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Feb 3, 2012, 11:57 am
"How good it is to wrap oneself in
prayer, spinning a deep softness of
gratitude to God around all thoughts,
enveloping oneself in the silken veil of song."
Abraham Joshua Heschel
A perfect quote with which to begin an O-... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
On One Foot: Joshua Hammerman's Blog
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Feb 1, 2012, 1:02 pm
Here is another letter from Jan Gaines, longtime TBE member and current resident of Netanya, on the situation in Israel.
Dear Friends,
I always seem to be bragging about our beautiful winter
weather in Netanya while you are shivering with cold, but today I'm also
shivering with cold and pleased as... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Jan 27, 2012, 8:36 am
Since I'll be away this Shabbat at a family Bar Mitzvah, let me be the first to offer a Yasher Koach to all who will be participating in this weekend's Sisterhood Shabbat. I've no doubt that it will be as great as always. Special thanks to event chairs Denise Greenman and Linda Hempel Braun and to S... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Jan 20, 2012, 10:14 am
We have lots of guests coming to TBE this Shabbat.
Each year for the past few decades, dozens of TBE
congregants participate in the preparation, delivery and serving of Christmas
Eve dinners at local homeless shelters. It’s not just a one-time thing, as we service
the needy of our community ... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Jan 13, 2012, 9:49 am
This weekend we commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.
On the evening of March 25, 1968, ten days before he was killed, Dr. King appeared at the sixty-eighth annual convention of the Rabbinical Assembly. He was presented to the Assembly by Dr. Abraham Joshua Heschel, his comrade in the... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Jan 12, 2012, 9:06 am
Together with their
grandfather, Leslie Novis, who celebrates his 91st birthday this weekend, Gaby and Marley Baum will be coming up to the Torah this Shabbat, as they did in Jerusalem last November, where they joined a group of seniors traveling in Israel with the Jewish Home for the Elderly in ... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Jan 6, 2012, 8:26 am
The Inbal in Jerusalem was named one of the top ten Best in the World Middle Eastern hotels by Conde Nast. And we're staying there on our TBE Israel Adventure this summer!
2 Israeli hotels in 'Conde Nast' Top 10
Read the mouth-watering review:
The neo-Byzantine landmark made of Jerusalem stone... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
On One Foot: Joshua Hammerman's Blog
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Jan 5, 2012, 6:08 pm
Shabbat Shalom!
Welcome to 2012. If you are missing the snow (personally, I'm not), you need to head on out to Israel's winter wonderland. And while you are visiting the Israel 21c site, you might want to take a look at the top 10 science stories of 2011 and see why Tel Aviv was named on... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Dec 28, 2011, 10:13 am
Check out our newly revised, interactive itinerary for next summer's TBE Israel Adventure, by clicking here. The changes reflect requests made by the group at our recent informational meeting. The group is coming together. Click here for pricing and here for the registration form.
