The 2009 PJC Chanukah Party was a tremendous success.
As the Shul on the Beach, a community institution, we are charged with the responsibility and opportunity to bring Judaism to the boardwalk. Our Chanukah party, the first in a series of events and programs designed to reach that end was incredible.
Thank yous are in order to [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Jewish’
PJC Chanukah Party 2009 Wrap Up and Photos
PJC Chanukah Party 2009 Address
As part of the festivities of our Chanukah Party on the beach, I addressed the attended with a speech on Chanukah and this week’s parsha, Miketz.
It was an addendum to my Shabbos drasha, which I hope to publish shortly.
Enjoy the class. Audio is below.
All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this [...]
Invitation: Chanukah Party on the Beach 12/13/09
The only time of the year that there is an obligation to publicize a Jewish Holiday is Chanukah. It is in this spirit that we invite the entire Venice / Santa Monica Community to our Chanukah Party at our historic location at the Shul on the Beach. (Map Link)
Stop by on Sunday afternoon and join [...]
Mesillas Yesharim 12/06/09
We ventured further into Chapter 9 today.
The Ramchal’s insights into laziness, anxiety and rational fear continue to amaze me.
Today contrasted rational fear for one’s safety with imagined fear used to excuse laziness.
Worth a listen, as always…
Audio is below.
All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts on the top of this page. Or just click here.
You can also [...]
KCET Visits PJC and Interviews Me
KCET (the local PBS affiliate) has been working on a city-wide project. It is called Departures and it focuses on the people and places that make the neighborhoods of Los Angeles. For the last six weeks they have been working on Venice. Today they came to the Pacific Jewish Center Shul on the Beach to [...]
When It Hurts Not To Give | A Guest Post
A guest post by Rabbi Aaron Fink (my father), Dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov on Monsey NY. Part of a weekly Dvar Torah (Torah “Thought”) series.
Chessed L’Avraham
The beginning of Parshas Vayera describes the hospitality uniquely associated with the home of Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu. The psukim are filled with practical lessons in the “how [...]
Matisyahu, NBC and The Olympic Winter Games Make A Great Team
I first heard of Matisyahu while working as a Campus Rabbi at USC. The Jewish students on campus were really into his music (this was ~5 years ago) and some of my students invited me to join them at a Matisyahu concert.
He was performing at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood which was right near my [...]
Crosses Honor Fallen Soldiers of All Faiths
We took the family to Santa Monica Pier on Sunday and our six year old son proved to be smarter than a Supreme Court Justice!
It is so beautiful to walk along the beach and observe all the excitement along the boardwalk and pier. As always, we had a great time in Santa Monica.
For the last [...]
Authentic Judaism and Authentic Charity
This post is really two Public Service Announcements.
Please read both and if you are able to help in any way possible, it is much appreciated.
One great thing about blogging is the opportunity to connect with other people for the sake of an important cause. Today, I present you with two important causes.
The Shofar: A Time Machine | Connections 9/7/09
This evening we tackled another oft discussed them of Rosh Hashana, the Shofar.
We used a deep understanding of Shofar to answer a common and troubling calendaring issue regarding Rosh Hashana and Creation.
Overall, the participation was great, the energy was high and it was a great way to continue our preparatoins for Rosh Hashana.
All audio classes [...]
Essay: The Oral Law in Judaism
This essay was inspired by a recent post on DovBear. I have cross posted this post there as well. Head over there for more discussion.
What follows is my understanding of The Oral Law and its transmission to us. This article does not attempt to validate or prove its transmission as fact, rather it explains just [...]
Mesillas Yesharim 9/6/09
Today we began Chapter 7 of the Mesillas Yesharim. Having established that Zrizus is the opposite of Laziness the Ramchal explains how and when we must implement Zrizus.
We need to know how to use good behaviors to maximize their benefits.
Learn all about it by listening to the class below.
All audio classes are available by clicking podcasts [...]
Rosh Hashana: Beginning of all Beginnings | Connections 8/31/09
As we continue our journey through Elul, marching towards Rosh Hashana, Connections returned the Pacific Jewish Center.
Our approach was that if we are “preparing” for Rosh Hashana, we need to understand just what Rosh Hashana means. What is a succesful Rosh Hashana and how do we get there?
We analyzed one angle of Rosh Hashana that [...]
Mesira (The Jewish Informant) in Halacha
This post has been cross-posted to DovBear – more discussion there.
The topic of mesira is complex. I do not claim expertise on the subject of who is a moser, but I have heard a discourse from an expert on Jewish and American Law named Rabbi Breitowitz. Aside from teaching law at University of Maryland, Rabbi [...]
Reversing A Trend | A Kiddush Hashem Story
Lately, all the Jews in the News have been getting into trouble with the law or dying. It has been troubling.
Sometimes, we wonder what other people are saying about us. In light of the last few weeks, it just can’t be good.
This recent (true) anecdote is a change of pace and hopefully it can start [...]
Rabbi Zelik Epstein, Of Blessed Memory
Yesterday, the Jewish world lost a spiritual giant (good article worth reading). Rabbi Zelik Epstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Shaar Hatorah in Queens passed away. He was 97.
R’ Zelik was a relic of the past. He studied Torah in Europe with some the greatest Torah scholars of recent American Jewry, including Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and Rabbi [...]
Solar Eclipse In Judaism
Last week the world witnessed another wonder of our universe, the Solar Eclipse. This eclipse was visible from Southeast Asia and was the longest eclipse in 18 years and will remain the longest for the next 123 years.
The eclipse has long been associated with mythology and supernatural acts. If you are a fan of the [...]
Tough Times for Private Schools and Yeshivas
My father is the Dean of a Jewish girls private school in New York. It is a girls Yeshiva called Ateres Bais Yaakov. The government provides no funding to run the school however there is grant money as well as some other federal and state programs which contribute to the school’s bottom line. The bulk [...]
