Rabbi Barr comments on the recent congressional hearing on contraception at which only men were asked to testify.

Rabbi Barr talks about sexism in Judaism.

Rabbi Barr talks about Evolution Weekend.

Rabbi Barr discusses the recent action of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Rabbi Barr discusses the theological implications of Tim Tebow’s team losing in the playoffs.

Rabbi Barr talks about a kosher sex shop…really!!

Rabbi Barr thinks about New Year’s Eve.

Rabbi Barr clarifies misunderstandings about the origins of the eight nights of Hanukkah.

Rabbi Barr talks about Gov. Rick Perry’s recent political ad.

Rabbi Barr reflects on an old age and its implications.

Rabbi Barr reflects about the religious implications to NASA’s latest mission to Mars.

Rabbi Barr reflects about Black Friday and Thanksgiving.

Rabbi Barr weighs in on the controversy that is swirling around the issue of contraception.

Rabbi Barr discuss the recent vote on our national motto.

Rabbi Barr discusses a disturbing biblical legend.

Rabbi Barr wants a new phone.

Rabbi Barr celebrates that fact that OurJewishCommunity.org was recognized as being a leading Jewish organization.

Rabbi Barr comments on the recent controversy stirred by a minister’s comments about the Mormon faith.

Rabbi Barr address the question that many ask at this time of year – whether to fast or not.

Rabbi Barr has a few thoughts about the High Holidays.

Rabbi Barr reflects on being at a family celebration.

Rabbi Barr talks about why he disagrees with writing G-d vs. God.

Then, we all came together for an assembly led by Dr. Vega from Mad Science.  She did an extraordinary Fire & Ice Show that engaged everyone in the room, whether they were three years old, an adult, or somewhere in between!

Our mad scientist brought some dry ice, let students taste carbon dioxide, and popped the lid off of a container.  She lit things on fire, made water disappear, and filled the sanctuary with fog.

Why did we bring a scientist to Beth Adam’s Religious School?  Because we’re a place that values science tremendously.  Our eternal light hanging over the Torah in the sanctuary has a DNA helix above it.  Our stained glass windows represent the Big Bang and science.  When religion and science conflict, we choose science.

Check out some fun photos from our morning!

Rabbi Barr corrects his mistaken belief that time travel is impossible.

Rabbi Barr examines how the invention of the iPad mirrors Jewish history.

Rabbi Barr talks about his disappointment that time travel is impossible.

Rabbi Barr reflects on the meaning of faith.

Rabbi Barr comments on Gov. Perry’s participation in a religious/political event called The Response.

Rabbi Barr reflects on the fact that our national debt crisis has finally come to an end.

One of our favorite annual fall Sunday School activities involves going out to the sukkah (booth that we decorate with fall and nature symbols) and learning and signing.  This year, we’ll head out to the sukkah on Sunday, September 16th during school.

As you can see, the first step is some great art projects!

Special Opportunity to Experience our Congregation and Youth Education

Congregation Beth Adam is a unique place – where people can have a truly contemporary Jewish experience.  Beth Adam and its Religious School provide an open and supportive environment in which to explore and question.  Our goal is to encourage a healthy religious identity – dynamic for the 21st century.

Perhaps you’ve thought about Religious School for your children but aren’t sure where, how, or even why.  Beth Adam can help you on your journey.  There is no typical family at Beth Adam – people come from diverse experiences and backgrounds.  But what unites all of our families is that they are here because they feel comfortable and welcomed – and because they want their children to have a connection to Judaism and other Jewish children.

Special Opportunity this year: Families new to Beth Adam may send their children to Religious School for one year without becoming members.  Religious School fees will apply.  We are hoping that this program allows you to experience Beth Adam and see if this community is a good match for you.  We hope it will be! School runs from pre-K to 7th grade, and there is a teen program for 8th-12th graders.  We meet on Sundays from 9:30-11:30 during the school year.  In 6th and 7th grade, students who participate in the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Program also learn Hebrew and come on Wednesday afternoons for two hours.

Beth Adam is a place that values:

•    Learning opportunities that support members’ connection with their Jewish heritage

•    Open-mindedness and respect for differing views

•    Thoughtfully questioning and exploring Jewish text and other sources of wisdom

•    Acknowledgment of each congregant’s religious and spiritual journey

•    Evolving to meet the needs of our growing congregation and community

•    Nurturing connection and building community with each other as Jews and with all humanity

•    Community engagement and social justice

To learn more about Beth Adam and/or its Religious School, contact Rabbi Robert Barr or Rabbi Laura Baum at 513-985-0400 today.

