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Nancy F-K Tazria Metzora Dvar Torah
Last week there appeared in my mailbox at RRC, a book that I had never heard of by someone who was also unknown to me. The book is called The Plausible God: Secular Reflections on Liberal Jewish Theology. The author, Mitchell Silver, is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts, and a devout secular Jew. His book was occasioned by a growing realization that all of his good philosophical arguments against religion were really arguments against traditional theism, the “old God” as he calls Him. And I use the word “Him” advisedly here.
https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/spoken-audio/why-do-we-pray-dvar-torah-tazriametzora
Posted on: 2016/08/22 - 2:31am
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Elsie Stern Shavuot 2012 Audio Teaching
Note: the following is a verbatim transcript for accessibility to the hearing-impaired. It has not been edited for general publication.
Posted on: 2016/08/22 - 3:02am
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Affiliation Landing
Being An Affiliate
https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/being-an-affiliate
Posted on: 2016/08/22 - 3:39pm
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Ethics and Values Landing
Jewish tradition is imbued with values that bear on every important decision we face. What are my obligations to my community? How should I handle charitable giving in a world overwhelmed by human need? How do I navigate decisions on issues ranging from sexual ethics and gender identity to end-of-life decisions?
https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/learn/ethics-and-values
Posted on: 2016/09/09 - 10:33am
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Jewish Time Landing
The Jewish Week: Shabbat
There is no more prominent and frequent occurrence in the Jewish calendar than the weekly arrival of Shabbat. Along with the remaining six days of the week, Shabbat provides the basic rhythm of Jewish time. Six days of work, one day of rest: mundane, holy. Hurry up, slow down. Get distracted, return to the Source of All. Worry about yourself and your loved ones, remember your blessings. In the Havdala blessing that marks the end of Shabbat, God is praised for distinguishing between holy and mundane (hamavdil beyn kodesh l’ḥol).
https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/act/jewish-time-shabbat-and-holidays
Posted on: 2016/09/09 - 10:37am
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Life Cycle Landing
Jewish rituals embody our ancestors’ understanding about God, the world, human relationships and the meaning of life, and they connect participants to the Jewish people and its story. These rituals exist because they were successful at helping our forebears to successfully navigate their liminal moments. In our time, people turn to Jewish ritual, in part, because they want to be connected to the Jewish people and to Jewish history. There is meaning for us in being part of that chain of tradition (shalshelet hakabala).
https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/act/life-cycle
Posted on: 2016/09/09 - 10:38am
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Doing Justice Landing
One of the most oft-quoted verses in the Bible proclaims, “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof - Justice, justice shall you pursue.” (Deuteronomy 16:20) The rabbis taught that this is an example of imitatio Dei, of imitating God’s behavior, because God is just. The rabbis portray God as balancing din, strict, retributive justice, with raḥamim, mercy.
https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/act/doing-justice
Posted on: 2016/09/09 - 10:46am
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Inclusion Landing
We welcome all into our communities regardless of ability, age, race, sexual orientation, family status or level of knowledge. Because we see ourselves as embodying a spark of the divine (b’tzelem Elohim, cf. Genesis 1:26), we understand that every person has infinite worth; therefore, no human being should be treated merely as an object, and we should always attempt to see the humanity in those we encounter.
https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/act/inclusion
Posted on: 2016/09/09 - 10:47am
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G'milut Hesed Landing
G’milut Hesed, acts of kindess, involves loyalty, dependability and caring for others in need. It arises not merely from friendship or personal feeling, but from a sense of obligation. Jewish communities have long made it the business of every member to visit the sick, care for elders, comfort mourners, welcome guests, and celebrate the formation of new families and the welcoming of children. Actions like these are the glue that holds a covenantal community together. They are the cause, not the result, of closer connections between people.
https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/act/doing-justice/gmilut-hesed
Posted on: 2016/09/09 - 10:49am
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Tikkun Olam Landing
Tikkun olam (social activism, or literally “world repair”) is an attempt to repair a breach in the just functioning of the world. Tikkun olam is a central wellspring of spirituality and meaning for many contemporary Jews.
https://archive.reconstructingjudaism.org/act/doing-justice/tikkun-olam
Posted on: 2016/09/09 - 10:50am