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Congregation Beth Israel
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North Adams, MA 01247
1-413-663-5830
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Rise and Shine: B’ha’alot’kha 5785
Divrei Torah, From The Rabbi, Israel, Resilience, Response to TragedyLast night as I was studying Hebrew with my son, a friend texted me to let me know that Israel had attacked Iran. Many of us expect retaliation over Shabbat. None of us know what is coming, and I don’t have wisdom to offer. All I have is this prayer: may the day come soon when the Iranian people, the Palestinian people, and the Israeli people can all live in safety and peace.
From the Rabbi – June 2025
From The Rabbi, Newsletter, ShabbatSummer is a quiet time on the Jewish calendar. Now that Shavuot is behind us, the next big thing on the horizon is Tisha b’Av in late August, followed by the seven-week runway to the Days of Awe.
Counting the Irreplaceable: Bamidbar 5785
Divrei Torah, From The Rabbi, Israel, Response to TragedyThis week’s Torah portion begins with an instruction to take a census for the purpose of knowing how many soldiers could be called-upon to bear arms. There’s a long list of numbers: from this tribe came this many people; from that tribe, that many. In years past, these verses felt dry and kind of irrelevant. This year they’re landing differently against the backdrop of current news.
From the Rabbi – May 2025
Events, From The Rabbi, Newsletter, PesachDuring the Passover seder, we name the ten plagues listed in Torah, and remove a droplet of wine or juice from our glasses as we recite each one. The tenth one is “death of the firstborn,” and Torah tells us that before that happened, our ancestors were instructed to kill a lamb and paint the doorposts with blood so that the angel of death would “pass over” our houses, leading to the name of the festival Passover. (The wordplay works in Hebrew too.)
Justice: Shmini 5785
Divrei Torah, From The Rabbi, Jewish Values, Social ActionI had already written a d’varling for tonight, about Aaron’s response to the death of his son and how the silence of those who suffer invites us to respond with care. And then a congregant reached out to me this morning and asked if I could speak tonight about a breaking news story, the FBI’s arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan in Wisconsin, and what our response to this as Jews ought to be.
Yom HaShoah 5785
From The Rabbi, Yom HaShoahYom HaShoah arrives every year, and yet for many of us this year feels different than any other.
Two Truths for Entering the Sea: Seventh Night of Pesach 5785
Divrei Torah, From The Rabbi, Nissan, PesachThe familiar words of the haggadah landed differently with me this year. We speak every year of freedom from Mitzrayim – meaning not only מִצְרַיִם / مصر / literal Egypt, but also more broadly all of life’s narrow places and times of constriction. But this year I’m keenly aware of constriction and lack of liberty in ways that go beyond the metaphorical.
From the Rabbi – April 2025
Events, From The Rabbi, Newsletter, PesachDuring the Passover seder, we name the ten plagues listed in Torah, and remove a droplet of wine or juice from our glasses as we recite each one. The tenth one is “death of the firstborn,” and Torah tells us that before that happened, our ancestors were instructed to kill a lamb and paint the doorposts with blood so that the angel of death would “pass over” our houses, leading to the name of the festival Passover. (The wordplay works in Hebrew too.)
April 2025 | Nissan 5785
Events, From The President, Newsletter, PesachIt is almost time for Passover, a time when we prepare our homes for the holiday, look forward to gathering with family and friends, and celebrating together as we tell the story of Passover. I am writing to you from Hong Kong, where I am visiting with my family. It is very interesting to celebrate in a country so different in many ways from our own.
Bloom: Shabbat M’varkhim Nissan 5785
Divrei Torah, From The Rabbi, Nissan, Pesach“This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you.” (Ex. 12:2)
From the Rabbi – March 2025
Events, From The Rabbi, NewsletterAs we begin the month of March, we’re reading from a Torah portion that describes the vestments made for Aaron, the first High Priest, woven from blue, purple, and crimson yarns. One particular facet of his outfit is standing out to me this year: the breastplate that he wore over his heart, holding twelve cut gemstones to represent the twelve tribes of Israel.
Sanctuary: for Refugee Shabbat – Terumah 5785 / 2025
Divrei Torah, Inclusion & Diversity, Jewish Values, Social Action, Tikkun Olam“When we create sanctuary, God dwells within us. I think the inverse is also true: if we take sanctuary away – if we make someone unsafe; if we refuse them shelter and care – we are pushing God away. It is a fundamental tenet of Judaism that we are all made in the divine image and likeness. When we create a space where it’s safe to be who we are, we are making space for God. When it is unsafe to be our whole selves, God’s presence is diminished. ..”
People of Truth: Yitro 5785 / 2025
Divrei Torah, From The Rabbi“…All of us can be be anshe-hayil, people of valor, people whose word is worth something. All of us can be anshe emet, people who stand up for what’s true, people who call things what they are. All of us can live in a way that supports liberation: not just freedom from, from oppression and want and fear, but freedom to. Freedom to speak, to pray, to dream, to be. …”
The only way is together: Beshalah 5785 / 2025
Divrei Torah, From The Rabbi, Social Action, Tikkun Olam, Volunteering“…I know this may sound pollyanna. It is a drop in the bucket compared with everything that needs repair. But I believe it is how repair happens: each of us doing what we can to help others. Tikkun olam – “repairing the world” – is a Jewish imperative. It is our obligation as Jews…”
From the Rabbi – February 2025
Events, From The Rabbi, Music, Newsletter, Tu BiShvatIn the place where our traditions began, the almond trees are blooming. It’s the lunar month of Shvat, and at the full moon on the 15th of this month we celebrate Tu BiShvat, “the New Year of the Trees.”