Uncategorized Archives - Congregation Or Ami

Passover in Full Color: Blacks and Jews Broke (Unleavened) Bread

by Rabbi Paul Kipnes

We sat around tables—
round like the world we wished for,
flat like the matzah we broke,
layered like the stories we shared.

Two seders.
Two sacred nights.
Two vibrant circles of courage and connection.

The first was organized by Zioness,
(unabashedly progressive and unapologetically Zionist),
led by Amanda Berman
Van Jones’ Exodus Initiative
Bishop Designate Michael Fisher
Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback
Featuring the Greater Zion Church gospel choir —

And the second by
Challah and Soul,
created by Shonda Walkovitz
(Congregation Or Ami’s
Jews of Color Outreach Coordinator)
and her partner Judi Leib
Featuring Michael Twitty and Adrian Miller
telling soul food stories —

Both were both evenings
of food, freedom, and fearless truth-telling.

Each seder gathered a constellation of color and courage:
Blacks and Jews,
Black Jews and people of color—
Bishops and Rabbis,
Churches and synagogues,
Choir singing
And the cacophony of connection and contemplation—

We were a veritable mosaic of Moses’ people,
linking arms, lifting hearts,
lamenting and loving in equal measure.

And we talked.

Oh, how we talked.
About the continuous pain
of the Black experience in America—
how racism rolls like a river,
sometimes rushing, sometimes hiding,
but always, always present.
It stains our systems and suffocates souls.

And about antisemitism—
raw, real, resurrected—
no longer just memory,
but a menace,
no longer just history but headlines.
It wears new faces but speaks old lies.

And we talked about Israel—
about the heartbreak, the fear,
and the longing for peace.
We cried for the hostages still in captivity.
We cried for those who grieve,
and those who live in dread.

We spoke of the worries we carry
like water buckets from the Nile—
heavy, ancient, unrelenting.
And of tears—
tears shed both in sorrow,
but also in joy.
The deep sorrow of not being seen.
The deep joy of finding one another again.

We explored what brings us hope.
We sang it, spoke it, savored it.
Hope, as stubborn as spring.
Hope, passed like parsley from plate to plate.

Hovering over it all was Moses,
our model, our messenger, our mirror—
who saw his people’s suffering,
acted, then fled.
Fled and built a world steeped in desert beauty,
buffered from burden,
a life wrapped in comfort and calm.

But when the bush burned—
and did not consume,
Moses noticed.
Moses stopped.
And Moses dared to return
to the wound he tried to forget.

That’s what we did too.
We noticed.
We stopped.
We returned—
to the stories,
to the songs,
to each other.

There was an energy in the room—
electric, expansive, essential.
We came not just to celebrate,
but to congregate—
to connect—
to defy the divisions the world decides to force upon us.

Too many try:
To turn us against one another.
But these nights, we turned to one another.

Too many profit from our pain.
But those nights,
we profited from shared humanity.

Too often we rush through the Seder,
as if it’s only about the Jews.
As if Pharaoh wore only one face.
As if oppression had only one name.

But we know better.

The Exodus is ours,
but not only ours.
It is history and metaphor,
memory and map,
myth and mandate.

Torah commands us—more than 36 times—
to care for the stranger,
for we were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Around those tables,
we strangers became confidants,
then companions,
then community.

We listened.
We leaned in.
We let go.
We became responsible for one another.

Because to see the face of the other
is to see the face of the Divine.
Because to hear the story of the other
is to hear Sinai itself.

These may have been the most inspiring Seders of my life.

Not because of the maror or the matzah.
Not because of the wine or the words.
But because of how wide we opened the table.

Because we broke (unleavened) bread—and built bridges.
Because we refused to pass over pain—
ours or anyone else’s.
Because we remembered:
Freedom is never just for some.
Liberation must always be for all.

And something shifted.

In the telling, in the tasting,
in the listening and the leaning in—
I felt a kind of hope take root.
Not naive, but necessary.
Not shallow, but shared.
Hope that lingers in the crumbs of broken matzah,
and rises in the warmth of unexpected connection.

Friends,
What bridges are you already building?

World Zionist Congress 2025 Elections

The World Zionist Congress Election is now open and waiting for your vote!

VOTE HERE

VOTE SLATE #3 – VOTE REFORM

VITAL Step after you vote: Please let us know that you voted. IT IS CRUCIAL TO LET US KNOW because the Reform movement is counting on Congregation Or Ami for 400+ votes! Once you have completed voting, please return to this page and…

CLICK HERE to let us know that you voted!

