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CRS News

Announcing the 2023 CRS Israel Tzedakah Project Grant Recipients

Our congregation gives an annual grant to a worthy general Israel charitable organization and to an Israel Reform/Progressive movement (IMPJ) project/organization. This year’s general Israel recipient is Hillel : the Right to Choose. (This organization is unrelated to the…

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Congregation Rodeph Sholom - Stories of Supporting Asylum Seekers
Stories of Supporting Asylum Seekers

“As a child, I listened to the stories of my ancestors and their migration to America. They escaped persecution and poverty and hoped to find freedom and opportunity in our great…

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Helping Turkish and Syrian Earthquake Victims

More than 46,000 people have been killed and thousands injured by the catastrophic earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria while, amazingly, rescue efforts are still ongoing. Now a humanitarian crisis,…

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Syrian Response

Delivering shelter, food, clothing, healthcare, and hygiene items to aid Syrians whose lives have been disrupted by war: Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees

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CRS Supports Asylum Seekers

Congregation Rodeph Sholom is mobilizing to provide food, clothing, shelter and social services to asylum seekers who have recently arrived in New York City. We’d like to give you a…

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Zioness Presents The New Jewish Awakening

Inspired, nimble religious organizations of all kinds are now retooling to meet the very different needs of American Judaism today. Zioness is a key example of this trend, in creating…

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Opinion: Religion News

Bishop Robert Stearns wants to reinvent evangelicalism without leaving it behind. The pastor from western New York is one of a rising cohort of evangelical leaders who are looking beyond…

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Principles of the Jewish Awakening

Our numbers are growing, American Jews burst with pride of identity – and yet many of our institutions remain in decline. This combination of circumstances is creating space for those…

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Israel Operation Breaking Dawn Statement

A Message from our Clergy – August 10, 2022 As we approach Shabbat Nachamu, the Sabbath of Comfort and Consolation, we turn our hearts towards Israel. Following the IDF arresting…

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American Jewish Experiences of Identity & Belonging

Springtide Research Institute’s Head of Community Engagement Marte Aboagye was joined by Rabbi Joshua Stanton and Rabbi Benjamin Spratt: co-authors of the just released book, “Awakenings: American Jewish Transformations in…

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Community: Tablet

The New Jewish Awakening: Our obsession with the narrative of our community’s decline overlooks threads of optimism and opportunity by Benjamin Spratt and Joshua Stanton. Read the article here.

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Book Review: The Jerusalem Post

American Jewry needs to wake up to new possibilities – book review: In contrast to the narrative of constant decline, two young American rabbis offer a powerfully positive and perhaps…

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Opinion: Haaretz

American Judaism Is in Decline. That’s Great News for American Jews: Synagogues closing, rising intermarriage, deepening denominational and political rifts: That’s one way to tell the story of today’s American…

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Opinion: Daily Beast

Break Up America’s Clergy Cartel [God Is Not A Business]: We’re Reform rabbis who want more transparency for clergy contracts and fewer protectionist obstacles that keep good people from answering…

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Turning Together in Heartbreak

We send our deepest condolences to the family and communities of Uvalde, Texas. May the tragedies that define these days move our hearts towards our highest sense of humanity, and…

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Opinion: The Jerusalem Post 

Judaism must learn to welcome outsiders to its traditions: Non-Jewish people should be able to explore Jewish traditions and elements without having to commit to converting by Benjamin Spratt and…

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Review: Publishers Weekly

The future of American Judaism looks bright, contend rabbis Stanton and Spratt in their strong debut. The authors argue that the “seeds of a new Jewish awakening” lie with “those…

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Opinion: Religion Dispatches

Who’s ‘Really’ Jewish: the Sefardi Floridian, the Ashkenazi Californian, or the New York Jew By Choice? ‘Authenticity’ is a Trap by Rabbi Ben Spratt and Rabbi Joshua Stanton.  Read the…

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A Reckoning by Lin Saberski

In March, 2022 70 congregants traveled to Georgia and Alabama on a Civil Rights Journey. Lin Saberski wrote about her experience on the trip, which was published in Monterey News…

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Opinion: Religion News

An awakening is coming to American religion. You won’t hear about it from the pulpit: The future of American religion resides with innovative lay leaders who focus on empowerment, rather…

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Opinion: Interfaith America 

An Awakening is Coming to American Religion. You Won’t Hear About It From the Pulpit by Joshua Stanton and Benjamin Spratt  Read the article here.

