Rabbi's Blog

Shalom Temple Beth Israel, Welcome back everyone! I hope folks enjoyed the beautiful, hot weather this summer. As we return after a rejuvenating summer, where we reconnected with friends, family, went on new adventures, celebrated our nation’s 250th birthday, and watched an exciting summer of World Cup Soccer/football, I personally feel recharged and ready to usher in the 5787 High Holiday Season. Cantor Ken Isman and I have been hard at work this summer crafting a meaningful

Shalom and Happy August Temple Beth Israel, As we enter the last full official month of summer, I hope folks are able to use this month to recharge their batteries, perhaps visit nature, and ideally reconnect with friends and family. In July, I had the ability to accomplish all three when my mother, sister, and nephew visited for a week. We relaxed at our beautiful Plattsburgh City Beach on Lake Champlain, hiked Ausable Chasm, travelled out to the Amish and Akwesasne mohawk t

Happy July Folks, Before I dive into July, I’d like to spend a quick moment to look back at last month. At the end of June, we gathered to celebrate Rey Sarnow’s B’nai Mitzvah. I want to thank the warm support this entire congregation showed the Sarnow family; kol hakavod! We are all so proud of Rey’s success. Mazal tov!! As promised, I am excited to talk about the warm weather. Finally, we have reached the pinnacle of summer. July has arrived which means BBQs, fireworks, be

Happy June Temple Beth Israel, Hurray, it appears as though summer, at least officially, has arrived! Wherever summer travels may take you, I would like to encourage a sense of curiosity to explore the local Jewish community. Regardless if you’re visiting Jerusalem, Spain, or Hawaii, I always find it fascinating to partake in a local Shabbat service. I learn so much about the various Jewish customs and traditions when I take the time to meet the indigenous Jewish population.

Happy May Temple Beth Israel, With Memorial Day parades and barbeques, May is the unofficial start to the summer season. In May, we also often celebrate Shavout, which marks the unofficial end to the major Jewish holiday calendar season, as it is the last of the shalosh regalim; the three pilgrimage festivals (along with Sukkot and Passover) when farmers in ancient Israel brough their first fruits to the Temple in Jerusalem. On Shavout we also read the Ten Commandments to com

Hooray, we have finally reached March, which means spring is right around the corner! After what has been a brutal winter, the coldest in recent memory, we can set our sights to warmer days, more sunshine, the blossoming of flowers, and hopefully less winter weather. At the beginning of the month, we turn the clocks forward and after a few months without major Jewish holidays, we begin to awaken from the festival-less doldrums. As we turn the calendar to March, we usher in t