It’s traditional to have honey on Rosh Hashanah to symbolize our hope for a sweet new year. That includes dipping apple and challah in honey. Over the years, I’ve also accumulated some recipes with honey that I make only at this time of the year – on Rosh Hashanah itself or during the period between Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot. Continue reading
Category Archives: Congregant Voices
My Conversion Story
Editor Note: Lynne shared her conversion story at Shabbat/Shavuot services on May 27, beginning a new tradition where a different congregant will share their conversion story each year on the second day of Shavuot when we read from the Book of Ruth.
Hi, I’m Lynne. I’m a convert.
I met Bruce on a blind date. We instantly bonded over theater technology. I was a professionally trained actress, and, in addition to performing, I had spent time backstage working with, among other things, sound and lighting. He was a follow spot and light board operator on Broadway. Continue reading
My First Trip to Israel
In Honor of the 75th Anniversary of Israel, I wrote this article remembering my first trip to Israel.
My first trip to Israel was a 10 day Daphna Tour, December 1967, the first Chanukah after the Six Day War.
I remember seeing the whole country of Israel from the air and being moved with tears of joy. I felt deeply connected to Israel. Continue reading
My Extraordinary Cousin, Benjamin Ferencz
My father’s first cousin, Benjamin Ferencz, died on April 7th at the age of 103. He was famous for being the youngest prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials. At 27 years old, his first trial, he convicted 22 high ranking SS German officers of killing over 1 million Jews. The Associated Press called the trial, “the biggest murder trial in history”. The horrors of WWII never faded, and he dedicated his life to helping victims of persecution. Continue reading
Jewish Relativity: A Seder Story
We had what I consider to be small seders this year ― 6 people the first night at my sister’s and only 10 (plus our 2 toddler grandchildren) here for the second night.
I am from a family of six (I have 2 brothers and a sister). My mother had two sisters – each with a spouse, one with three children and the other with five. Adding in my grandparents meant that we had 20 people at each seder. So 20 is what I always considered to be a normal-sized seder. Continue reading
Clearing Out the Pantry
Pesach for me has always been about more than the actual week of the holiday. It starts several weeks before as I think about clearing out all the chametz from our pantry.
Here are a few of the recipes I’ve come up with over the years to use up pasta. During most of the year, I make pasta once or maybe twice a week. However in the last few weeks before Pesach, we might have pasta almost every night. We also usually have stockpiled several large jars of marinated artichokes as well as cans of beans and tomatoes. Continue reading
Our Trip to Spain
Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, Toledo
When we visited the Czech Republic, it was bittersweet to see restored synagogues in every town we visited although there were no longer any Jews. But in Spain, as we found out on our recent visit, there is mostly nothing remaining. Jews were not only expelled from Spain but their heritage was erased. Continue reading
Connection
My poem “CONNECTION” examines the difficult task of tracing one’s ancestral origins and the many challenges this search presents. We all fall into a time and space continuum with lives that reflect different aspects of those who have gone before us. Which often helps explain WHY we do certain things we do. And how certain inherited traits, amazingly, impact our life so many years later! Indeed, there is much to learn from the past because in countless ways, it helps define the present.A Letter To My Son
I wrote this letter to my son in response to the antisemitism we’ve been experiencing in Montclair and our nation. I wrote this letter in time for Shabbat. I plan to read it to him at our Shabbat dinner and insist he puts it away in safe keeping somewhere in his room. I hope my letter helps others discuss antisemitism with their children. Continue reading
It Takes a Minyan
In life, there are certain things that cannot be done alone. In Judaism, there are certain prayers that cannot be said alone. Kaddish is one of them – it takes a minyan. At Shomrei there are currently three regularly scheduled opportunities to say Kaddish: the services we have Friday night, Saturday morning, and Sunday morning.
To ensure that we always have ten people for the Sunday Morning Minyan, Linda Ariel will begin collecting names of those who would like to be called upon, or scheduled, to attend the Sunday morning minyan. Continue reading