Questions? Contact Rabbi Lana Zilberman Soloway at rabbilana@orami.org

Imagine the Unimaginable, Believe in the Impossible About Light and Faith in Parashat Miketz

By Rabbi Lana Zilberman Soloway

This week, 448 days, which are 63 weeks after October 7th, we read in Parashat Miketz, about a story of transformation, inspiration, and reconciliation. Joseph, a dreamer cast into a pit of despair by his brothers, rises to the pinnacle of Egyptian society, tasked with saving not just Egypt but also his own family. At the heart of it is the dramatic encounter between Joseph and his brothers. Years earlier, they had sold him into slavery, and now, famine forces the brothers to come to Egypt, unknowingly seeking sustenance from the very sibling they wronged. Yosef recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him, it is written in Genesis 42: 8. Although Joseph understood immediately who they were, he did not reveal his identity to his siblings. Joseph’s initial response was to test them, but his ultimate aim was forgiveness and unification with his family.

Joseph’s story teaches us a profound lesson about the potential of reconciliation, even in the most fractured relationships. He could have sought revenge, asserting his power over his brothers, but instead, he chose a path of peace. Joseph’s ability to forgive his brothers is rooted in his deep understanding of humanity. Despite their betrayal, Joseph recognized that his brothers, like all people, were created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. This recognition of their shared humanity allowed Joseph to rise above his personal grievances and embrace a higher moral vision, to view his siblings through the lens of their God-given dignity. Joseph’s ability to forgive his brothers and transform their fractured family into a united one reflects his deep faith in the possibility of repair.

Parshat Miketz is read on Shabbat Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, a holiday that celebrates the heroic victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks, the rededication of the Temple, and the triumphant victory of light over darkness. It is not a coincidence. In many ways, Joseph’s rise from the depths mirrors the Hanukkah story. Just as the Maccabees believed in the seemingly impossible, Joseph’s journey from a dungeon to a palace is a testament to the power of faith and resilience.

Rabbi Mike Moskowitz, in his book Seasonal Resistance, teaches that Hanukkah expresses a language of novelty, innovation, and a miraculous expansion beyond what we thought was possible. The annual Hanukkah experience is an opportunity to receive new insight, empowerment, and opportunity to overcome the forces that oppress, debase, and deny our most essential identities. Had the few Maccabees not searched to provide that light for the many, none of us would have a miracle to celebrate today. Even though we are privileged to be able to publicly observe our traditions, Hanukkah reminds us that our work is not complete until everyone can be safe and free. (pp. 146-147)

This year, Hanukkah is celebrated at the same time as other cultural and religious celebrations, such as Christmas and Kwanzaa (the annual celebration of African-American culture), which emphasize themes of light, renewal, and hope. The universal yearning for light amidst darkness invites us to engage with leaders of other faiths. It reminds us that we have partners in Tikkun Olam, in making this world a better place. Together, we have a unique opportunity to increase the light.

Last week, I visited the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, north of Los Angeles. The Library tells the story of President Reagan’s life, including the eight years of his presidency. For me, as a Russian-speaking Jew born behind the Iron Curtain in the former Soviet Union, it was a very emotional and powerful encounter with imagining the unimaginable! I was reminded of President Reagan’s bold historic speech on June 12, 1987, at the Brandenburg Gate by the Berlin Wall, calling on the President of the USSR: “Mr Gorbachev, Tear down this wall!” At the time, no one believed it could ever happen—that the symbol of the Cold War, which endured for nearly five decades, would one day be brought down and the wall destroyed. Until one day, in November 1989, the wall fell, the Cold War ended, eastern European countries were freed from communism, and the Soviet Union collapsed, allowing millions of Jews to flee to freedom.

I would not be the person I am today if all of these events would not have happened. This realization had a profound impact on me, reminding me about the power of imagining the unimaginable. Miracles happen; we just need to believe in them.

Parashat Miketz inspires us to imagine the unimaginable, to look for the light and to keep up the faith, even in our darkest moments. The brothers’ reconciliation becomes possible through perseverance and faith. Believing the impossible is not mere optimism, it is a call to action. It means daring to envision a world where peace prevails, and where dialogue replaces division.

