On behalf of the clergy and staff of Midbar Kodesh Temple, I want to wish everyone a Shana Tova Um’tukah. As we approach the new year, I know many of you will need to take off work to celebrate the holidays. Taking off time from work to attend services and enjoy festive meals with friends and family can often make us feel anxious about our status in the work place. Our children will have to take off time from school and sometimes miss important lessons and assignments. It is

It’s time!! I cannot remember the High Holidays being so late. Each year, I like to remind everyone of the appropriate greetings for the New Year, along with the meaning of the greetings. Each holiday offers a different greeting, and it can be confusing. I would like to share with you what I think are the appropriate salutations. I share this information as much for you as for me. It will help remind me of the customary felicitations for each of the holidays. The special

The Yom Kippur war in Israel began on October 6, 1973 on Yom Kippur day. It was a watershed moment in Israeli history, politically, militarily, culturally and religiously. Its impact continues to be felt in all these categories throughout the State of Israel. Kibbutz Bet HaShita, a small secular kibbutz in Northern Israel was said to have experienced one of the biggest impacts. Earlier on in the war they lost eleven young men to the war. They refer to it as a lost generat

Ethan Reese Grisar, son of Robyn and Marc Grisar will be called to the Torah at Midbar Kodesh Temple in September. Ethan is the grandson of Barbara and Terry Raben and Edwin and Elaine Horelick, of blessed memory. His older siblings, Kameron and Emma, also celebrated their bar and bat mitzvah at Midbar Kodesh Temple. Ethan is a 7th grader at a local academy and a member of the Jr. Honor Society. He is on his school's cross country team and in the track mile club. Ethan has pl

Beginning Adult Hebrew taught by Cantor Gale Tuesday evenings 7pm - 8pm in the Midbar Kodesh Temple Social Hall First class meets on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019 If you would like to learn to read and understand Hebrew, this class is for you. We will use the text Aleph Isn’t Tough: An Introduction to Hebrew for Adults. Beginning with an introduction/review to Hebrew letters and vowels, participants will learn how to read and understand Hebrew, with emphasis on understanding of the

How do we infuse Jewish teaching and ethics even into our secular occupations? Imagine you are an attorney practicing law in an American city. How could you take a lesson from the Torah and make it a part of your everyday practice? I remember hearing a story from my colleague Rabbi Brad Hirschfield. He told of a big shot Jewish lawyer in Manhattan who was part of a worldwide firm with a multiple floor office on Fifth Avenue. One night he was out with his wife strolling down