Update... Comment - Like
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Dec 15, 2011, 5:25 pm
This week I wrote an article for the Jewish Week in which I attempted to explore the phenomenon of Denver quarterback Tim Tebow to make broad points about society and extremism. I now realize that some of my statements had the reverse effect of what I had intended and for this I deeply and sincerel... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Dec 12, 2011, 3:16 pm
Shabbat shalom!You know speeches are very difficult for me. I have never liked them. I was always the one who never practiced a speech but somehow ended up getting an excellent grade on them anyway.So here it goes...At this moment I'm standing in limbo, hovering between my past and my future. (Put s... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
On One Foot: Joshua Hammerman's Blog
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Dec 11, 2011, 8:52 am
With today's revelation that Ryan Braun tested positive for a banned substance, I must confess to my own steroid issue. Last week I was diagnosed with a herniated disc and immediately began a regimen of steroids as treatment. I was recovering fast enough to be listed as "probable" for this past Sha... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
On One Foot: Joshua Hammerman's Blog
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Dec 9, 2011, 3:00 pm
Responding To Merry ChristmasRabbi Joshua Hammerman Jewish Week Online Columnisthttp://www.thejewishweek.com/features/hammerman_ethics/responding_merry_christmasQ: It’s that time of year, when everyone everywhere is saying “Merry Christmas” to me, even people who know that I am Jewish. Should... Comment - Like
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Oct 31, 2011, 1:12 pm
Shabbat Shalom! Ok, so there are 2 muffins sitting in the oven. One muffin says to the other “Boy its hot in here” and the other muffin goes “WOW, a talking muffin!” You are probably wondering what connection this has to my portion. The answer is absolutely nothing. In my portion, God comma... Comment - Like
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Oct 31, 2011, 1:11 pm
Shabbat Shalom!This is a very special night. I am very lucky to be standing here in this room with all of you; talking about my Bat Mitzvah portion of Lech Lecha. I’ve wanted to learn this portion for my Bat Mitzvah ever since the second grade, when I was chosen to sing the song Lech Lecha at a ... Comment - Like
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Oct 28, 2011, 11:54 am
ON SIMHAT TORAH, WE HONORED SUZANNE AND NORMAN STONE FOR THEIR STELLAR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS. WE ASKED THEM TO SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTEERING TO THEM. HERE IS WHAT THEY SAID:SUZANNE Norman and I are very honored to receive this special recognition. Since joining Temple Beth El six years ... Comment - Like
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Oct 28, 2011, 8:47 am
Are Zoos Ethical?Thursday, October 27, 2011 Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, Jewish Week Online ColumnistClick here for Parsha PacketClick here for an archived TBE Bark Mitzvah Booklet Q – Given the recent Ohio tragedy involving a private zoo, in which dozens of exotic animals were killed, I was wonderin... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
On One Foot: Joshua Hammerman's Blog
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Oct 18, 2011, 1:42 pm
Dear Friends,The Hagim (holidays) here in Israel starts with frenzied shopping before Rosh Hashonah. Not just for food, but new clothes, kitchen and dining items, and even furniture. The lines in the supermarkets lasted an hour, giving me plenty of time to chat with other shoppers in my line. One yo... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Oct 16, 2011, 8:02 pm
We had a blast at today's Sukkah Hop, as beautiful fall weather finally arrived. A nice crowd came by to my place for lunch and the cantor's next door for dessert. Click below for photo album also featuring photos from the decorating of the temple's Sukkah, a mock Brit Milah in our Religious School,... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Oct 11, 2011, 5:41 pm
See this Action Guide connecting Sukkot to the current famine in Africa, distributed by ONE,am advocacy organization devoted to fighting poverty on that continent. And while you are at it, check out Hazon's Guide for a Healthy and Sustainable Sukkot to make this a most meaningful holiday from a glo... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Oct 11, 2011, 5:02 pm
Johannesburg, Jackson, Boston… And Jerusalem?Tuesday, October 11, 2011Joshua Hammerman Special To The Jewish Weekhttp://www.thejewishweek.com/editorial_opinion/opinion/johannesburg_jackson_boston_and_jerusalemDuring a visit to South Africa last summer, I stopped at the Apartheid Museum in Johannes... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Oct 11, 2011, 4:42 pm
