Rabbi's Corner

Message from the Rabbi

Being Jewish Intentionally
“Be careful to observe only that which I enjoin upon you: neither add to it nor take away from it.” (Deuteronomy 13:1)

The Torah enjoins us not to make the commandments so onerous that people decide to walk away from the system entirely.    On the other side, the Torah reminds us that a system without any standards becomes meaningless. 
We all know that every Jew no matter movement affiliation or level of connection choses what he/she wants to follow.  For each of us we decide which commandments are more or less meaningful.  For some the meaning comes first and for others the practice comes first.  However, no matter the goal is to engage everyone at a level that works for them. 
Judaism should have a low barrier for entry but not so low it no longer looks like Judaism.  As the summer draws to a close and a new year is about to begin, we should make the right choices for each of us and we should do that intentionally. 


Wednesday evenings from 8:00-9:00 September 4, 11, 18 and 25, 2024
This four-week course is for individuals of all experience levels. Throughout the course, we will learn the most commonly recited Jewish prayers and blessings. The class will be conducted using transliteration, which means the Hebrew text will be presented alongside phonetic pronunciation for ease of learning. The essential prayers and blessings we will cover include the High Holy Day blessings, Shabbat blessings, Aliyot for Torah reading, and core prayers like the Shema and V’ahavta. By the end of this course, you will be able to actively participate in Jewish rituals and ceremonies with confidence.
Registering is a must by rsvping to Rabbistein@ghcny.org so I know if we have enough interest to run this course.  Additionally, you can let me know what you are most interested in.
This course will be held on zoom. I will be providing t