We are excited to announce that Shomrei has been accepted into this year’s Synagogue Vegan Challenge, sponsored by the Jewish Animal Advocacy organization, Shamayim. (more…)
Congregants Fern Heinig and Dale Russakoff are active participants in Social Action at Shomrei. Fern Heinig is a frequent volunteer cooking for Shomrei’s MESH Cafe and spearheaded Shomrei’s first annual Mitzvah Day last year in 2024. Dale Russakoff is the organizer of Shomrei’s Mensch Squad and chairs the Board of Family Promise. (more…)
Rabbi Julie met with congregants who heeded a call to discuss the Prayer for Israel, the Prayer for Our Country, and the Prayer for Peace that we as a congregation typically say during our High Holiday services. Everyone agreed that in the aftermath of October 7 in Israel and the rise of antisemitism in America we as a people are facing a dark time, but that’s all we agreed on. Otherwise, we were all over the map.
Given the range of feelings and opinions expressed in the meeting alone — with only a handful of congregants present — members of our community were invited to write their own prayers.
On September 25, 1974 my 50-year-old father sustained a major heart attack. He was at home; I was in synagogue for Kol Nidre. It was my final year of medical school. I lived in Manhattan, but that day I returned home to my parents’ house following an all-day national exam given to senior medical students to determine if they qualified to apply for their medical licenses. My girlfriend at the time and I had the pre-fast dinner with my parents, and then she and I walked to synagogue. (more…)
You might expect this week’s blog to be about Rosh Hahanah and Yom Kippur or even about Hispanic and Latino Jews since September is Hispanic Heritage Month, but it’s about grandparents.
Why? As we approach the High Holidays many of us spend time with families and think about our relationships with our grandparents. Those of us who are older may even say kaddish for them during the Yom Kippur Yizkor service. Children hopefully look forward to spending time with their grandparents and forming memories. No matter what, none of us would be here without those grandparents. (more…)
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