School starts on Sunday, September 11th and we hope to see you then.  If you would like to come to the first day without committing to signing up for the full year, just call us to let us know.]]> http://bethadam.org/special-opportunities-for-new-sunday-school-families/feed/ 0 http://bethadam.org/teens-participate-in-yom-kippur-food-drive/ http://bethadam.org/teens-participate-in-yom-kippur-food-drive/#comments Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:26:42 +0000 Rabbi Baum http://bethadam.org/?p=1818 ]]> http://bethadam.org/teens-participate-in-yom-kippur-food-drive/feed/ 0 http://bethadam.org/high-holidays-at-sunday-school-and-beyond/ http://bethadam.org/high-holidays-at-sunday-school-and-beyond/#comments Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:24:51 +0000 Rabbi Baum http://bethadam.org/?p=1814 This year, Religious School starts (on 9/11) a few weeks before Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year, 9/28-29).  Yom Kippur, the next holiday, isn’t until October 7th.

This will give our students time on Sunday mornings to learn about the holidays before they arrive.  We teach our young kids some of the symbolism (apples and honey for a sweet New Year, for example) and with our older kids we talk about a range of topics (like why celebrate Jewish holidays!).

On September 29th, we’ll have a Rosh Hashanah Service for All Ages  at 2:30 PM and on October 8th, we’ll have a Yom Kippur Service for All Ages.  These are especially geared for 6-11 year olds, but all welcome!  And you don’t need to be a member of Beth Adam or enrolled in our Sunday School to participate.

For 0 to 6 year olds and their families, we have a special High Holiday program on Friday, September 23rd at 4 PM.  This will include stories, art projects, music, and more.  Again, all are welcome!  Just call us to RSVP.

We look forward to wishing you all a Happy New Year this September!

Rabbi Barr discusses the concept of the submissive wife and the race for the Presidency.

This year, we’re going to a Red’s Game on Sunday, September 18th.  We’ll have a pizza lunch after Sunday School (at 11:30) and then we’ll head out to the game, which starts at 1:10. RSVP to the office by September 1st.  As you can see from last year, it was a cold day – but still lots of fun.  And Congregation Beth Adam was even welcomed by the Reds on their score board.  How cool is that?

Once school starts (hope to see you on September 11th!) we’ll aim to keep this pretty current.  Since it’s summer now, we’ll periodically blog some of the highlights from last year.

Perhaps one of our best days of community-building was the first day of Religious School.  Adults and children not only spent time learning (whether in Adult Education or in one of our kids’ classrooms), but we also spent some time reconnecting after summer and meeting new friends.

What better way to kick off the year than with a beach party!  Even the rabbis were dressed in Hawaiian shirts – and the kids all wore bathing suits while they cooled off on our gigantic inflatable slip-and-slide.

There were some Jewish sand art projects too (sand at the beach – get it?!).  We ended the morning by celebrating our congregation’s spectacular 30th birthday with cake!  A great start for a sweet new year!

Rabbi Barr was excited to read an email that suggested it was time to rewrite Jewish prayers or so he thought

Rabbi Barr reflects on the fact that he doesn’t feel like working today.

Having celebrated his birthday recently, Rabbi Barr reflects on gifts given and gifts received.

Rabbi Barr wonders why people don’t seem to believe road signs.

Rabbi Barr looks at a new twist in the ongoing Weiner saga.

Rabbi Barr comments about the media circus that surrounded the Biblical predication that the world was going to end.

Rabbi Barr comments on a recent article about the challenges Reform Judaism currently faces.

Rabbi Barr is disturbed by Donald Trump’s decision not to run – it’s not what you think!

Rabbi Barr talks about a job he did not get.

Rabbi Barr comments the actions and the apology of the newspaper that altered a White House Photo.

Rabbi Barr reflects on 9/11.

Rabbi Barr offers his thoughts on the royal wedding.

Rabbi Barr reflects on the message of Passover.

Rabbi Barr reevaluates this classic excuse in light of new information.

Sure, there is a traditional way to light the candles. Most people put their candles in from right to left and light them from left to right. They start by lighting the shamash, the helper candle, which is often taller than the others. Each night they add a new candle.

But you don’t have to light the candles in that way. In fact the Talmud (codified around the year 500 CE) includes a debate on this very topic. While the students of Rabbi Hillel lit candles as I just described, the students of Rabbi Shammai did the opposite. They started with eight candles and subtracted one each night. Just as we can light candles in different ways, we can celebrate Hanukkah in different ways. There are traditions associated with the holiday that we’ll probably want to keep: dreidel games, potato latkes, family celebrations and gifts. There are also new ideas we can add.

At Beth Adam last year, we decided to add a new way to celebrate Hanukkah. We hosted the first annual Beth Adam Mitzvah Mall and raised over $1,800 dollars for eleven worthy community organizations. At the Mitzvah Mall you can buy a gift for another person by making a donation to a non-profit organization. Please see the enclosure in this newsletter for a detailed wish list from each organization.

Beyond the money raised, we heard wonderful feedback from members of all ages. After the event last year one Religious School family wrote , “we had a great family discussion beforehand and the kids embraced the idea of following through with their mitzvahs!”

That’s exactly what the Mitzvah Mall is – an opportunity. An opportunity to have conversations, to make choices about spending and giving, to help others and to learn about those in need in our community. We do not need to keep lighting candles in the same way or even giving gifts in the same way. Our eyes can open to a new way of giving – a gift we give to our friends and family that also helps those in need.