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Meet Your Senior Clergy!

Rabbi Ben Spratt and Cantor Shayna De Lowe were featured on the Drinking and Drashing: Torah with a Twist podcast (Episode 219) on February 14.

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Responding to the Crisis in Ukraine

Written by Rabbi Benjamin H. Spratt Responding to the Crisis in Ukraine As we look with horror and fear at the invasion of Ukraine, we bring awareness to this escalating…

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A Message from Rabbi Spratt

Written by Rabbi Benjamin H. Spratt A Message from Rabbi Spratt Reform Movement Strongly Condemns Amnesty International Report February 3, 2022 Dear Rodeph Sholom Family, Jew-hate. From swastika graffiti to synagogue…

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Welcoming Rabbi Mira Weller

We are pleased to welcome Assistant Rabbi Deborah Goldberg and Assistant Cantor Stefano Iacono, new members of our clergy team as of today.

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Gratitude & Conviction

Dear Rodeph Sholom Community, We begin this day with gratitude. First and foremost, our gratitude that all four hostages, including our colleague Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, are now safe after 11…

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We the People

We the People A Prayer for Our Country on January 6, 2022 Written by Rabbi Benjamin H. Spratt Our nation beganWith the right, the dutyTo throw off absolute despotismTo oppose…

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Gratitude in Action

A Note from your CRS Clergy Team Dear Rodeph Sholom Family, The Hebrew word for “Judaism” is Yehadut, from the root hodah – gratitude. In namesake, thanksgiving is at the root…

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Gratitude in Action

THE MEYER W. NATHANS SERVICE AWARD Erev Shabbat Service Friday, November 19 at 6:00 PM Please join us for this special Erev Shabbat Service as we honor Dr. Carlos Vaamonde…

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Celebrate Sukkot and Simchat Torah 5782

JOYOUS CELEBRATIONS CONCLUDE OUR HIGH HOLY DAYS! SUKKOT MON, SEP 20 – WED, SEP 22, 2021 AboutSocial ActionResourcesRecipes We celebrate Sukkot to give thanks for the fall harvest. Meaning “booth,”…

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Haiti and Afghanistan: We Can Help

It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it.—Pirke Avot 2:21 Two disasters during the same period of time….

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RABBI SPRATT in THE JEWISH WEEK

For Rodeph Sholom’s New Senior Rabbi, Judaism Is a Search for Belonging “I have always been searching for my place of belonging. I do feel I have found it here,”…

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Pardes Learning Seminar Summer 2021

To learn more about the Pardes Learning Seminar program, which runs during the summer and winter, please visit www.pardes.org.il/seminar. Elaine Hochberg Where do I begin? I spent five days last week…

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Welcoming Our New Clergy

We are pleased to welcome Assistant Rabbi Deborah Goldberg and Assistant Cantor Stefano Iacono, new members of our clergy team as of today.

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RABBI LEVINE, WE CELEBRATE YOU!

It is with a profound mix of sadness and joy that we say goodbye to our Senior Rabbi, Robert Levine…We are grateful to you, our beloved Rebbe forever, as we…

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Rabbi Benjamin H. Spratt

It is with great pride that we celebrate the election of Rabbi Ben Spratt as our next Senior Rabbi during the CRS Annual Meeting on May 18. Rabbi Spratt will…

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CRS x One Day University

Introducing a groundbreaking partnership to build Jewish community through wisdom in the most Jewish way possible—debate, discussion, dialogue!