Like Joseph, we are called to rise above past grievances, to be courageous, and seek peace. Like the Maccabees, we are called to believe that justice will prevail, and remember that every transformational change begins with a small group of people staying committed to their beliefs and being willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. Do not follow the majority, simply follow the right way. And like the candles of the Hanukkiah, we are called to share our light with the world, serving as the Shamash each and every day.

As we celebrate this season of light, let us take to heart the lessons of Torah: to strive for peace, to honor the dignity of all people, and to believe that even the most daunting challenges can yield miraculous transformations. May we, like Joseph, become instruments of hope and healing in our world.

Happy Hanukkah, may it be a season of miracles and illuminating possibilities.

Shabbat shalom.

Parenting Adult Children: The Sacred Work of Growth and Transformation

By Rabbi Paul Kipnes

As parents, we spend years mastering the art of raising children—guiding, protecting, and nurturing them through childhood and adolescence. Then, seemingly overnight, they become adults. And just like that, the parenting paradigm shifts dramatically. While we may have become experts at teaching toddlers to share or teens to drive safely, the skills required for parenting adult children are entirely different. This transition calls for intentional work, a shift in mindset, and the humility to admit that we, too, are still in.

A New Phase of Parenting Adult Children
Parenting adult children is a sacred yet challenging endeavor. Unlike the command-and-control dynamics of their youth, these new relationships thrive on mutual respect, partnership, and trust. Yet, making this transition is no small task. I know because I’ve been there myself.

When our three children entered adulthood, I had to confront some uncomfortable truths about my own parenting. The strategies that worked when they were younger no longer applied. Even though I co-wrote a book with my wife, Michelle November, Jewish Spiritual Parenting: Wisdom, Activities, Rituals and Prayers for Raising Children with Spiritual Balance and Emotional Wholeness (available on Amazon), I still needed to recalibrate. I had to let go of my role as the all-knowing guide and instead embrace the role of a supportive partner.

This required inner work: reflecting on my assumptions, managing my anxieties, and learning to truly listen without rushing to fix or advise. It wasn’t always easy, but it has been profoundly rewarding. Today, I cherish the deeper, more authentic connections I now share with my adult children. Still, even with this foundation, the work of parenting adult children continues to challenge and transform me.

Challenging from the Beginning
The Torah provides powerful examples of family dynamics—too often, dysfunctional ones. From Isaac and Rebecca’s inability to parent Jacob and Esau in a way that fostered unity to Jacob’s struggles to manage relationships with and between his children, Genesis reveals how unresolved tensions and poor communication can fracture families. These stories serve as cautionary tales for us as we strive to transform our relationships with our adult children.

Do we want to perpetuate patterns of control and conflict? Or will we strive to create relationships rooted in love, respect, and understanding? The work of building healthy relationships with our adult children is the antidote to these ancient family struggles. It’s a spiritual practice grounded in humility, compassion, and the willingness to grow.

A Guide for Parenting Adult Children
In his book Parenting Adult Children: Loving Your Children in Ways That Work for Them, Steven Freedman offers invaluable insights into this delicate phase of parenting. Freedman encourages us to shift our focus from parenting at our children to being present with them. He reminds us that our role is no longer to direct their lives but to walk alongside them, offering support when asked and space when needed.

Freedman’s wisdom has been a guiding light for me personally, and it inspires the new efforts of the Or Ami Center for Jewish Parenting. At Or Ami, we recognize that learning to parent adult children is one of the most significant—and often overlooked—challenges of Jewish family life today. That’s why we are focusing on this work, offering resources and programs to help parents navigate this complex terrain.

Debbi Molnar’s Course for Parenting Adult Children
I am thrilled to share that Debbi Molnar, a gifted therapist and life coach, is leading a new course specifically designed for parents of adult children. This four-session course, Opening Doors: How to Talk to Your Adult Children about Things That Matter Most (learn more and register here), is a wonderful opportunity to learn and practice the skills needed to nurture these evolving adult relationships.

Through thoughtful discussions and practical exercises, Debbi helps parents explore how to communicate more effectively, set healthy boundaries, and celebrate the joys of this new chapter. If you’ve ever struggled to figure out your place in your adult child’s (or grandchild’s) life—or if you simply want to deepen your connection—this course is for you. Debbi’s wisdom will guide us to embrace this sacred work with confidence and compassion.