This year, there will be twelve fabulous organizations at the Mitzvah Mall: 4C for Children, Clifton Senior Center, Fernside, Hospice of Cincinnati, (Jewish) Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Jewish Family Service, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Loveland Inter Faith Effort, OurJewishCommunity.org, the Sierra Club, Safe Haven Farms and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

This event is not only for our Religious School students. We hope all of you will visit between 11:15 and 12:30 on Sunday, December 6th. Please bring your friends – this event is open to the public.

Happy Hanukkah!

Even though the alarm company was able to trouble shoot the problem, there wasn’t sufficient certainty that the problem wouldn’t recur. So in order to be on the safe side, realizing that we would have hundreds of people attending services, we developed an action plan just in case. Part of the plan was to inform the congregation about the possibility of a problem – assuming that knowledge would help to prevent panic. The plan also relied on the fact that there is additional support here during the High Holidays – Roberta, our Business Director, officers from the sheriff’s department and volunteers.

While nothing happened during the High Holidays and we had a plan in place – it is important for us not to ignore the lesson we learned from this event. We need to be prepared – not just for the holidays but throughout the year. It is for this reason that we are looking into setting up a Safety Team that will take the lead on such issues.

The Safety Team would be composed of several individuals who would know the protocol in case the fire alarm sounds, know where the AED (Automatic Electric Defibrillator) is located and how to use it, and be prepared to help lead in case of some other emergency. If you are willing to serve on this team or even lead it please contact me. Our goal is to have approximately 6-8 people trained. We need volunteers to fulfill this very important function within our community.

If volunteering for our Safety Team isn’t your interest, please know that there are other activities of the congregation which need volunteers. Currently we are looking for someone to coordinate our Congregational Seder. The basic structure of our Congregational Seder is in place and there are people who are willing to volunteer to assist, but we need one person to take the lead. Perhaps you are that person; please contact us if you are.

If Safety and Seders aren’t your thing, perhaps you have library skills. We are looking for someone to head up our Library Team. There are individuals willing to shelf and sort, but we need someone with library skills to oversee the work.

And if Safety, Seders or Library isn’t your bailiwick, perhaps you are willing to serve as a camera person for our streaming Friday Night Shabbat Services or volunteer time to work in Beth Adam’s office on Wednesdays. This Wednesday volunteer would answer the phone, make copies and assist in other non-computer related ways to facilitate the operation of the congregation.

While this may not be the most exciting Rabbi’s Message I’ve ever written it certainly is one of the most important. Volunteerism at Beth Adam has been a key to our success over the years. So much of what we are proud of – Religious School, Liturgy, Governance, Fundraising, has been a function of a strong and committed community of people who have dedicated their time and energy.

As Beth Adam continues to strengthen our programming and expand what we are doing, we need more volunteers to achieve our mission. So please – if you have an interest – call me or Roberta. And remember – we are also looking for hosts to help with the Linton Series – which is a major community event.

For all those who have helped and continue to help – thank you for what you have done. For those thinking about helping – please jump on in – the water’s fine. Our community is strengthened through our work together.

I mention this now because several individuals have asked me what Torah portion Rabbi Baum and I have selected for this year’s High Holidays. My response:

A horse is a horse of course, of course and no one can talk to horse, of course. That is, of course, unless the horse is the famous Mister Ed.

One of the people to whom I sang this simply stared at me with a quizzical expression on their face. Unfortunately this was not the first time in my life that people had looked at me strangely after I had said something.

They did not know the television show to which I was referring – a show while not a classic – which had certainly consumed much of my free time. Mr. Ed was broadcast in black & white and starred Alan Young. But the real star of the show was Mister Ed, the talking horse. Even if you never saw the show, you can imagine the type of situation the owner of the horse, the only one who knew the horse could talk, would find himself in. Mister Ed did more than just talk; Mister Ed was a smart alec.

So what does the famous talking Mister Ed have to do with this year’s High Holiday Torah – everything – well sort of. This year we have selected a Torah portion that has never been read at Beth Adam’s High Holiday Services. It tells the story of a king, Balak, who, fearing the Jews, hires a “sorcerer”, Balaam, to curse the Jews. You may be wondering how Mr. Ed fits into a story about someone cursing the Jews. Well a key element of the story is that Balaam travels to the spot where he is to offer his words of condemnation riding a donkey. But, while on their way, the donkey stops and will not move. In anger the rider, Balaam, beats him with a rod. Rather than bucking him off, the donkey turns and speaks to him. This is only the second time in the Torah that an animal has the gift of speech.

Of course, more than just examining this Torah portion during the High Holidays, Rabbi Baum and I will present original midrashim (legends) and sermons that explore religious issues of our day.

We look forward to seeing you at our High Holiday Services. If you’re unable to attend in person, remember Beth Adam’s services will be video streamed on OurJewishCommunity.org (our online congregation). You can even invite your family and friends around the country to participate in our services via the Internet. May this New Year be one of health, happiness and peace.