A Thousand Terrorists for Shalit?http://www.thejewishweek.com/features/hammerman_ethics/thousand_terrorists_shalit_0Q – Is the release of Gilad Shalit worth an exchange of a thousand Hamas prisoners, including some who have blood on their hands and could well kill more innocent Israelis (and other... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Oct 11, 2011, 4:31 pm
Introduction to the Torah Reading – Yom Kippur Morning, 5772Rabbi Michelle Dardashti, Temple Beth El“Craziness.” This was the subject heading of an email I received last year—the day before Yom Kippur—as I sat pondering the meaning of the strange and confusing ritual described in the secti... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Oct 7, 2011, 9:30 am
Yom Kippur SermonsAudio for Kol Nidrehttp://www.archive.org/details/RabbiJoshuaHammermanKolNidre2011_829 Audio for YK Dayhttp://www.archive.org/details/RabbiJoshuaHammermanYomKippur2011 Kol Nidre 5772 Engaging Our Pain Rabbi Joshua Hammerman Last week I spoke about some of the ... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Oct 3, 2011, 8:56 am
Erev Rosh Hashonah Sermon, 5772 I believe this is the fifth year that I’ve been invited to give this sermon, so it’s the fifth year in a row that the first sermon you hear in the New Year is the one delivered by me. Rabbi Hammerman either thinks that I set a good tone for the rest of the year, ... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Oct 1, 2011, 3:50 pm
Rosh Hashanah Day 1, 5772The Right Side of History, by Rabbi Joshua Hammerman FOR AUDIO CLICK HEREWhat a year we’ve just concluded! An earthquake and a hurricane in the same week, and some tornadoes for good measure. A tsunami in Japan with a nuclear catastrophe thrown in, an economic roller coast... Comment - Like
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Sep 27, 2011, 3:30 pm
Join us on our next fantastic TBE Israel Adventure in the summer of 2012. To see the full itinerary, click here. Pricing and other information can be found here and the registration form can be downloaded here.Reservations are being taken now!See 60 Things I love about Israel Comment - Like
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Sep 22, 2011, 1:32 pm
Fasting Before A MarathonQ - My brother and I are running the Chicago Marathon which is the day after Yom Kippur. We want to fast, however we have been told that it is unwise to do so the day before running 26 miles. Since this is an ethical dilemma, we need your advice.A – Well, at the very least... Comment - Like
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Sep 22, 2011, 11:09 am
Q – Was it right for the state of Georgia to execute Troy Anthony Davis?A – The Davis case has once again put capital punishment on trial. No DNA evidence implicated him, no gun, no fingerprints and a bevy of recanting witnesses. I’d say that there is more than a remote possibility that an inn... Comment - Like
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Sep 21, 2011, 3:41 pm
Shabbat Shalom!Those of you who know me know how I love to skateboard. I was around 9 years old when I first tried it out, and I must say I’ve gotten pretty good. So, why do I like it? Well, for one thing, it’s lots of fun. I like the speed, the wind in my face, mastering tricks like an Oll... Comment - Like
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Sep 15, 2011, 5:05 pm
My Torah portion contains over 70 mitzvot, more laws than any other portion in the Torah. Almost all of them have to do with relationships – between friends, parents and children, workers and employers and people and animals. Some of the examples given in this portion, though, may not be the most... Comment - Like
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Sep 7, 2011, 12:04 pm
Believe it or not my Torah portion today is not Noah and the great flood, even though that may be the most appropriate, given this past week’s events. I am so relieved that we are all here together celebrating my Bat Mitzvah, with electricity -- and with the Rabbi. Today my Torah portion is Shoft... Comment - Like
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Aug 24, 2011, 5:42 pm
The recent flare up in Israel's south needs to be taken seriously - as Israel and others are doing - but let's call it what it is: an indication of the weakening power of the extremists. Hamas and its Syrian-Iranian allies thus far have been unable to sustain its plot to drag Israel into a sustaine... Comment - Like
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Aug 24, 2011, 7:02 am
We didn't so much experience the earthquake itself as we did its human aftershocks.
