Now We Are Free People
04/20/2016 02:00:00 AM
These five Hebrew words are the centerpiece of the Passover Seder. In translation, we say “We were slaves. Now we're free.” (Maybe there's the addition to this proclamation in your home too, ‘We're hungry. Now, let's eat!') Seems simple enough, remember who you were once upon a time, so you can appreciate who you are now. And don't...Read more...
A Wall for Us All
02/04/2016 02:00:00 AM
This week, the Jewish world rippled with excitement as the Jewish Agency and the authorities governing the status of the Western Wall in Jerusalem announced the establishment of a permanent site for egalitarian worship there. This historic moment marks a triumphant achievement in the ongoing struggles by non-Orthodox Jews to establish the Western Wall as a sacred location for all Jews, traditional or progressive,...Read more...
Rabbi Hoffman travels to Hungary and Israel
05/09/2015 10:46:31 PM
From February 23 to March 1, Rabbi Hoffman is travelling to Hungary and Israel on a mission with 30 rabbis from all across the US.
Shabbat in Budapest part 2:
Even though we aren't on this mission to sleep, the late start time for our visit to the Dor Chadash minyan was welcome. At a little after 10:00a.m. we walked into the Jewish quarter and after winding through the streets made our way to an apartment building where we...Read more...
Comfort & Healing in a Time of Loss
05/09/2015 10:08:17 PM
Below is a video clip of VBS Rabbi Joshua Hoffman, from the recent broadcast of ONE COMMUNITY, a production courtesy of the Jewish Life Television Network. The topic is Death & Mourning and the role of the Rabbi in providing comfort & healing in a time of loss. Joining Rabbi Hoffman is host, Rabbi Judith HaLevy, pres. of the Board of Rabbis and Rabbi Denise L. Egen, Congregation Kol Ami of West...Read more...
LTakein Olam B'Maluchut Shaddai Our Work is Not Yet Complete
05/07/2015 03:00:00 PM
When the Valley Beth Shalom Day School meets throughout the week for communal prayer " for tefillah " they learn the structure of the liturgy and practice the modes and melodies of our vast prayer tradition. The words of the prayer, “Aleinu” are often welcomed as the last major prayer piece and are often sung with full voices and even danced to with some choreographed moves. Typically, the end of the first paragraph leaves us in...Read more...
Mishloach Manot-Sending Gifts to One Another
02/26/2015 11:08:00 AM
“Mordechai recorded the events of Purim " He sent dispatches to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus, near and far, charging them to observe the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar, every year " the same days on which the Jews enjoyed relief from their foes and the same month which had been transformed for them from one of grief and mourning to one of festive joy. They were to observe them as days of feasting and...Read more...
Madrichim " A Mentorship Project of Valley Beth Shalom
09/04/2014 02:28:00 PM
We proudly consider Valley Beth Shalom to be our spiritual home. It is a place in the world that inspires us to live a life of meaning and purpose. The collective wisdom and joy we share with friends and family here is truly extraordinary!
Indeed, it is our deep responsibility as a community to provide a space for moments of connection, learning, and growth to thrive. That is why we have initiated a new effort to encourage and...Read more...
What now?
07/23/2014 10:35:00 AM
Many years ago when I was a rabbinical student, I spent a year studying in Jerusalem. It was a very difficult time in many respects. Suicide bombings were taking place in the heart of the city. The world was in a frenzy of fear in the wake of the attacks in New York on September 11th, and there was a persistent despair on the streets, in the markets, and in the classrooms. There wasn't a sense that the Intifada unleashed on innocent Israelis...Read more...
Dear Friends... Reflections from Israel July 2014
07/14/2014 08:28:00 AM
Dear friends, Shavuah Tov!
I am writing to you after being in Israel for two weeks, studying at the Hartman Institute, reconnecting with friends and colleagues, and making a life here in Jerusalem. The markets are full of people and fresh produce, and the streets are teeming with residents and visitors. Bike riders and strollers move along the Rakevet, the pedestrian path in the Baka neighborhood of West Jerusalem,...Read more...
Getting to One
06/14/2014 08:41:00 AM
Lately I've taken up the practice of running. I'm not a runner by nature, except perhaps when being chased! Still, I've trained for a half-marathon which allowed me a lot of time to think. Along the way I had many times to sort through my day, to think of big and small ideas, and sometimes to simply let go of all my thoughts and focus on my breathing. Sometimes my thoughts wandered into words of prayer and I even had moments in which the...Read more...
Mon, April 28 2025
30 Nisan 5785