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CRS SPRING FOOD DRIVE

Please act now and donate to the CRS Food Drive at a level that is meaningful to you. We will quickly pass along all donated funds to WSCAH, Church of…

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Pursuing Justice

Our Torah cries out eloquently and often for justice. In this week’s Torah portion, we are instructed: You shall not render an unfair decision. Do not show favor to the…

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179th Annual Meeting & Town Hall

You are cordially invited to attend the 179th Annual Meeting of the Congregation to be held on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at 7:00 PM. The agenda will include welcoming our…

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CRS Reads: Round III

CRS Reads is Back!
After another successful round of reading and learning as a community we are diving into our next round with the book on the theme of racial…

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Stop Asian Hate

We continue to witness the frightening surge of hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout our country. As elected officials and figures of prominence amplify racial slurs and…

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Announcing Our New Clergy

It is our great pride and pleasure to announce that Deborah Goldberg will be joining Rodeph Sholom as Assistant Rabbi and Stefano Iacono will be joining Rodeph Sholom as Assistant…

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Passover: Prepare for your Seder

For a compiled list of all things Passover-related, including recipes, craft projects, and online Hagaddot, be sure to check our Virtual Passover Portal.

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February Highlights

We are pleased to present interesting programs and special events that are happening virtually here at Congregation Rodeph Sholom.

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Passover 2021: One Year Later

Last year at this time we were forced to close our temple doors due to the pandemic. But Passover was celebrated nonetheless! Our first virtual seder kept us together.

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Purim

Purim celebrates the saving of the Jewish community from persecution in ancient Persia, thanks to Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai, who prevailed over the evil Haman.

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Mitzvah Day

In the true spirit of CRS, we will meet a new year with gratitude and good works, joining together on Zoom and on the streets of New York City to…

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CRS 2020

CRS 2020 Roundup—Together, Even While Apart “Our synagogue is so much more than bricks and mortar, it’s a lot of love.”Peter Ehrenberg, President of the CRS Board Was 2020 the…

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January Highlights

We are pleased to present interesting programs and special events that are happening virtually here at Congregation Rodeph Sholom.

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Chanukah Resources

Resources, readings, recipes, and more to help you share the light of this holiday.

Still engulfed in a tumultuous year filled with the threat of too much darkness, we can…

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Thanksgiving and Judaism

In fact, Judah’s name carried such importance that it became the name for our people—Yehudim, Jews, literally, the grateful ones. How profound that at the root of what it means…

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Feeling Stressed and Anxious?

Counseling and Support Service: Ruth Kobrin, LMSW Are you feeling anxiety over the pandemic? What of the election? The votes may be in but the election season had us all…

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Mitzvot In The Time Of COVID

Living through this pandemic has been challenging. Nevertheless, by doing good deeds for one another, then a little kindness can really go a long way.

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November Highlights

We are pleased to present interesting programs and special events that are happening virtually here at Congregation Rodeph Sholom.

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Election 2020

It has never been more important to make your vote count! Here are our upcoming programs on the 2020 election and resources to help you make your voting plan: A…

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October Highlights

We are pleased to present interesting programs and special events that are happening virtually here at Congregation Rodeph Sholom.

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Celebrate Sukkot and Simchat Torah

JOYOUS CELEBRATIONS CONCLUDE OUR HIGH HOLY DAYS! SUKKOT │ FRI, OCT 2 – SUN, OCT 4 FRI, OCT 2 6:00 PM: Erev Shabbat/Sukkot Service—weather permitting, our CRS Clergy will be…

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Register for Hebrew Basics Today!

Learn how to read Hebrew in this 8-week introductory course.  We will start at the very beginning, learning the letters and vowels and the mechanics of reading. At the end…

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High Holy Days On Demand

L’shanah tovah t’kateivu! Did you know that many of our High Holy Days 5781 offerings are available to watch on-demand? Visit our High Holy Days Video Library page to watch…

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Our 9/11 Story About Yogi and Ruben

by Yvette Perry The High Holy Days are here again. And this year, yet again, they are different. Some of us may be sitting in our seats, others are watching…

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Elul Ark Moments

As we approach the Season of Awe, we stand in a different place than ever before. With everything familiar being turned upside down, we are each navigating how to live…

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