When the earthquake hit, we were driving along Pennsylvania Avenue, from Georgetown, where we had just had lunch, toward the White House. We had decided to make a swing through downtown DC before saying goodbye t... Comment - Like
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Aug 19, 2011, 8:40 am
Chasing The Mother Bird: A Strange Mitzvah10ShareRabbi Joshua HammermanFriday, August 12, 2011 Q: An acquaintance of mine recently boasted to me that he had happened upon a bird's nest and seized the opportunity to perform what he considered the mitzvah of shiluach hakan, scaring away a mother bird... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Aug 19, 2011, 8:35 am
My Worst Enemy's Shiva Friday, August 19, 2011 Q. The mother of my worst enemy just died and I'm not sure whether to visit during Shiva. In truth, I sincerely see this as a chance to reconcile (we haven't spoken in about five years but have a lot of friends in common). My only concern is that he w... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Aug 10, 2011, 1:57 pm
SIXTY FIVE members of our community - representing Chabad of Stamford, Congregation Agudath Sholom, Temple Beth El, Temple Sinai, Young Israel of Stamford - and the UJF and BJE studied a seminal Tisha B'av text together at the inaugural "Texts that Tie us Together" program, co sponsored Young Israel... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Aug 5, 2011, 1:51 pm
Halakhah Think Tank: The Nine Days: "by Rabbi Ethan Tucker Mishnah Ta’anit 4:6 articulates the principle that, with the arrival of Av, we minimize our joy. Various texts, synthesized in Shulhan Arukh 551, give this concrete expression: we minimize our profit-making initiatives and avoid building... Comment - Like
Joshua H. posted an article on
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Aug 5, 2011, 9:19 am
Shabbat Shalom! It's good to be back and I look forward to seeing everyone at our outdoor Kabbalat Shabbat service this evening at 6:30. I want to thank everyone for holding the fort while I was away, including those who gave divrei Torah and led services. I'm especially appreciative of Cantor Mo... Comment - Like
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Aug 4, 2011, 9:26 pm
Amy Winehouse And CremationQ - I have always been under the impression that cremation and tatoos are forbidden by Jewish law. Yet the recent funeral for Amy Winehouse was very Jewish in nature although the singer — who was amply tattooed — had asked to be cremated. Is cremation now accepted in... Comment - Like
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Aug 3, 2011, 7:08 pm
English Translation of Masorti's statement The Masorti movement in Israel will designate Tisha B'Av as a day of solidarity with the “tent protest” movement. On the evening of the fast, and for the duration of the day, we will hold events connecting the destruction of the ancient Temple with thi... Comment - Like
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Aug 3, 2011, 3:52 pm
Here is part two of Chancellor Arnold Eisen's blog about prayer in the synagogue. he effectively makes the case for how we can enhance the prayer experience in Conservative synagogues.You can see part one and respond to this essay at http://jtsa.edu/prebuilt/blog/tefillah-continued.html. See his JTS... Comment - Like
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Jul 29, 2011, 9:56 am
From the Jewish WeekQ – The recent police detainment of prominent right wing Israeli rabbis accused of incitement has been in the news lately. At issue is the halachic tract “Torat Hamelech," (the “Torah of Kings”) which allegedly condones the murder of non Jews in some circumstances. This i... Comment - Like
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Jul 29, 2011, 9:55 am
A Thousand Terrorists for Shalit? From the Jewish WeekQ – Is the release of Gilad Shalit worth an exchange of a thousand Hamas prisoners, including some who have blood on their hands and could well kill more innocent Israelis (and others)?A- For Jews, this is a classic search for the lesser of the... Comment - Like
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Jul 25, 2011, 5:45 pm
Laugh. Cry. Love: Liberal Judaism LivesJoshua Hammerman Tuesday, July 19, 2011Special To The Jewish WeekI suspect that nearly every American seminary student of the past generation has heard a variant of this sage advice attributed to the preacher Henry Fosdick:“Make ‘em laugh, make ‘em cry; 2... Comment - Like
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Jul 25, 2011, 5:19 pm
We just returned from an unforgettable visit to South Africa and Zimbabwe. The natural wonders that we witnessed were so vast that I had to try my hand at a little amateur nature photography. To see a small sampling of the over 3,000 photos I shot at Victorian Falls, Soweto, Cape Town and on Safari,... Comment - Like
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Jul 8, 2011, 5:07 pm
Rabbi Joshua HammermanFriday, July 8, 2011Rabbi Joshua HammermanQ - I frequently use a 10-trip punch card on the LIRR. Often the conductor fails to appear to punch the card before I get off. What is my obligation here? Should I tear up the card before it runs out to make up the difference or am I fr... Comment - Like
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