Dear Friends, Eight year ago, when we purchased new prayer books for our congregation, we donated our 400 used prayer books to the Abayudaya of eastern Uganda, a community of black African Jews. Three years ago, we proudly dedicated our new “Inclusion Torah”, which meant we now have one more Torah than we had before.…
I have a theory that without Maimonides, we wouldn’t be here today, that he saved Judaism. Now, I won’t say he’s my hero, he wasn’t the best husband. But, without him, I don’t think I’d have a job. So, who exactly is Maimonides? There is a saying, “From Moses to Moses there arose no one…
We Were All At Mt Sinai “And God said to us at Mt Sinai, ‘Today you stand before Me, all of you, your leaders and your followers, your children and your wives, even the stranger, all of you, from the woodchopper to the waterdrawer, stand before Me to enter into this covenant. And I make…
Charity’s a choice, Tzedakah isn’t If we find our neighbor in trouble, we must help him or her. This isn’t just being neighborly; this is the law, our law. To help someone who is in trouble is not a choice, it’s an obligation. If we find lost property, we must return it. If they are…
To See or Not To See After a recent Shabbat morning service, since not everyone in our congregation reads the Chronicle or attends services, I was asked to reprint the following sermon in the Kol: In this week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo, Moses brings together the entire people Israel and says to them: “You have…
PIC: Supreme Court rules in favor of same-sex marriage nationwide!
February 12, 2021
Try to imagine a day where you go without using plastic—it’s impossible. From yogurt containers to shampoo bottles to takeout containers, plastic is a part of our daily lives. Just a few years ago, this didn’t bother many people because recycling plastic was easier and more commonplace. South Hills townships used to recycle all plastics…
December 1, 2020
Sponges. We all use them, from cleaning pots and pans to other household chores. But did you know that many sponges contain plastic? They are also a repository for germs and pretty hard to recycle. One way to make environmental changes in kitchen habits is to replace sponges with Swedish dishcloths. They are made from…
October 19, 2020
I grew up having paper towels handy for many uses, especially in the kitchen. Wash your hands; dry with a paper towel. Spill on the floor; wipe with a paper towel. Rinse fruits and vegetables; spread to dry on a paper towel. You get the idea. Once we started composting, we would add the used…
