Editor Note: Carol is a former president of Nutley Hebrew Congregation
Time flies when you are where you belong!
On July 1, 2024, the Nutley Hebrew Congregation will have been part of Congregation Shomrei Emunah for 30 years, a milestone worthy of a history lesson in how our merger came about. I am sure everyone knows the phrase: It is not what you know but who you know. This was very true in our case. Continue reading
Editor Note: Kelli shared her conversion story at Shabbat services on June 15, as part of our tradition where a different congregant will share their conversion story each year when we read from the Book of Ruth on Shavuot.
Good morning, everyone. It is a privilege to stand before you today to share the story of my conversion, at long last, to Judaism.
It started with Shehechiyanu. Continue reading
We spent the last four Shabbatot doing it “my way” surrounded by the side of our family that we rarely see, our younger daughter and her family who live in the northern French city of Lille.
We arrived early Friday morning jet lagged and wanting nothing more than a shower and a nap. But it was already mid-afternoon when we walked into the house. While my daughter is not observant, when I am visiting we always do Shabbat, lighting candles and eating hopefully homebaked hallah.
Dear Shomrei Community,
The last Shabbat Shabbat Your Way before the summer is on May 31.
I want to thank everyone who participated in Shabbat Your Way this year and especially everyone who opened up their homes. We hope you’ll continue to host people over the summer and we’ll officially pick up in the fall.
And please share your Shabbat story with us at email hidden; JavaScript is required.
We were a small group of Jews traveling in Uzbekistan, a predominantly Muslim country. Our tour group had originally included nine others who dropped out of the trip after war started between Israel and Hamas, because they did not feel comfortable being in a Muslim country. However we felt safe and entirely welcome. (All these people wanted to take picture with us!)
These reflections were written by participants in Rabbi Julie’s Pre-Passover workshop, Seder During Wartime, in April 2024. Continue reading
We spent two Shabbatot in Uzbekistan.
The first Shabbat was in Bukhara. The men in our group attended Friday services (we had been told earlier in the day by the Rabbi that women do not attend services on Friday).
Afterwards we all made our way for Shabbat dinner to the home of a Muslim family who specializes in cooking kosher meals for Israeli tour groups. Continue reading
Dear Shomrei Community,
Every Friday night when we bless the wine for Kiddush, we sing both of the creation of the world and the exodus from Egypt. It’s a reminder that it is only as free people that we can pause our work and celebrate Shabbat. And this year, the one and only Shabbat during Passover falls on Shabbat Your Way!
Even though there won’t be any challah, we encourage you to have or host Shabbat Your Way on April 26.
And please share your Shabbat Passover story with us at email hidden; JavaScript is required.
One of the privileges of living in the United States of America, is being able to have conversations about politics and/or religion without the fear of one’s life being at risk. Continue reading
I was sorry to be missing the Shomrei Purim celebrations. But I was looking forward to celebrating Purim in another country.
We met with Rabbi Abram Ishakov the day before Purim, on Friday. Rabbi Abram is the rabbi of the synagogue in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, a Jewish community of about 100 people. Continue reading