The Joys of Transformation
As challenging as it can be to adapt to this new phase of parenting adult children, it is also deeply joyful. When we approach our adult children with curiosity instead of control, respect instead of judgment, we open the door to relationships filled with mutual love and understanding.

For me, this journey has been transformative. My adult children are no longer just “my kids.” They are vibrant, independent individuals with their own wisdom and experiences to share. I have learned as much from them as they have from me, and our relationships have become a source of profound joy and gratitude.

Parenting adult children is not about relinquishing our role; it’s about redefining it. It’s about stepping into the sacred work of growth and transformation—both theirs and ours. Let’s embark on this journey together, learning from the Torah’s wisdom, Freedman’s insights, and Debbi Molnar’s guidance.

May we create families of blessing for generations to come.

Reflections On a Life Changing Journey

By Rabbi Lana Zilberman Soloway

I used to think that the most important line in the Hebrew Bible was Love your neighbor as yourself. Then I realized that it is easy to love your neighbor because he or she is usually quite like yourself. What is hard is to love the stranger, one whose color, culture or creed is different from yours. That is why the command Love the stranger because you were once strangers, resonates so often through the Hebrew Bible. It is summoning us now. – Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

On Veterans Day weekend, Andrew Fromer, myself, and five of Or Ami’s wonderful and courageous teens joined other synagogues’ groups from around LA and traveled together to Georgia and Alabama, to learn about the Civil Rights movement and its everlasting effect on the American past, present and future. This trip was operated by Tzedek America (https://tzedekamerica.org/), led by Rabbi Adrianne Pasternak, the organization’s Associate Director and our own Or Ami partner, together with Ziggy Valdez and Pastor Rondell Eskridge.

This journey was not just a trip, but a powerful exploration of history, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit.

We started in Birmingham, Alabama, on Friday night, celebrating Shabbat in Temple Emanu-El, a Reform synagogue in the city’s downtown (Did you know there are 10,000 Jews living in Birmingham out of 18,000 in all Alabama?).

On Saturday morning, we began our day at the Historic Bethel Baptist Church in downtown Birmingham. Built in 1926, this church became the epicenter of a non-violent protest movement that swept across the United States and around the world. We met with Reverend Wilder, who taught us about the leadership of Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth, and explained how and why Bethel became the official launching pad of the Modern Civil Rights Movement.

Next, we drew inspiration from Pastor Gwen Webb, who at the age of 13, was a prominent leader in the Children’s Crusade and as an adult became Birmingham’s second Black female police officer. She shared powerful memories of her non-violence training, leading students in the march, enduring fire hoses and police dogs, and spending seven days and nights in jail, all for the right to live with the same freedoms as her white neighbors.

After visiting the powerful and very memorable Kelly Ingram Park, Pastor Rondell guided us through the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and the famous 16th Street Baptist Church, offering valuable insights and deepening our understanding of the history and diverse narratives before, during, and after the Civil Rights movement.

Sunday morning in Montgomery began with a boat ride along the Alabama River, where tens of thousands of enslaved people were once trafficked, providing us a sobering perspective on the slave trade. It was very difficult to reconcile the beauty of nature along the river with the horrific understanding that ten million black people were kidnapped from Africa and brought to America by force, in order to be sold as slaves.

After the boat ride, we visited the important sites of the Equal Justice Initiative, created by attorney and social justice activist, Bryan Stevenson.

At the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, we stepped inside a train car like those used to transport enslaved people, stood within a house once inhabited by enslaved people, and were brought to tears by sculptures crafted from bricks made by enslaved artisans.

At the National Monument to Freedom, a wall of engraved names honoring four million formerly enslaved people who were emancipated, we also learned the tragic fact that six million lost their lives in slavery. This is an astonishing number, unfortunately familiar to us Jews through our own tragedy.

The Legacy Museum presented the history of racial injustice in a way that was both accessible and thought-provoking, sparking reflection among our young people.

At the Memorial for Peace and Justice, we were deeply moved by the hanging monuments, each representing a county where racial terror lynchings occurred. This experience led to meaningful discussions about empathy, justice, and the role our students can play in creating a more compassionate future.

We recited Kaddish together, remembering and respecting all the lost lives we learned about. We reminded ourselves about the most important commandment in our tradition, loving the stranger, a command that repeats 36 times in the Torah, teaching us again and again about the most important value of humanity, B’tzelem Elohim, that every single human being is created in the image of God, and that is how each human should be treated.

