Shabbat Blast

Hodesh tov! Today is Rosh Hodesh Av, and we are simultaneously celebrating the start of the month of Av, while transitioning into days of mourning culminating in the fast day of Tish’a B’av, immediately following next Shabbat.

We have chosen tonight to magnify the celebratory aspect of both Rosh Hodesh and Shabbat, but there will also be subdued moments in tonight’s service, for example, we’ll start...Read more...

Shabbat Blast!

Tonight:

Shabbat by the Sea is now Shabbat In Bellmore!!!!

Due to the storms forecasted for this evening, we have changed the venue for Shabbat By...Read more...

Shabbat Blast!

Tonight:

Services at 8:00 PM

Tomorrow:

Nosh and Drosh at 9:00

Services at 9:45 AM

Read more...

Shabbat Blast!

Tonight:

Meet and Greet with Potential Members 4:00-6:30

Services at 6:30 PM

Tomorrow:

Nosh and Drosh at...Read more...

Shabbat Blast!

We’ve heard you loud and clear. You have been bombarded with Emails from us. So in an effort to reduce your email clutter, we are going to be sending out 2 emails a week.  On Mondays you will get a full listing of all of the...Read more...

Shabbat Blast!

We’ve heard you loud and clear. You have been bombarded with Emails from us. So in an effort to reduce your email clutter, we are going to be sending out 2 emails a week.  On Mondays you will get a full listing of all of the...Read more...

Rice and Beans! Some of us eat them on Passover and some don't. The term for these kernels is Kitniyot. The Conservative Movement just released a couple of papers permitting (and some forbidding) Ashkenazim to eat them. It has always been the custom for Sephardim to eat them. If you want to learn more, join Rabbi Bernstein on Wednesday April 20th, 11:45 AM-12:30 PM...Read more...

Dear [first_name],

This is the season of rejuvenation and change. We are feeling it with the seasons and we are feeling it with changes within our synagogue. We will welcome Cantor Rebecca Apt to our community this Shabbat and we are also integrating two communities to be one Kehillah.

You can even feel the change in the amount of Torahs we will read...Read more...

Today is Shushan Purim. We all thought it was over, but think again! Depending on whether your city is walled determines if you celebrated Purim Wednesday night and Thursday, or Thursday night and Friday. This is the only holiday that has a distinction based on the walls around your city. In cities that were surrounded by a wall at the time of the Biblical Joshua, Purim is...Read more...

We are on the verge of finishing the book of Shemot, almost starting Vayikra. At the end of our Torah portion, we will read, “Chazak chazak venitchazek.” Be strong! Be strong! And may we be strengthened!” We can look at this chant as encouragement for reflection as well: “Look at the strength we have cultivated by studying Torah thus far,” and may our...Read more...

In our parasha this week, we begin plans to build the Mishkan, the travelling Sanctuary in the desert. God says  famous words in Exodus 25:8, “V’asu li mikdash, veshachanti betocham.” “Make for me a Sanctuary and I will dwell among you.” Where is God dwelling? Do we really believe that God can be contained in one building? Many people approach the synagogue...Read more...

Something incredible is about to happen to the Jewish people in our Torah portion, Yitro. One minute we stand as just a people and in a moment we will become the People of the Book. Not just a series of tribes, but a people with the Torah, which will be revealed MOMENTARILY.  This is not just a grand moment, it is also an intimate moment for everyone standing at Mt....Read more...

I have insiders and outsiders on the mind. The other day I joined the Bet class in a discussion about what it is like to be a Jew at this time of year. Our students talked about feeling left out when other kids talk about Elf on the Shelf. They don’t want to be the only one talking about Mentsch on a Bench. We had an amazing conversation about what it means to be a minority that has such a strong impact on the world. We talked about being...Read more...

This Shabbat, since it is Chanukah, I have Antiochus on the mind. Antiochus was the Syrian Greek king who, according to tradition, ordered an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple in 167 BCE. He banned the...Read more...

It can be hard to be a Jew during the holiday season. How many times are you in this situation? You’re saying goodbye to someone and they cheerfully exclaim, “Merry Christmas!” to you on the street and you think to yourself in the span of 2 seconds, “I have 3 options (with some variation):

Exclaim: “Happy Chanukah!!” And remind them that not everyone celebrates Christmas.

Let...Read more...