Tag Archives: Rabbi Julie Roth

Shabbat Your Way Message From Rabbi Julie

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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.

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Shabbat Your Way Message From Rabbi Julie

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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.

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MESH Report April 9, 2024

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The sun shone brightly and spirits were high as our energetic volunteers prepared 50 take-away meals for our MESH guests. Working hard on chopping were Rabbi Julie and her sons Ilan and Rafael.  Always willing volunteer Susan Rosenblatt filled little cups with tartar sauce while Carole Rothman wrapped Italian rolls. Alex Kent got the main course ready for the oven. Continue reading →

Yes, It Counts – Shabbat Your Way

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Dear Beloved Shomrei Community –

We did it!  Last month 56 individuals and families from Shomrei either had or hosted Shabbat dinner.  We’re hoping to have 50+ again for Shabbat Your Way this month, February 23, 2024.   Our goal is to become a community where at least 100 out of our 225 individual and family members have or host Shabbat dinner at least once a month. Continue reading →

Hardening the Heart: Thoughts on Parashat Va’era

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The notion of hardening the heart occurs 20 times in the book of Exodus.

Ten of these occurrences state either that Pharoah hardened his [own] heart (8:28, 9:34) or say that Pharoah’s heart hardened, suggesting that this was something that Pharoah did on his own (7:13, 7:14, 7:22, 8:11, 8:15, 9:7 , 9:35). The other ten occurrences attribute the heart hardening to God (4:21, 7:3, 9:12, 10:1, 10:20, 10:27, 11:10, 14:4, 14:8, 14:17).

The idea that God intentionally hardened Pharoah’s heart has always troubled me. Why would God do that? And how, if God made this happen, can we blame Pharoah and hold him accountable for his actions? Continue reading →

Reflecting on the Civil Rights Trip

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Outside the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, Alabama

Risa’s opening remarks and the reflections were shared at MLK Shabbat (1/13/24). Participants in the November 2023 Civil Rights trip were asked to share one powerful and specific impression from their experience.

Risa Bernstein

As most of you know, a group of 33 Shomrei members traveled together to the deep South this past November for a Civil Rights Educational trip. How fitting that we, as we gather again on this special MLK Shabbat, we remember that it was LAST year’s MLK Shabbat, and the moving sermon from Rabbi Justus around issues in Black and Jewish relations, that inspired us to travel.

In listening to some of Rabbi Justus’ insights from trips with similar itineraries, many of us were moved … and thinking how impactful it would be for us to take part in a like-minded learning journey. Continue reading →