Dear friends, We are only hours from Rosh Hashana. In a year unlike any other, we are all trying to make sense of our reality. Grieving for what we are missing, celebrating the things we have, and finding meaning in the chaos around us are all intertwined this year in a way … READ MORE

Friends, On Saturday, September 12 from 9:00 – 10:30 pm, we will be joining together with other communities in S’lichot Across Brooklyn. The service will feature contributions from the rabbis and cantors of fourteen synagogues and organizations. You can request the Zoom link here: https://cbebk.shulcloud.com/hhds/s’lichot5780 Rabbi Sam Levine

Friends, With Rosh Hashana beginning two weeks from tonight, I’d like to fill you in on some important information regarding the holidays. As I’m sure everyone is aware, we will be conducting all High Holy Day services online. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, the main services will be somewhat abbreviated this … READ MORE

Friends, The month of Elul, which begins tonight and will end with Rosh Hashanah, is meant to be a month of intense introspection during which we are asked to grapple with the complex themes of the High Holy Days. It is a time for “getting right with God” and also with … READ MORE

Yesterday, we celebrated the minor Jewish holiday of Tu b’Av – “the 15th of the month of Av.”  Tu b’Av is celebrated in Israel as a kind of Valentine’s Day, based upon a passage from the Mishna (Ta’anit 4:8).  On this day of great joy, “…the daughters of Jerusalem would come out and dance in … READ MORE

The Talmud famously relates that Jerusalem was destroyed due to sinat chinam – baseless hatred: “There was a certain man whose friend was named Kamtza and whose enemy was named bar Kamtza. He once made a large feast and said to his servant: Go bring me my friend Kamtza. The servant went and mistakenly … READ MORE

Summer officially began on June 20th, but I always associate the July 4th weekend with the beginning of summer. The last couple of weeks of June are occupied with wrapping up the business of the academic/school year – there are graduations, getting kids off to sleep-away camp, and looking forward to some … READ MORE

This summer is shaping up to be the strangest summer most of us have ever spent.  Many of us continue to heed the warnings of health-care professionals with regard to social distancing, mask-wearing, and self-isolation.  Others, however, here in New York and across the country, are ready to move on, … READ MORE

Hard to believe, but the High Holidays are just around the corner.  A committee was put together to discuss our plans for the holidays, and we met this past Monday night to begin the discussion.  The big announcement is that we will not be holding High Holiday services in person … READ MORE