Judaism

Torah

Blessing the People With Love and Joy

Local

Does Birthright Stifle Teen Travel?

Shavuot

Synagogues Celebrate New Arrivals

Global

They Link Lands and Faiths

By:

Aaron Passman, JE Feature

Thousands of miles of ocean and the better part of a continent separate Philadelphia from Kampala, Uganda, but for two individuals of different faiths, Israel has provided a way to bridge that considerable gap. Andrea Gottlieb of Merion serves as director of Jerusalem Online University -- a New York-based, online learning program with offices in Philadelphia and Jerusalem. For the...

Torah

Listen to the 'Words': They Come From Below

DeVarim, Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22

By:

Rabbi Joshua Runyan

Among the books of the Torah, only this one begins by attributing its subject matter to Moses: "These are the words that Moses addressed to all Israel." This week's portion actually begins Moses' final speech, his farewell before handing power over to Joshua, who'll take the Jewish people into the Holy Land. But if the Torah is Divinely authored, doesn't...

Synagogue Life

Finding the Path to Inclusion for Intermarrieds

By:

Bryan Schwartzman

Just a few months ago, InterFaithways seemed like the next big thing. The one outlet in the region devoted exclusively to helping interfaith families feel more welcome in the community had secured prior funding from the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. With the release of the 2009 "Jewish Population Study of Greater Philadelphia" -- and its startling statistics on intermarriage...

Tisha B'Av

On Tisha B'Av Participants Can 'Feel the Mood'

By:

Bryan Schwartzman

A somber darkness envelops the sanctuary; prayers are read in muted candlelight, and the Torah scrolls are draped in black. At the 31/2-hour service on erev Tisha B'Av at Congregation Mikveh Israel in Center City, the normal prayer melodies are "replaced by the monotonous and heart-wrenching cadence" that evokes a sense of mourning, explained Rabbi Albert Gabbai. The holiday, a...

Torah

Good Intentions, Poor Delivery

MATTOT-MASE'EI, Numbers 30:2-36:13

By:

Rabbi Danielle Stillman

We live our lives with the best intentions. We do what we believe is right, and when we don't live up to our intentions, we try again. As human beings we strive to make a better world, individually and collectively, but as human beings, we inevitably fall short. How often do we promise ourselves that we will eat better, exercise...