Uncategorized « Rejewvenate!

Harrisburg Synagogue Burns

May 5, 2009 at 9:43 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

I learned today of some very sad news. Chisuk Emuna, one of the last traditional (non-egalitarian) Conservative synagogues in the country, experienced a terrible fire that destroyed their sanctuary, burned many of their siddurim and otehr seforim, and damaged their eleven Torahs, some very badly, perhaps even beyond repair. Total damages were estimated at $1 million, but thankfully, nobody was hurt in the blaze.

The matter strikes at the heart for me, because I was a community educator at Chisuk Emuna for two years. My wife and I would drive down to Harrisburg, where I would read Torah, lead davening, and teach classes. Each Shabbat, another warmhearted family would open their home and heart to us, and we would magically become a part of the fabric of this unique community. To Rabbi Muroff and all the lovely people we met, our hearts go out to you. To all my friends and family reading this, please join me in supporting the rebuilding campaign. You can learn more at http://chisukemuna.blogspot.com/, and watch the video slideshow below.

Oh, That’s What Religion is Good For!

August 17, 2008 at 7:49 pm | In beliefs, culture, education | 2 Comments

A must-read paragraph:

Importantly, religious youth have a stronger sense of themselves than less religious youth. In other words, among the less religious, religion is not supplanted by a stronger ascribed or achieved characteristic. In fact, less religious youth are less strongly identified with anything at all, which suggests that religious group involvement is mutually reinforcing with other identities. Or, that feeling connected to a religious community or tradition heightens all other aspects of self-understanding. Religious adherence, in other words, builds social capital not just in terms of participation in civic life (more below), but also in terms of connection with family, self-esteem, and self-understanding. As Christian Smith finds in his study of teenagers, religious youth rank higher than less religious youth on every measure of self-esteem.

This from OMG! How Generation Y is Redefining Faith in the iPod Era.

For all those folks who wonder about the importance of religion in building societies, forging personal identities, and passing on crucial information from one generation to another, the above stands as a beacon. In my view, it is also a sharp retort to those who suggest that science has surpassed and supplanted religion.

Looking for Tisha B’Av?

August 10, 2008 at 12:26 pm | In tisha b'av | 1 Comment

Try my guest post on the Jewish Funds For Justice blog, JSpot.org

Good Point!

July 16, 2008 at 3:55 pm | In Uncategorized | 7 Comments

XGH had a great point in a comment the other day that I wanted to share.

We all know that the Jews at Manna in the desert for forty years. Fair enough. But the Jewish people also had enormous flocks. What did the animals eat?

I’ve never seen this issue addressed in the classical commentators. Anyone else see this somewhere?