On Sunday afternoon, we explored the city of Selma with Terry Chestnut, son of the first black Civil Rights attorney J.L. Chestnut, who was also Martin Luther King’s personal attorney. Terry introduced us to Reverend Benny Tucker, who served as MLK’s local bodyguard. Reverend Tucker welcomed us into his home and shared memories of his time with Dr. King.

Walking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge was a powerful and emotional experience. We sang Mi Chamocha and We Shall Overcome and we prayed with our feet, remembering the famous words of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, uttered at the time he walked over this same bridge, side by side with MLK, during the famous March 1965 march from Selma to Montgomry, fighting for voting rights.

On our last day, as we approached the final leg of our journey, we made a stop in LaGrange, Georgia, at the Warren Temple Methodist Church, the site of a memorial to Austin Callaway, a young man who was lynched in 1940.

We learned the importance of bearing witness, saying people’s names out loud, and also about the power of forgiveness.

Our journey concluded in Atlanta, with visits to Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth home and his final resting place.

It was truly a life changing journey. A time of learning, reflection, inspiration, and understanding the power of dreams, resilience and true friendship.

One of the last people we met in Georgia asked me: What do you think, if MLK would be alive today, would he be proud of everything that we’ve accomplished?

I smiled at her and said: Yes, absolutely, he would have been proud, and at the same time, he would have continued to fight for everything else that we still need to accomplish.

During our closing circle, I reminded our young people that this same weekend was the 86th anniversary of the Kristallnacht, and the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, events that no one believed would ever happen. But they did happen. I also reminded them that it was over 400 days post October 7th, and 101 Hostages are still held by the Hamas in Gaza, and also about the Mob of hundreds of Israelis and Jews in Amsterdam which by chance alone did not turn into a lynch.

So, yes, we have to appreciate everything that we as a civilization have accomplished, and at the same time, understand that there is no time to rest yet, because there is still so much to do and so much to fight for, until we can be truly proud.

May we continue to walk the talk, never give up, and always believe that each of us can make a difference, one person and one day at a time, we will continue to practice tikkun olam, repair the world and make it better.

No everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faces” – James Baldwin

An Important Letter from Rabbi Lana Zilberman Soloway

To my Or Ami family,

This letter was not an easy one to write.

Not so long ago, you welcomed me into this beautiful congregation. I had the profound privilege of joining this warm, vibrant community as one of your rabbis. When I humbly accepted the invitation to come here, I felt a deep sense of Shlichut (of being an emissary). I knew that Congregation Or Ami was where I should be for the next several years, serving, learning, teaching and growing.

Relocating here from Israel was both meaningful and challenging for me and my family, but you made it easy. We were embraced by your warmth, curiosity, openness, and kindness from the very beginning. Together, we have learned, shared sacred moments, celebrated many joys, and supported one another through the challenges of life and the ever-changing world since October 7th. I will forever treasure this time and hold it close to my heart. In a very real way, you have become family to us, for which I will be forever grateful. Being your rabbi has been one of the most beautiful blessings of my life.

The events of October 7 and the ongoing war since, have deeply affected us all, leaving a profound impact on Israelis everywhere and on our extended Jewish family around the world. These tragedies have weighed heavily on my heart and on the hearts of so many who long to be a part of healing and rebuilding.

Following the events of October 7th, so many Israelies living overseas dropped everything and returned home. I chose not to do that, because I felt committed to you and wanted to stand with our Or Ami community, guiding you through this tragic time and offer support, hope and love.

Now, however, my soul is pulled toward my homeland. In this time of pain and uncertainty, I feel a calling to stand with our family members in Israel, to help in any way I can in our shared mission of restoration and renewal. Therefore, when my contract ends on June 30, 2025, my family and I will be returning home.

Every goodbye is bittersweet: bitter, because we must part and say goodbye, and at the same time sweet, for the blessing of meeting each other in the first place. This is definitely a bittersweet moment for me.

Leaving Or Ami is a painful decision. I am grateful for each of you, for your trust, and for the way you have welcomed me and my family into your home.

Our time together has strengthened my belief that our bond as Jews knows no borders, and I am grateful to be connected with you, wherever life’s journey may lead. The lessons I have learned in our time together will always guide me. My heart is filled with appreciation for the opportunity to walk this path with you, even for a short time, and I am humbled by the depth of our connection. Please know that you will always have a warm place in my heart and in my home, wherever I am and of course, in Israel. Thank you for the memories, the friendships, and the love.

