Click the Icon or Text Below for More Information Fri. June 210 AM – 11 AM Truck Day at Gan Ami Fri. June 26:30 PM Meaning and Mensches: A Family Shabbat Experience Sun. June 411 AM Encore presents Brunch with Rabbi Gary Pokras Tues. June 610:30 AM Live and Learn with Ira Weiss featuring A […]
Shavuot Ex. 19:1 – 20:23; Num. 28:26-31 Rabbi Gary Pokras As we celebrate our zman matan Torah, our festival of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, we often focus on chapter 20 of Exodus: the 10 Commandments themselves. However, there is rich learning available to us in the immediate lead-up to Sinai. Towards […]
BeMidbar Num. 1:1 – 4:20 Rabbi Baht Yameem Weiss In a few weeks, my youngest son will be graduating from preschool here at Beth Ami. It will be a bit of a transition for both of us. Ethan is nervous about leaving his safe community and the friends he knows and loves and going off […]
Behar/Bechukkotai Lev. 25:1 – 26:2/ Lev. 26:3 – 27:34 Rabbi Baht Yameem Weiss וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּ֗ם אֵ֣ת שְׁנַ֤ת הַחֲמִשִּׁים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּקְרָאתֶ֥ם דְּר֛וֹר בָּאָ֖רֶץ לְכׇל־יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ יוֹבֵ֥ל הִוא֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם וְשַׁבְתֶּ֗ם אִ֚ישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּת֔וֹ וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹ תָּשֻֽׁבוּ׃ You shall sanctify the fiftieth year and put out a call of freedom to all the land. (Lev 25:10) In this middle of […]
Inclusion CommitteeThe Inclusion Committee instills an inclusive, diverse environment for Temple Beth Ami, so that all congregants feel they belong and are valued. Individual Accommodations Inclusion Coordinator Gan Ami Early Childhood Program employs an Inclusion Coordinator who provides screenings, teacher training, and parent support regarding every child’s development, learning styles and needs. She also monitors […]
Emor Lev. 21:1 – 24:23 Rabbi Gary Pokras Of all the books that had a significant and lasting impact on me, The Jewish Way by Rabbi Irving “Yitz” Greenberg is towards the top of the list. He opens the very first chapter with deep wisdom: “The Holy Days are the unbroken master code of Judaism. […]
Acharei Mot/Kedoshim Lev. 16:1-34/ Lev. 19:1 – 20:27 Rabbi Baht Weiss Acahrei Mot literally means, “after the death.” The parsha begins with God speaking to Moses “acharei mot shnei bnai Aharon” after the death of Aaron’s two children, who were named Nadav and Abihu, who died in the previous Torah portion. Our text tells us […]
Yom HaZikaron/HaAtzma’ut Deut. 8:1-8; 11:8-12; 26:1-11; 30:1-16 Rabbi Gary Pokras Four passages from Deuteronomy are assigned to Israel’s Memorial Day (Yom HaZikaron) and Independence Day (Yom HaAtzma’ut). Just as Yom HaZikaron morphs into Yom HaAtzma’ut, so that they we can better appreciate what those who sacrificed their lives help to build, so too, these four […]
Tazria – Metzorah 5783 Lev. 12:1 – 15:33 Rabbi Baht Yameem Weiss Tazria Metzorah used to be one of the most difficult Torah portions in which to relate. It discusses a mysterious skin rash that appears on a person, often explained as a discoloring or whitening of the skin. Rather than go to a doctor, […]
Yom HaShoah 5783 Deut. 4:30-40 Rabbi Gary Pokras Emil Fackenheim, the noted 20th century Jewish philosopher and Reform rabbi, is most famous for positing what he called the 614th commandment. The holy torah contains 613 distinct commandments. Following the Shoah, Fackenheim felt the moral imperative to add another: “Thou shalt not hand Hitler posthumous victories. […]
