Category: Uncategorized
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Open My Lips So I May Speak Your Praise
Open My Lips So I May Speak Your Praise Adonai Sefatai Tiftach ufi yagid tehilatecha There is a story behind the words that precede our amidah. First, one has to understand that the Amidah, said three times a day by traditional Jews, is a substitute for the sacrifices in the Temple that can no…
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Parashat Haazinu:Finding Your Passion
Finding Your Passion Parashat Haazinu October 10, 2008 Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph What does it mean, to love “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might”? We know love when we feel it, but love is often difficult to express in words. Fortunately, for that we have the poet.…
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Kol Nidre : The Four Questions
Kol Nidre The Four Questions October 9, 2008 Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph Although an honest judicial system is essential for the proper functioning of a society, nobody ever wants to go to court. If you must go to court, of course you want the best attorney, and the best preparation, that you can properly…
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Yom Kippur AM Do Jews Believe in G-d?
Yom Kippur Morning October 10, 2008 Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph A rabbi is always entertaining interesting questions about the Jewish religion from his congregants and others. In fact, when one is introduced as a rabbi, people are often moved to ask a question they have been wondering about for a long time. Do Jews…
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Parasha Vayelech You Shall Teach
You Shall Teach and Learn This weeks Torah portion contains the commandment to gather the people together every seven years at the Temple in Jerusalem in order to hear the King read from the book of Deuteronomy. The Torah specifies that men, women, and children are to attend this gathering. Why children? Wouldn’t small…
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Our Relationship to Israel
Our Relationship To Israel September 30, 2008 Rosh Hashannah Day 1 Rabbi Marc D Rudolph What should be the role of Israel in contemporary American life? This year, 2008, we have been celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the State of Israel. Over the past sixty years, and even beyond, the relationship between the Jews of the…
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Rosh Hashannah Eve :Four Kinds of Repentence
Four Kinds of Repentence Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph Erev Rosh Hashanna marks the beginning of the Aseret Yemai Teshuva – the Ten Days of Repentance. During this time we seek two kinds of forgiveness – Bein Adam LeMakom – forgiveness that we ask of G-d; and Bein Adam LeChavero – forgiveness we ask of each…
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Ki Tavo — Expressing Gratitude
The most popular course at Harvard University these last few years has been a course called “Positive Psychology.” It is taught by Israeli professor Tal Ben Shahar. The course focuses on “how to create a fulfilling and flourishing life” based on the scientific research into human psychology. In the past several years, courses with similar…
Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph 