The Omer: What Are We Counting? And Why?
Why do we count the Omer? Ask 3 people and you might well get 3 answers. We are counting the days between Pesach and Shavuot, the time we left the […]
May 15, 2025
April 24, 2025
Descendants of Holocaust Survivors Share Family Stories
In spaces scattered throughout Beth El Synagogue on Wednesday evening, small groups gathered to hear the stories – heartbreaking and hopeful – of how their families survived the Holocaust. Zikaron […]
April 16, 2025
The Resourceful, Righteous Women Who Helped The Jews From Egypt
At this time of year most women feel as though they are the slaves that came out of Egypt with the never ending Pesach cleaning, cooking and family catering. We […]
April 10, 2025
Minnesota Clergy Urges Congress Not To Cut SNAP Program
Dear Members of Congress, We write as Minnesota Jewish clergy members serving a variety of organizations and congregations possessing a wide range of public policy perspectives. We are united by […]
March 11, 2025
King Ahasuerus: Foolish Puppet or Malevolent Despot?
Some characters in the Purim story are transparent: Queen Esther is good Mordechai is good Haman is bad But what about King Ahasuerus? Most of us remember the story of […]
January 10, 2025
When Do I Say Kaddish?
Some years ago one of my elderly relatives remarried. Her new husband Shimon, was a Holocaust survivor whose relatives had been deported from France and murdered in Auschwitz, but he […]
December 24, 2024
Hanukkah Miracle Latkes: Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Delicious
I grew up in a big family that has always entertained a variety of eaters. At holiday meals, dishes would be organized buffet-style into sections labeled “kosher,” “vegetarian,” and “heathen.” […]
October 14, 2024
Honest Instructions for Building a Sukkah
Welcome to the season of Sukkot, a time of family, community, and the realization that you have 3.5 days to build a hut on your lawn. So pull out the […]
October 11, 2024
Watch Your Words
During Yom Kippur we confess almost 200 times in our prayers to sins connected with our speech. Out of the 44 sins in the “Al Cheit” prayer, 11 are associated […]
October 2, 2024
Rosh Hashanah 5785
This year I want to dip apples in saltwater I want to spread honey on my wounds How does one forgive the sting of alienation? How does one atone for […]