The Enduring Power of Relationships
05/01/2023 09:30:00 AM
As we inch closer to summer, I am reflecting on my three years as your Assistant Rabbi and Director of Education. I was ordained as a rabbi and began this role at the beginning of the pandemic. While one of my priorities for my first few months on the job was to start forming relationships,...Read more...
pURIM, PESACH, PACKING
03/31/2023 10:01:56 AM
I imagine most of us have a period in our life that stands out, in a positive way, from the rest. Whether it was a year abroad, a dream vacation, summer camp, or a wedding. One such time in my life was in 2004-2005, my first year of Rabbinical School. Without even looking at pictures, I...Read more...
tIME FOR PLAY
03/01/2023 09:15:59 AM
Tour and registration time is here. Each year during this time, I am reminded of what is truly important, how vital our work is and that children need to PLAY! When it comes to early childhood education, children’s play is serious business. Fun and games bring more than just joy. They are...Read more...
CREATE FOR YOURSELF A SENSE OF BELONGING
02/01/2023 09:28:00 AM
Rabbi Feder often reminds me that “community” is my middle name. As Chief Community Officer, I often reflect on the why and the how of community. With membership in faith institutions across the world declining (PTS is no exception), I...Read more...
the genizah and a new beginning
01/03/2023 09:00:45 AM
During the month of January, everyone at PTS has the chance to participate in a community-building and uniquely Jewish opportunity, our Community Shred Event and Genizah Collection on Friday, January 13th. In reading this, you may be wondering what this event is all about. I am...Read more...
On community
12/02/2022 09:09:40 PM
President
Shabbat Shalom, and welcome once again to our Board Consecration Shabbat. It is my honor, as president of the PTS board, to chair this group of smart, caring, and committed trustees who not only have led us beautifully in our service this...Read more...
The Power of Hanukkah
12/01/2022 09:48:00 AM
“We came to banish the darkness
In our hands are the light and fire
Each one of us is a small light,
And together our light is power”
This is the message of the Israeli Chanukah song, Banu Choshech Legaresh. Every human soul brings a powerful light, and when...Read more...
A Part of Something Bigger….
11/01/2022 09:30:04 AM
As I stand in front of the open ark in our sanctuary with an upcoming B’nai Mitzvah student, one of the first things I often ask them is if they’ve ever really paid attention to how many sifrei Torah (Torah Scrolls) are in the ark. At a quick glance, it’s clear that there...Read more...
A Message on Antisemitism in Our Time
10/28/2022 02:31:51 PM
Recently, we have been reminded that antisemitism plagues us now with a renewed and frightening strength.
Just yesterday, we marked the fourth anniversary of the deadliest attack in U.S. history against Jews at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue. As we paused to remember the...Read more...
Moving Forward into the Climate Crisis
10/05/2022 07:00:42 PM
Sermon, Yom Kippur Morning 2022/5783
What Can We Do? Moving Forward into the Climate Crisis
I would like to invite you to think about a place that you have been to and wish to return, like a park or a vacation spot or your grandmother’s backyard. I know many people in...Read more...
