Historic Decision for Same-Sex Benefits

Israeli Courts recently decided that Same-Sex partners have the right to inherit their deceased partner’s estates. Excerpts from the beginning and end of the full article
The Nazareth District Court on Sunday handed down a landmark decision declaring that the survivor of a homosexual partner is entitled to inherit his or her estate as long [...]

Central Holocaust Victims Database

Yad Vashem (Israel’s Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority) recently launched The Central Holocaust Victims Database. This database lists about 3 million names of the 6 million Jews (and 11 million total) murdered by the Nazis. You can search for information about friends and family members or submit information about friends/family for the database. I [...]

Israeli Viewpoint on Divestment

Recent actions by the PC USA and various Universities (like Columbia) on the question of divestment from Israel led some at the recent General Assembly of United Jewish Communities to speak with Israeli officials for their viewpoint on the attempt of many to (falsely and biasly) equate Israel with Aparthaid South Africa. The resulting conversation [...]

New Link - RAC Blog

I’ve added a new link to the list of Jewish Blogs on the left, RAC Blog. The RAC stand for the Religious Action Center. What is it? “The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) has been the hub of Jewish social justice and legislative activity in the nation’s capital for over 40 years. It [...]

Resources for Chanukkah

In under two weeks we will begin to celebrate Chanukkah. As you prepare to celebrate with your community, family and friends here is a website with a variety of programs and resources for all ages, Chaunkkah Resources Page.
Enjoy!

A Prayer for Thanksgiving

As we gather with friends and family for Thanksgiving, I invite you to add an payer to the Divine at the beginning of your meal. (Source is On the Doorposts of Your House, publsihed by the Central Conference of American Rabbis.)
Creative Source of all being, from You come our blessings from day to day and [...]

What does Judaism say about Thanksgiving?

Happy Thanksgiving.
Today citizens across the U.S.A. gather with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving. The roots of the holiday are told to extend back to the colonial period of this country and a peaceful meal shared between the Native Americans (whose diverse and vibrant society and culture lived across this land for centuries before [...]

Condemning Threats Against the Presbyterian Church USA

On October 22nd, I posted about the problematic nature of the Presbyterian Church (USA) divestiture of funds from Israel and meeting with the known terrorist organization Hizbollah. Recently there were some arson threats against Presbyterian Churches presumably in response to the Church’s actions. Such arson threats are inexcusable. Violence and the threat of violence is [...]

Preview of this week’s Torah Commentary

Shalom to everyone. Thanks for being here.
This week’s Torah portion is Toldot, a word which here means “generations”. This week’s parashah is filled with disfunctional family elements in multiple generations. Please check back in coming days for a full commentary of my take on this aspect of the portion.
Wishing you a day of [...]

A Prayerful Context to Voting

Many of us will be praying for election results to be as we hope! The choices we make will have consequences on local, state, national and international arenas.
Velveteen Rabbi has a wonderful posting on the sacred potential of voting. I strongly encourage you to read it. She ends with a prayer [...]

Happy blogiversary

Happy blogiversary to Islamicate.
One of the joys of the rabbinate is engaging in Interfaith dialogue, discussion and learning. By learning from each other we break down stereotypes and foster understanding.
May we learn from each other and add to peace in the world.

More Terror

It has happened again. A young Palestinian has been a “martyr” for his people and murdered at least 3 Israelis, killed himself and wounded 32.
You can read a Ha’aretz news report.
There is so much I could say, but mostly I feel sad and like so much of it has been said before.
May G-d help us [...]