Forgiveness is a process, a path without
More informationUncomfortable Conversations. High Holy Days Rabbi Juliana S. Karol
Uncomfortable Conversations High Holy Days 5779 Rabbi Juliana S. Karol Rav Assi was the poster child for the mitzvah of kibud av v em: honoring one s parents. 1 He lived in Babylonia during the third century,
More informationJudaism is a religion based on principles and ethics found in religious texts of the Jewish people.
JUDAISM Judaism is a religion based on principles and ethics found in religious texts of the Jewish people. Judaism is among the oldest religions still in practice today and Judaism has influenced other
More informationYear 11 Mock Exam Revision List 2017
Year 11 Mock Exam Revision List 2017 Judaism Beliefs and Teachings a) Question I can define the key word and link to a teaching or example Covenant Kosher Messiah Mitzvot Shabbat Shekinah Synagogue Torah
More informationG ui d e to the High Holy Days - Yamim Noraim
G ui d e to the High Holy Days - Yamim Noraim In the seventh month on the first day of the month, you shall observe complete rest, a sacred occasion commemorated with the loud blast of horns. You shall
More informationReflections on the Binding of Isaac Harvard Hillel, Rosh Hashona, 2006 Marshall Ganz (9/23/06)
Reflections on the Binding of Isaac Harvard Hillel, Rosh Hashona, 2006 Marshall Ganz (9/23/06) Good morning, Thank you for the opportunity to reflect with you this Rosh Hashanah on perhaps the most challenging
More informationJudaism Fast Facts date founded place founded founder adherents main location major sects sacred text original language spiritual leader
Judaism Ms. McPeak Judaism Fast Facts date founded c. 2,500 BC place founded Mesopotamia founder Abraham adherents 14 million (11th ) main location Israel, Europe, and USA major sects Reform, Conservative,
More informationYom Kippur 2011/5772 David Starr Congregation Kehillath Israel
Yom Kippur 2011/5772 David Starr Congregation Kehillath Israel Jews believe that to be human means to possess the means to change. Yet often it seems that we don t truly believe that when it comes to the
More informationJudaism. Founding and Beliefs. Tuesday, October 7, 14
Judaism Founding and Beliefs I. Founding I. Founding Founded in the Fertile Crescent 4,000 years ago I. Founding Founded in the Fertile Crescent 4,000 years ago Abraham I. Founding Founded in the Fertile
More informationSundown 2013 Wed Thurs Fri Fri Sat Sept 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 13 Sept Wed Thurs Fri Fri Sat Sept 24 Sept 25 Sept 26 Oct 3 Oct 4
Starts at Rosh Hashanah All Day Ends at Yom Kippur Starts at Ends at 2013 Wed Thurs Fri Fri Sat Sept 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 13 Sept 14 2014 Wed Thurs Fri Fri Sat Sept 24 Sept 25 Sept 26 Oct 3 Oct 4 2015
More informationEchad: We are One Rosh Hashanah Morning 2015 / 5776 One of our most beloved and well-known prayers is this one, a quote from the book of Deuteronomy,
Echad: We are One Rosh Hashanah Morning 2015 / 5776 One of our most beloved and well-known prayers is this one, a quote from the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 6, verse 4. Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu
More informationSERMON - Yom Kippur Morning 5779 (2018) Rabbi David Edleson, Temple Sinai, Vermont
1 SERMON - Yom Kippur Morning 5779 (2018) Rabbi David Edleson, Temple Sinai, Vermont TESHUVA, TEFILA, TZEDAKA - A recipe for a thriving synagogue On Rosh hashanah, I talked about my longtime difficulty,
More informationCONTENTS. Acknowledgments viii About the Contributors ix Preface xi Introduction: Renew the Old, Sanctify the New 1
CONTENTS Acknowledgments viii About the Contributors ix Preface xi Introduction: Renew the Old, Sanctify the New 1 EVERYDAY LIFE Waking Up 8 Praying for What We Need 10 Washing Our Hands 14 Eating 16 Making
More informationLet me tell you something. This phrase prefaced every conversation with a certain someone
Let me tell you something. This phrase prefaced every conversation with a certain someone and sometimes every sentence within the conversation. Let me tell you something. She meant well, but I knew from
More informationThe Stations of the Cross for Young Adults
for Young Adults The Stations of the Cross is a centuries-old form of prayer used traditionally in Lent. Comprising of 14 stations, each depict moments leading up to Jesus crucifixion. By journeying through
More informationThe Viduy Confession Prayers By Zalman Goldstein
The Viduy Confession Prayers By Zalman Goldstein The returning of one's soul to G-d at the end of its journey in this world is probably the most profound moment in a person's life. It is for this purpose
More informationDo I Have To Believe In God To Be A Good Jew? Once upon a time, there was a great rabbinic sage who
