B'makom Rabbi Jana's Blog

I call this blog "B'makom," which means, "in place." As I begin this Blog we are each obligated to stay in place - in order to protect ourselves and each other.  Since Hebrew does not have indefinite articles (like the little word "a"), it also means "in a place." I took it from a song about a quote from Rabbi Hillel. I learned the song during my teen-age NFTY conclaves. I love that song (and I really like Michael Isaacson...Read more...

Have you had memorable Jewish experiences away from Shreveport? Whether you grew up elsewhere or visited elsewhere, I would love to hear about special Jewish experiences that were not in Shreveport. In fact, it would be ok to let me know about either unfavorable experiences or wonderful experiences - but they need to be from somewhere other than Shreveport. We can pretend to travel with you and create a little Jewish scrapbook of...Read more...

I hope you are enjoying the lovely weather. The Harvest Moon this month meant that Sukkot began. What glorious weather to be outside and in the Sukkah. Please remember that you are welcome to fulfill the Mitzvah of "leshev basukkah" ("dwelling in the Sukkah") by bringing a snack or meal to the Sukkah behind B'nai Zion. Thank you to the Brotherhood for building it, and the Religious School and other friends for decorating it. There are tables...Read more...

Thank you to everyone who answered my email last week about your favorite things about the High Holy Days. I have a new page on the website called “Wonderings” where I have posted the replies. I did not identify people (there are no names) with the answers. Maybe this time, if you are ok with me sharing your name, you could let me know. I think it is fine to keep these anonymous, yet knowing that they are all...Read more...

Every year I have visited the children from Shreveport who go to Jewish sleepaway camps - especially Henry S. Jacobs URJ Camp in Utica, Mississippi. A few times I have been able to go for a few days and help at the camp. Most of the time I arrive just before lunch, visit with the the campers and staff from Shreveport, take a picture with everyone from here, and go home. They are always excited to see me. I ask them about their favorite part...Read more...

We are a few weeks past celebrating the holiday of Purim. I sometimes wonder if I could have been the kind of hero Esther was. I don't like to hide my identity, and find it very difficult to imagine that my actions will save an entire people. I realize that she didn't expect any of these things to happen to her either, and probably was impressed after the fact that she was capable of those things.

Last week we discussed the story...Read more...

We are taught that to lose a life is as if we have lost the entire world and to save a life is as if we have saved the entire world.

It is our obligation, as a holy congregation to protect life - Pikuach Nefesh - above all else. Attempting to try to meet in person is recognizing that gathering is potentially dangerous, but trying to find the safest way to deal with the danger. After listening to my colleagues, our Board,...Read more...

 
The Mayor of Shreveport wants us to wear masks whenever we are in public places and interacting with other people. The mandate includes Houses of Worship. We should not have needed anyone to mandate wearing masks. We should have been doing it anyway. 

In Jewish tradition, the saving of lives is of utmost priority. One can break other Mitzvot (Commandments) in order to save a life. Rabbi Michael Knopf is the rabbi of Temple Beth-El in Richmond, Virginia, and a member of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. He wrote the Blessing for the Mitzvah of Putting on a Mask that you see here. He suggested that if we say a B'rachah (Blessing) when we put it on, Read more...

There is an expression: "If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, then Mohammed will go to the mountain." The origin of the expression was a story about the Muslim Prophet, Mohammed. The legend goes that the Prophet Mohammed was asked to provide proof of his teaching, so he ordered Mount Safa to come to him. When the mountain did not move, would go the mountain. (There's a bit more to the story and its use. I found this version here,...Read more...

This post will also begin with a song memory from my teenage years. When I was in High School a friend gave me a Poogy album. Actually, the band was called "Kaveret" and the album was called Sippurei Poogy ("Poogy Tales"). I played that album a lot, and learned a lot of Hebrew by listening to it. One of the songs had many expressions, and the words were used as if they were the expression and then was also taken literally - and it was really...Read more...

There is a tradition, called "Minhag haMakom" of keeping the local customs. "Minhag" means custom, and "haMakom" means "the Place." Examples include... at B'nai Zion, during Friday evening service, our custom is to stand, bless the candles, and immediately do the Kiddush. Many communities do not even light candles or do Kiddush during services. More communities do the blessings, but the Kiddush will be done later in the...Read more...

My family's tradition is that when we read the part of the Seder that mentions each of the plagues in order, we dip our pinky finger in our wine cup, and remove a drop for each plague. After all ten plagues I would lick the wine from my finger. One reason we are taught that we do this is to realize that our joy (wine is the symbol of human joy) is diminished because of the suffering that the plagues caused. (That doesn't explain why we used...Read more...