Shalom, chaveirim, dear friends ~

 

We had a lovely start to the New Year as a congregation and I am so grateful to the many people who helped to make that happen!! In our program, you can see the many individuals who contributed to everything from set up, to the flowers, to feeding us!

 

For those who were unable to join us - or who would like to review, I am including my two sermons:

 

"American & Jewish … at the same time - so now what? Dig in, find pride, and find your place." (Rosh HaShanah Evening)

 

"What to do with an empathy deficiency?" (Rosh HaShanah Morning)

 

As extra reading material, I created a packet of four articles related to my evening sermon on being American and being Jewish.

 

Please make sure to have a look at important remarks from our temple president, Jay Adler. Thank you, Jay, for your leadership, kind words, and inspiration for the work and community we are building together!

 

In case you missed the chance to "do tashlikh" - fear not! The practice can be done anytime between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur! Here is a Tashlikh service and at no extra charge: you will find a 'seder' with prayers for special blessings with seasonal foods!

 

Tomorrow evening, we will mark Shabbat Shuvah - named for the haftarah reading from the prophet Hoshea. In lieu of Torah reading this week during Kabbalat Shabbat, we'll examine the haftarah reading to consider repentance from days of old right up into our current one!

 

May it be a sweet and healthy new year for us all and for all of Israel -

 

Rabbi Mark Cohn, 25 September 2025

 

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WHAT'S UP RABBI?

SUGGESTED ARTICLES, PODCASTS, & FURTHER RESOURCES

 

Hadar's Annual High Holy Day "Reader" - See: Teshuvah and Forgiveness.

This booklet is filled with texts and passages for learning and exploration of the major themes of the holidays.

 

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Mijal Bitton, Committed, "Don't Sleepwalk Through Rosh Hashana" (18 September 2025). Even with the holiday behind us - the message still resonates!

 

On this week's Identity Crisis, "God as King in an Age of Authoritarianism" (22 September 2025) Yehuda Kurtzer, President of the Shalom Hartman Institute and Ethan Tucker, president of Hadar and co-author of Gender Equality and Prayer in Jewish Life, wonder and discuss what it means to pray ancient words in a world shaped by present fears and political tensions. They suggest how we can navigate the frameworks of tradition and modern egalitarian commitments.

 

Daniel Gordis, Israel from the Inside, "Why would anyone force Israel's basketball team to go to a classical music concert? Unless that's not what it was ..." (22 September 2025) A beautiful moment of levity and light as we search for strength and unity.