Tag Archives | 2016

19 Elul 5776 by Donna Fliegler When my daughter died in May, Rabbi Cohen suggested that I join a Vitas Bereavement Group that would meet at the Temple.  We gathered together nine weeks ago, a group of women in various stages of grief for husbands, a partner, fathers, a nephew, a brother and in my […]

18 Elul 5776 by Jack Holmes My journey to becoming a “Jew by Choice” was a difficult one.  Along the way I met with betrayal, half truths and outright lies. By the grace of God, I discovered Judaism and a path through life based on actions, moral values and philosophy. It is a path that […]

17 Elul 5776 by Monica Engel How’s your day going?  I’m sure you’ve been asked that rhetorical question by your local bank teller or store clerk. Now I’m asking… how is your day going? My best days are when I reach out to a friend I haven’t called in too long a time, when the eyelashes on my […]

16 Elul 5776 by Joelle Escoe It’s Friday night and the end of a very busy week full of dance lessons, homework, commuting to and from work. We could a) go to the movies b) go out to dinner c) stay at home and celebrate Shabbat and finally sit down to dinner together as a […]

15 Elul 5776 by Rhea Dorn This world contains the glorious and the horrible that pulls us here and there, close and far. It batters our senses.  When you are overcome with beauty at moments when you do not expect it, examine it and give it a thorough inspection. Don’t just give it a quick […]

14 Elul 5776 by Paula Pitluk I have read Mary Oliver’s poem, “The Journey” many times over the years and have it hanging over my desk. It speaks to me of leaving, but more than that, of beginning. It speaks of first steps. It speaks of being awake in the world. What better time than […]

13 Elul 5776 by Eliana Tehila Holmes (aka Angela) Before I began living a full Jewish life four years ago, I had always strongly connected spiritually to inner prayer and community prayer expressed through music.  In the faith that I was originally raised in, singing was stilted and if there was a choir, they were ‘caged’ […]

12 Elul 5776 by Sydell Walencewicz Since we are in a presidential election year I would like to present my recommended slate. “Voting for God” by Anonymous “What church do you go to?” asked a seven year old youngster of a neighbor child. “I don’t go to church.  I go to temple.  I am Jewish.” […]

11 Elul 5776 by Rise’ Kirbo My Dad let go of life as the sun went down I sat at his bedside as he took his last breath on the last day of his life It was October and the leaves were in full color They were swaying and fluttering outside the windows There was […]

10 Elul 5776 by Lori and Matt Griffin Dropping a child off at college for the first time can be very overwhelming, for both child and parent.  In our case, it was much harder on the parents.  We just moved our eldest child into the dorms at UC Berkeley on August 20th.  There was so […]