Rabbi Chessin’s Monthly Column
Spread Light Throughout Our World
Spread Light Throughout Our WorldBy Rabbi Judy Chessin As we kindle our Hanukkah menorahs, only a month after the horrifying “Tree of Life Synagogue” shooting in Pittsburgh, we might be reminded of this season in years past in Billings, Montana. Twenty-five years ago, in 1993, white supremacists in Billings broke windows of Jewish homes which […]
Jews Well Represented Among Candidates
Jews Well Represented Among CandidatesBy Rabbi Judy Chessin As we face national midterm elections, we should consider that, while Jews comprise less than 2% of the American population, we represent 6% of the candidates running for election in the 2018 elections. There are 56 candidates for congress who identify as Jewish, 41 Democrats, and 15 […]
Should Jews Celebrate Trick or Treat
Should Jews Celebrate Trick or Treat?By Rabbi Judy Chessin Every October some American Jewish organizations warn us NOT to dress our children in costumes because “observance of Halloween is not Jewish.” What, we may wonder, could possibly be wrong with dressing up our children and sending them to gather candy and treats from our neighbors? […]
Celebrating the Bounty of our Young People
Celebrating the Bounty of our Young PeopleBy Rabbi Judy Chessin The Reform Jewish ceremony of Confirmation has evolved over its brief time-span. Its origins go back to the late 1800’s when the founders of the reform movement introduced a number of radical changes to Jewish practice. One concern was that 13, the age of Bar/t Mitzvah, was […]
How to Pump Up Your ‘Jewish Volume’
How to Pump Up Your Jewish VolumeBy Rabbi Judy Chessin Summertime may seem like a break, for some, from Judaism. Makor, our Sunday-School, is on hiatus, and we have a couple months before our High Holidays. The ebb and flow of our Jewish activity level has been measured in what some call “Jewish volume.” This […]
The Difference Between Temple and Synagogue
January 7, 2019
The Difference Between Temple and Synagogue By Rabbi Judy Chessin I am often asked the “difference” between the terms temple (as in Temple Beth Or) and synagogue. In many cases they are synonymous but there can bean ideological distinction. The religious institution described in the Tanach (the Hebrew Bible), the Temple, involved a hereditary priesthood and the sacrificial cult. It was called a Beit HaMikdash, […]