I am also grateful for the incredible opportunity I was given to work alongside Rabbi Paul Kipnes, the entire Or Ami staff, and our board of directors. Their kindness, support, team work, generosity of the heart, love, and genuine care for one another and this community leaves an eternal impact on me as it does on so many others.

We still have eight months together. I am here at Congregation Or Ami, fully present and available to every single one of you. I look forward to making more meaningful memories together, as I continue to teach, learn, pray, cry, laugh, and grow together with you. May we all go from strength to strength, connected in spirit and purpose.

With endless gratitude and warmest blessings of good health, happiness, and peace,

Rabbi Lana Zilberman Soloway

Congregation Or Ami
26115 Mureau Road, Suite B
Calabasas, CA 91302

The Family Retreat – 2024

by Rabbi Lana Zilberman Soloway

Over the last weekend, a group of Or Ami families traveled to the central coast of California, in order to spend a beautiful weekend together at Pismo Beach.

We call it: The Family Retreat.

A tradition of many years, previously held at Camp Alonim in Simi Valley and this year, for the first time ever, on the site of a gorgeous resort on the shore of the Pacific Ocean.

It was truly magical.

After a very challenging year and a very long month of High Holy Days, it was so nice to just be together, breathe the ocean air, sing, pray, eat, create, and stroll on the beach while enjoying existing friendships and making new ones, watching our kids feel free, relaxed, and excited about being with one another and strengthening our community ties even more.

The theme of the weekend was Creation, following the first Torah portion, B’reshit, In the beginning. As we were admiring the stunning colors of the sunset, we were humbly reminded about the Divine presence in this world, and it made us think about our role in helping God in the continuous creation process and making this world a better place for all. As part of our Shabbat morning service, we learned about the details of creation, what was created on which day, and why, in a fun and playful way. We had time for music, meditation, nature walks, ice cream, seashells, and delicious meals.

As we were preparing to say goodbye, we were invited to use our imagination and dream this new year for our families, our community, and the world.

I truly hope that the inspiration we received together on that beautiful piece of land, on the shore of this great ocean, and by being there together, will help us move forward, filling our hearts with joy, gratitude, and hope for a better future.

A big thank you to all members of our Education team who worked hard to make this retreat happen and to all the families who joined this beautiful journey. Every single person is important and valuable to a holy community. This retreat would not have been the same without every single soul that was there.

May we enjoy many more beautiful moments and retreats together in the future.

Take a look at some of the highlights here.

Or Ami: Hearts Broken as We Remember the Hostages

Dear Or Ami,

As a community, we are shaken with grief over the horrific news that six hostages were savagely murdered in captivity by Hamas terrorists. Five of the hostages – Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Ori Danino, 25, Alex Lubnov, 32, and Almog Sarusi, 27, were abducted from the Nova music festival. The sixth, Carmel Gat, 40, was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri.

For 330 days, since the massacre by Hamas on October 7 and throughout the horrific months of violence, trauma, and uncertainty that followed, the families of Israeli hostages have refused to give up hope that their loved ones would return home alive.

These young people were loved deeply in this world. They should be alive today, home with their families.

Last night we learned that these six hostages, who survived nearly a year in Hamas captivity, were murdered in a tunnel in Rafah. They did not “die” as some news outlets are reporting. They were, it has now been confirmed by forensic autopsies, shot by Hamas at close range, executed in cold blood, so as not to be rescued by approaching IDF troops.

Our hearts break for their loved ones. The pain their families are enduring, have endured, and will have to live with is unimaginable.

Let the world recognize that Hamas is a terrorist organization whose heinous actions know no boundaries. Let the world leaders join together to force the leaders of Hamas to return all of the remaining hostages and surrender, so that this war – brutal to Palestinians, to Israelis, and to all people in the region – might swiftly come to an end. And may Israel recommit to being an Or Lagoyim, a light to the nations, shining a way forward with hope and peace.

May the memories of Hersh, Carmel, Alex, Eden, Ori and Almog reverberate as a blessing in this world for generations to come, inspiring us to strive always toward greater humanity. Toward justice. Toward peace.

The Jewish community is gathering throughout the week to remember and to mourn. Or Ami will offer special prayers of memory at Shabbat services on Friday night(9/6) and during the Rosh Chodesh Women’s Gathering (Tuesday, 9/3).