Do I Have To Believe In God To Be A Good Jew? Rabbi Laurence W. Groffman Yom Kippur Morning 5777/2016 Once upon a time, there was a great rabbinic sage who came home to find his nine year old daughter
More informationOur Jewish Mission Rabbi Stacy Offner Temple Beth Tikvah Rosh Hashanah 5779 September 10, 2018
Our Jewish Mission Rabbi Stacy Offner Temple Beth Tikvah Rosh Hashanah 5779 September 10, 2018 I was sitting in an all-day retreat for a national board upon which I serve. They had hired a consultant to
More informationSESSION 1 THE PRESSURE OF TRIALS SESSION 1
THE PRESSURE OF TRIALS 8 What pressures squeeze the joy out of life? #BSFLtr ials BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 9 THE POINT Joyful trust in God will see you through all trials. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE No one lives
More informationAmerican Judaism. A Study in Culture and Family Strengths Dayna McKinnon FAML 160 Sister Watene 3 Dec 2011
American Judaism A Study in Culture and Family Strengths Dayna McKinnon FAML 160 Sister Watene 3 Dec 2011 What makes someone Jewish? Race? Religion? Culture? What makes someone Jewish? To consider someone
More informationJONAH: The Prophet Who Could Not Change
JONAH: The Prophet Who Could Not Change YK 2017-5778 One night a ship s captain was on the open sea when he spotted a light straight ahead in the distance. He flashed his signal light telling the other
More informationTHERESA MAY ANDREW MARR SHOW 6 TH JANUARY 2019 THERESA MAY
1 ANDREW MARR SHOW 6 TH JANUARY 2019 AM: Now you may remember back in December the government was definitely going to hold that meaningful vote on the Prime Minister s Brexit deal, then right at the last
More informationWorld Religions: Contrasting Philosophy. An explanation 6/26/2012. Judaism is the religious system of the Jewish people.
World Religions: Judaism Foundation of Christianity, but Still Looking for Christ Judaism is the religious system of the Jewish people. Being Jewish is a national designation as much as a religious one.
More informationMake anagrams of the following words. All have Easter associations. Can the students work out what they are?
Why Easter? Lesson plan for secondary age students Aim: To lead the students through the events and significance of Jesus death and resurrection which Christians celebrate at Easter. Resources: Prizes,
More informationOffering Ps.107:1,12 Prayer of thanksgiving & intercessions Hy.81:1,2,3,7 Divine blessing
Liturgy for Sunday, December 25, 2011 AM Confession of Dependence and Divine Greeting Ps.98:1,2 Ten words of the covenant Hy.18:1,3 Prayer of confession and illumination Ministry of the Word Reading: Luk.2:1-20
More informationWhy Are You Here? Kol Nidre - October 9, 2008 Rabbi Carl M. Perkins Temple Aliyah, Needham
Why Are You Here? Kol Nidre - October 9, 2008 Rabbi Carl M. Perkins Temple Aliyah, Needham It s a very old Jewish custom to visit the cemetery during the month of Elul and between Rosh Hashanah and Yom
More informationDavid was blown away at the bird s change in attitude and was about to ask what changed him when the parrot continued, May I ask what the chicken did?
Message for Kol Nidre 1 18 September 2018: Teshuvah and Chesed David received a parrot for his birthday. This parrot was fully grown, with a bad attitude and even worse vocabulary. Every other word was
More informationTHE SILENCE OF GOD Job 23:1-9, October 11 th, 2015 As I was working on this sermon, I came across a meditation in a book titled A Season of
THE SILENCE OF GOD Job 23:1-9, 16-17 October 11 th, 2015 As I was working on this sermon, I came across a meditation in a book titled A Season of Grace, by Elizabeth M. Hoekstra. Some weeks it s a struggle
More informationJudaism: Beliefs and Teachings
Judaism: Beliefs and Teachings Candidates should have considered the beliefs of Jews in relation to the following: The Nature of God: I can explain the nature of God as One. I can explain how God is seen
More informationUpdated 20/10/16. EMET SRE Curriculum Years K-6 Scope and Sequence minutes per week
EMET SRE Curriculum Years K-6 Scope and Sequence 30-40 minutes per week The NSW Board of Jewish Education s (BJE) curriculum is based on the Board of Studies KLAs across all curriculum areas. When planning
More informationFinding Meaning from our Failures
Finding Meaning from our Failures When I was a rabbinic intern at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, I took the stairs to visit patients. The steps on each floor provide inspirational quotes for the
More informationYou may be familiar with the Mel Brooks movie History of. the World. One of the scenes famously depicts Moses
Living With Brokenness RH Morning 5777 You may be familiar with the Mel Brooks movie History of the World. One of the scenes famously depicts Moses bringing God s commandments to the Israelite people.
More informationIs it ever OK to not be ok?
