On Rosh HaShanah, we are supposed to take some time to reflect upon the year that has come to a close – specifically the moments in our lives that, when we look back, contained within them incredible bits of knowledge. These moments are not always the joyful moments that are captured by photographs, video, or [...]
Archive for the ‘Spirituality’ Category
UPDATED with ALL FIVE SPEAKERS!!! Rosh HaShanah Day 2: Stories From Real “Books of Days”
Posted in Personal Growth, Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality, tagged autism, breast cancer, cancer, death, jewish, murder, survival on September 10, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Rosh HaShanah Day 1 Sermon: Jonah and the Question
Posted in American Judaism, Jewish Holidays, Jewish Parenting, Jewish Ritual, Kids, Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality on September 9, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Here we are – Rosh HaShanah – the busiest time of the Jewish year. The Days of Awe. The days when synagogues get their highest level of attendance – the reason our synagogue and most synagogues in the US are built with folding walls – so that we can seat all of the Jews who [...]
Bringing Services To You
Posted in Jewish Holidays, Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality, tagged High Holidays, High Holy Days, on-line services, services, streaming on September 5, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Ramat Shalom has been streaming our Shabbat services live, on-line for almost a year now. We are happy to announce that our High Holy Services will also be live, on-line this year. All you need to do is click HERE. While we would prefer to have you join us in person, we know that this [...]
God Is A Woman and She Is Growing Older
Posted in Jewish Holidays, Rabbi Andrew Jacobs, Ramat Shalom, Spirituality, tagged rabbi andrew jacobs on September 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
I shared this story on Friday night and many of you were touched by it. It was written by Rabbi Margaret Wenig and can be found in its entirety here. I made some very minor adaptations to the story when I shared it with you on Friday. It is a powerful tale that challenges the [...]
Write Your Own Torah
Posted in Jewish Holidays, Spirituality, tagged 613 Commandments, rabbi andrew jacobs on September 3, 2010 | 2 Comments »
As many of you know, there are 613 commandments in the Torah. Many incorrectly believe that there are only ten. The Torah is filled with hundreds of rules that are meant to guide us through our lives. This week, right before we welcome the new year, the Torah teaches us the 613th commandment. “And now, [...]
The Spiritual 3-Way Mirror
Posted in Jewish Holidays, Personal Growth, Spirituality, tagged Cheshbon HaNefesh, High Holidays, rabbi andrew jacobs, Ramat Shalom, repentance, Rosh HaShanah, Selichot, sin, teshuvah on August 27, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
We are less than two weeks away from Rosh HaShanah, more than halfway through the Jewish month of Elul. As we prepare for a new year, we are taught to spend time closely examining our lives. This is not easy. Some have compared this self-examination process to looking into a 3-way mirror – the type [...]
Four To Watch
Posted in Kids, Spirituality on May 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Last Friday night, four of my teen-age students gave end of the year presentations about the role that Judaism plays in their lives. Once you hear their words, you will understand why I consider each of them to be some of my best teachers. Benjamin Schachner Andrew Dolberg Rebecca Turko Jenna Ellenbogen
Jewish Lessons, Teachers, Students, and Community
Posted in Jewish Law and Practice, Personal Growth, Spirituality, tagged Choosing a synagogue, Rabbi, Rabbi Andrew Jacobs. Ramat Shalom, rabbis on April 8, 2010 | 4 Comments »
A few weeks ago someone asked me, “what’s most important when it comes to choosing a synagogue: feeling welcomed by the community, feeling that the religious school will be a good place for my kids, or feeling a connection with the rabbi?” It’s a great question. I thought about it for a bit. When you [...]
We Can See God’s Back!
Posted in Spirituality, tagged God, God's back, Moses, rabbi andrew jacobs, Ramat Shalom, seeing God on March 22, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
This is from March 5th…Moses wants desperately to see God – but is only able to see God’s back. If we pay attention, we too might be able to get a glimpse of God’s back. Click here to learn more.
Holiness=Imperfection
Posted in Personal Growth, Spirituality, tagged ark, holiness, holy, imperfection, Moses, perfection, rabbi andrew jacobs, Ramat Shalom, shattered, ten commandments on March 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Many people do not realize that Moses actually received the Ten Commandments twice. If he did not receive them a second time, we would have no commandments. The first set was destroyed, thrown to the ground by an outraged Moses after he discovered that his people had given up on God and were worshipping an [...]
