Congregation Adas Emuno

This Week at Adas Emuno

March 23, 2023 8:02 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

March 23, 2023

Dear Friends,
Have you heard of the term "national divorce"?
If you haven't, you should...and it is downright scary.
I'll speak about why that is so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We will have our final Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) of the school year this week.
Why such an early end?
For good reasons: next week is the Shabbaton; the week after is Pesach, and then six b'nei mitzvah in a row!

Ready to read the next book for our Adas Emuno Book Club (May 8)?
It's Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg.
I know this is going to be a great session because we have congregants who went to high school, to college, and to law school with Ruth Bader Ginsberg!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

March 16, 2023 9:21 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Mar. 16, 2023

Dear Friends,
The Book of Exodus, which we conclude this week, is a tale of two books.
In the process of discovering this we learn a great deal about ourselves.
I'll explain what I mean at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

We celebrate the bat mitzvah of Naomi Slater at our Shabbat Morning Service (10:00 AM).
Mazal tov to Naomi and her family!

Reminder- two fast approaching events next month require your rsvp- the Shabbaton on April 1 and our Seder on April 6.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

March 09, 2023 8:17 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

March 9, 2023

Dear Friends,
A bit of Purim redux- a new archeological discovery announced last week sheds light on the holiday we just celebrated.
And another recent find sheds light on one of the most important events in human history- the invention of the alphabet.
I'll say a few words about each at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

Our weekly portion is all about crisis management- the crisis of the Golden Calf.
We'll confront the situation at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Did you know that you do not need to have read the book to enjoy our bimonthly book club?
I myself did not get to read The Women of Rothschild: The Untold Story of the World's Most Famous Dynasty, but I'm looking forward to the discussion anyway.
Our Adas Emuno Book Club meets on Monday (7:30 PM) via Zoom.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno—Purim!

March 02, 2023 11:01 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

March 2, 2023

Dear Friends,
Its all about Purim this weekend!

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) we'll kick things off with some fun-facts about the holiday, and some special music to get us in the festival spirit.

At our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) we'll devote a special session to the Book of Esther. Regular and irregular attendees are invited to this lively discussion of the Bible's most provocative parody.

At our congregation-wide Purim Spiel and Service (10:00 AM) on Sunday we'll read from the Megillah with full sound effects, and be treated to a mini-spiel led by our students!

Afterwards you are invited to a Purim Nosh on hamantaschen (on our patio weather permitting) and to the Purim Carnival (11:00 AM).

Whew- all that's left is to say "see you there" and "Happy Purim!"

Shabbat shalom and Hag sameach,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

February 23, 2023 8:33 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Feb. 23, 2023

Dear Friends,
Did you by chance read last week that a book has come to auction that may fetch the highest price ever for a manuscript (in the $30-50 million range)!
It is no less than the oldest near-complete Hebrew Bible known to exist.
I'll share my excitement about this story at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

An interesting debate about holiness in this week's Torah portion helps explain why we venerate the Bible as we do.
We'll take that up at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

We're getting ready for Purim, which is fast approaching- note that our congregation-wide celebration will take place on Sunday morning, Mar. 5 (10:00 AM)- megillah reading, spiel, and plenty of hamantaschen, to be followed by our school carnival.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

February 16, 2023 8:04 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Feb.16, 2023

Dear Friends,
There is so much happening in Israel right now that it feels like I could talk about it all the time.
For this week, I just want to pay quiet tribute to a genuine Israeli hero, Ilan Ramon, on the 20th anniversary of his death in the Columbia space shuttle tragedy.
I'll do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

The weekly Torah portion moves into legal territory this week, and at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM), we will look at the the always vexing question of capital punishment.

Note that religious school does not meet this week in honor of President's Day weekend.

Ready to read our next book for the Adas Emuno Book Club meeting on March 13? The Women of Rothschild: The Untold Story of the World's Most Famous Dynasty by Natalie Livingstone, promises to tell all!

Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Schwartz

This Week at Adas Emuno

February 10, 2023 8:53 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Feb. 9, 2023

Dear Friends,
I am grateful to our student cantor Joe Flaxman for leading services and study while I am away.

The Ten Commandments make their appearance in this week's Torah portion.
If you haven't heard them chanted you will have the opportunity to do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM), where the fourth of the ten, to observe the Sabbath, will be discussed.

The place of the Ten Commandments in Jewish life will be considered at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

I look forward to returning on Sunday for religious school, including Confirmation Class.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz and student cantor Flaxman.

This Week at Adas Emuno—Chanting of the Song of the Sea and a Seder

February 02, 2023 8:11 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Feb. 2, 2023

Dear Friends,
I am grateful to our student cantor Joe Flaxman for leading service and study while I am away.

The Song of the Sea from the book of Exodus is probably the oldest text of the Hebrew Bible.
At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) the power of this poem will be experienced through chanting and discussion.

The message of this ancient song of liberation will be considered at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

And then join us for a Seder Tu Bishvat (11:00 AM)—an hour long celebration of the new year of trees, sampling the fruits and juices, music and poetry of this holiday. No reservation required!

The minor but fun holiday will also be marked on Sunday, at our Tot program (9:30 AM) and school-wide celebration.

Shabbat shalom and Happy Tu Bishvat,
Rabbi Schwartz and student cantor Flaxman

This Week at Adas Emuno

January 26, 2023 8:27 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Jan. 26, 2023

Dear Friends,
I am very grateful to our student cantor Joe Flaxman for leading services and study while I am away.

At our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM) the topic is theological: “Everything I do is in service to G-d, even when I do not believe in G-d.” What does it means to be a religious Jew as well as questioning Jew who believes in the power of myth?

Our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM) considers the plague of darkness. that culminates the ten plagues of the Exodus. We will explore different ways to interpret darkness in our lives (physical, spiritual…) and how we are called to be a light unto the nations.

***Advance notice: next week a Seder Tu Bishvat to celebrate the new year of trees will be held after Torah study (11:00-12:00). All are welcome!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz and Student Cantor Flaxman

This Week at Adas Emuno

January 19, 2023 12:11 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Jan. 19, 2023
Dear Friends,
Has George Santos, the newly elected congressman who "embellished" his resume given us a new word?
What is the difference between Jewish and Jew-ish?
Santos claims he is not the former but is the latter.
It’s worth discussing...and we will do so at our Shabbat Evening Service (7:30 PM).

What is the new word, and new reality, that describes the Israelites in Egypt?
That too is worth discussing...at our Shabbat Morning Torah Study (10:00 AM).

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Schwartz