Is it ever OK to not be ok? Looking Deeper Looking Deeper Is it ever OK to not be OK? Weakness or a lack of self-reliance can be a frightening thing. We think that we need to stay strong (or at least look
More informationRabbi Jeffrey Saxe Yom Kippur 2017/5778 Nedivut/Generosity: Enough Blessing for Everyone
Rabbi Jeffrey Saxe Yom Kippur 2017/5778 Nedivut/Generosity: Enough Blessing for Everyone Let me begin with a question to you all. If you had 100 dollars of tzedakah to give, which would be more highly
More informationChumash Themes. Class #18. In Israel, the only option is to turn our eyes to the sky. Numbers chapters by Rabbi Zave Rudman
Chumash Themes Class #18 In Israel, the only option is to turn our eyes to the sky. Numbers chapters 13-14 by Rabbi Zave Rudman 2007 JewishPathways.com 1 Introduction The saga of the spies is a key turning
More informationElul 5777 The Fifteen Steps of Ascent
Elul 5777 The Fifteen Steps of Ascent Elul is a month of reflection and introspection in preparation for the High Holy Days. We examine every aspect of our lives, looking deeply into corners neglected
More informationA Sermon Preached by the Rev. Angela Herrera. First Unitarian Church October 2, 2016
Atonement A Sermon Preached by the Rev. Angela Herrera First Unitarian Church October 2, 2016 Once there was a philosopher who had a bone to pick with the legendary Sufi wiseman, Mulla Nasrudin. With the
More information1 Yom Kippur Sermon 5768 Kol Nidre, September 21, 2007 Rabbi Laura Geller
1 Yom Kippur Sermon 5768 Kol Nidre, September 21, 2007 Rabbi Laura Geller Not long ago in the New York Times there was an article headlined: Ten Things To Do Before This Article Is Finished. It gently
More informationOrigins of the Jewish Faith
Judaism Origins of the Jewish Faith Oldest Western religion Judaism is an Abrahamic religion along with Christianity and Islam Abrahamic religions assert that Abraham was God s first prophet Monotheistic
More informationSlow to Anger, Quick to Forgive. Yom Kippur Rabbi Michael Safra
Slow to Anger, Quick to Forgive Yom Kippur 5776 Rabbi Michael Safra Since it s not every year that Yom Kippur coincides with a papal visit to our city, I figured I would start with Pope Francis: Good Yontiff,
More informationThe Book of Hebrews Study Guide
The model of endurance (12:1-3) The Book of Hebrews Study Guide Hebrews 12 v. 1 The previous chapter provided real-life examples of godly men and women exercising faith in times of trials. They are called
More informationYom Kippur Morning 5778 The Blessings of Belonging Rabbi Karen S. Citrin
Yom Kippur Morning 5778 The Blessings of Belonging Rabbi Karen S. Citrin I am feeling a little nervous this morning. Exactly a week from today I will be attending my 25 th high school reunion. I have actually
More informationThe simplest sermon for Kol Nidrei is you messed up, do better.
KN-5773 Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack in everything That's how the light gets in. The simplest sermon for Kol Nidrei is you messed up, do better. Wow!
More informationOur Relationships: Seeking Healing, Forgiveness, and Peace Yom Kippur 2009 Rabbi Jay Perlman * Temple Beth Shalom, Needham, MA
Our Relationships: Seeking Healing, Forgiveness, and Peace Yom Kippur 2009 Rabbi Jay Perlman * Temple Beth Shalom, Needham, MA Heavenly perfection: It is an image that has captured the imagination of the
More informationFear and Love Kol Nidre 5778 Rabbi Lori Koffman
Fear and Love Kol Nidre 5778 Rabbi Lori Koffman I almost didn t become a rabbi. It was the summer of 2001. I was reading a book about people making massive career changes, not because I was thinking about
More informationErev Rosh Hashanah Sermonette 5772/2011 Older Family Service Cantor Michael Shochet
Erev Rosh Hashanah Sermonette 5772/2011 Older Family Service Cantor Michael Shochet Shana tova to everyone. Here we are celebrating the start of another new year. And we re doing a good job at it. Shir
More informationFrom Storm to Calm. P a g e 1
P a g e 1 P a g e 2 Foreword Hello and a very warm welcome to this FREE E-Book. If you have downloaded this e-book that tells me, you are ready to make some powerful changes in your life. Professional
More informationAl Tifrosh Min HaTzibor - Not turning our back on TBS
Erev Rosh Hashana 5768 Rabbi Heidi M. Cohen Al Tifrosh Min HaTzibor - Not turning our back on TBS Take a look around you. Do you know who you are sitting with? For most of you, the answer is yes. Do you
More informationTrust Trumps Law Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
Westminster Presbyterian Church February 25, 2018 Des Moines, Iowa Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Romans 4:13-25 Trust Trumps Law Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski Now this letter to the Romans was written in 57-58 CE.
More informationLEARNING FROM ADVERSITY Romans 5:1-5
LEARNING FROM ADVERSITY Romans 5:1-5 Kelly Boyte Brill Avon Lake UCC 19 June 2016 I planned this sermon about six weeks ago. I chose this topic, what do we learn from life s most difficult moments? because
More informationDeed & Creed - Class #16
Deed & Creed - Class #16 This world has a warranty, destined to expire. By Rabbi Benjamin Blech with Rochelle Lev 2007 JewishPathways.com 1 Are We Close to the Messianic Era? (13-min. video) Understanding
More information