If you are looking for something concrete to do, invite a non-Jewish friend or two, to join you at the Nova Exhibit in Culver City, so they too can be more informed and become witnesses to the horror that is October 7th.

As always, your rabbis are here to listen, commiserate, and console, as we join with good people everywhere to mourn this tragedy.

Rabbi Paul Kipnes

Rabbi Lana Zilberman Soloway

All You Need is Love

by Rabbi Lana Zilberman Soloway

There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done.
Nothing you can sing that can’t be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game.
It’s easy.

Nothing you can make that can’t be made.
No one you can save that can’t be saved.
Nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time.
It’s easy.

All you need is love.
All you need is love.
All you need is love, love.
Love is all you need.

(By: John Lennon, 1967)

Next week, we will celebrate Tu B’Av, the 15th Day of Av, a celebration of joy and love. Tu B’Av is not a Biblical festival, and as such, it was barely noticed in the Jewish calendar for many centuries. In recent decades, however, it has been rejuvenated, especially in the modern state of Israel. In its modern incarnation, it has become a Jewish Festival of Love, resembling America’s Valentine’s Day (although its origins are much more ancient and profound).

Tu B’Av served as a matchmaking day for unmarried women in the Second Temple period. It is written in the Mishnah (2nd century) that there are no better days for the people of Israel than the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur (representing the beginning and the end of the grape harvest time). On those days, the daughters of Jerusalem went out, dressed in white, to dance in the vineyards, while young men would come to choose their wives.

The Talmud (5th century) adds a few other explanations to the meaning of this festival:

Tu B’Av marked the time when our Jewish ancestors, a generation after entering the Land of Israel, were permitted to intermarry among tribes, including with the tribe of Benjamin, which was previously banned from all others. This act signified reconciliation and unity among the people of Israel.

Tu B’Av also marked the end of the divine punishment of wandering in the wilderness for forty years, resulting from the sin of the spies. On Tu B’Av of the last year, those who were still alive realized that they would ultimately reach the promised land of Israel.

After the gravity, sadness, loss, and mourning of Tisha B’av, commemorated earlier this week, Tu B’Av represents joy, happiness, love, and hope.

In the modern state of Israel, Tu B’Av is observed as a day of love and romance by Jews of all backgrounds and denominations. It has also become one of the most popular dates for getting married for those who dream about an outdoor summer wedding on a full moon night.

Next Tuesday, we will celebrate Tu B’Av at Congregation Or Ami.

In order to make it special, we have invited two special couples to share their love with us, one through story and one through music. The celebration will not be complete without YOU!

Join us for a unique evening of Love and Celebration on a beautiful full-moon summer night. Let us fill our hearts with joy, love and hope, do we need more than that?

National Wellness Month

Each month, the Mosaic Committee shares our thoughts about what we can learn from that month’s theme. For the month of August, we are focusing on National Wellness Month to promote evidence-based self-care and stress management despite the crazy times we live in.

What can you do to improve your self-care? It’s all about creating goals for yourself, and then being intentional with how you will go about achieving these goals. Then we can create habits that support our intentions. Your goals don’t have to be massive, and they are most achievable if you start small and build from there. Whether you challenge yourself to a new yoga pose or trying a different spa treatment, making small changes can impact your health in positive ways.

There are numerous ways to make those small changes, too. Some ideas:

Increase your water intake.
Add more fruits and veggies to your meals.
Monitor your sleep and make adjustments for better sleep habits. (This may mean cutting back on alcohol, which has significant negative effects on sleep quality.)
Join a yoga, walking, or group exercise class. Camaraderie and movement are a great combination!
Learn to meditate. Even 5 minutes can improve your focus and outlook!

These small steps can lead to many more healthy habits in your lifestyle! Sometimes we think that small improvements won’t make a difference and that we need to dedicate large amounts of time to exercise or completely change our diet all at once. But such big changes may not be realistic, and some change is always better than none! So start small, meet yourself where you are, and remember that progress is the goal, not perfection!

We can look to a recent article in Reform Judaism to guide us, as well. (https://reformjudaism.org/self-care-not-selfish-7-jewish-reminders-caring-yourself)

Take time to think.
Remember gray.
Look for God in music.
Recap nightly.
Take time to clear your mind.
Be grateful.
Be aware of the unexpected.

Remember, do something, anything, to care for yourself each and every day!

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