Rabbi Aaron Schwarzbaum of Beth El Jacob, Des Moines, Iowa offers up "Two Minutes with Torah" this week, Shabbos Behar/Bechukotai. (Lev. 25:1 - 27:34). Here is the video.
See you in Shul!
Religion
May 07, 2010
March 23, 2010
Drama, Oh...The Drama
Monday morning during services I was praying when the word "drama" came to me. Drama. "What the heck, why would I suddenly think of the word drama?"
And then I thought about it...about the drama that consumes so much energy and happiness and life.
G-d has created this beautiful world and all the joys and wonders for us to see and experience yet...so many focus on the dark drama of their lives. The little people with big drama and the big people with big drama. Drama knows no social or economic demographic...or so it seems.
And...I get weary. Weary of people putting drama before life. Weary of people making excuses, picking a fight or building resentments over some real or perceived small slight. I tire of the lies, the false hand-wringing...the self absorption.
You want real drama? My bride often reflects on the big picture. Her husband died of a brain tumor years ago. Now...that my friends is drama. Or how about the family grieving over their son who was killed in action? Two weeks ago a family buried their 21 year old son who was involved in a car accident. A family facing an uncertain future that hangs on the next words of the physician.
That...is the human drama that should get our attention. Not the silliness I've been witness to.
So, I was thinking. Maybe the best way to deal with silly drama is to simply refuse to take part. The next time the curtain rises on somebody's self-imposed drama soaked in silly...I just don't buy the ticket. But rather reflect on the wonders that G-d has given us.
Will it work?
See you in Shul...
February 28, 2010
January 21, 2010
US Airways Learn About Tefillin
Not sure if you saw this piece. A young observant Jew was flying a US Airways flight from New York to Louisville this morning. He was davening morning prayers with tefillin and another passenger thought the tefillin was a....bomb.
We're not making this up.
Here is the entire story from the New York Daily News.
The weird thing is...one explained you would think everybody would have been fine. No charges were filed and everybody got back on the plane to head to Louisville...but still?
Word up...careful where you wear your tefillin...
See you in Shul...
January 17, 2010
Educating Our Children
This morning, following class with our "Rosh Yeshiva" Eric Michaels on Prayerbook Hebrew, several of us sat down to discuss the quality and level of Jewish education for children going on at Beth El Jacob. Not having students in the program it's great to be able to sit down with parents and listen to what they have to say about our small yet growing Beth El Jacob Torah Academy.
WOW...
OK, all of this is "small potatoes" to folks living in Chicago, New York or Los Angeles but we're really pleased that our member parents are pleased. Nope, we don't have 30 kids to a class. Nope we don't have a highly paid staff.. Our kids are three and four to a teacher. Our teachers are "paid" on a co-op program. But...oh the activity!
The pre-school rocks with Janice Schwarzbaum and the small children are learning stories, crafts and Torah. The boys are learning Torah and Talmud with the rabbi and the girls learn with the very talented Malkie Rosenbloom. "Michael, the girls adore Malkie she is so gifted and dedicated."
You can't BUY any of this...it comes from the heart. And it energized me...thank you all!
See you in shul!
December 20, 2009
Hiding Behind the Mask...
Last month Marc Hansen of the Des Moines Register came out and did a nice follow up story about Beth El Jacob, the Orthodox Congregation of Des Moines and Iowa. They had been here a couple of years ago when Rabbi Schwarzbaum began attempting to bring new families to our city in the hope of growing the congregation and this was a new look at the three families who have arrived over the past sixteen months.
Since the article came out the vitriol of some people has been astonishing. (And no, we're not linking.) You see, the Register, and many other newspapers, allow people to hide behind a "screen name", a mask, and remain anonymous. I've always thought that is a poor journalistic decision and written about it several times. But...hey it gets "eyes" on the website and that...not journalism, is the important thing to the "bean counters".
My advice to my secular clients as well as Beth El Jacob is to ignore the hateful comments and rants of those who cower behind fake identities. However, in a strange way, it's useful to review these posts to get a sense of how misguided and confused some people have become. And, it's interesting that the more "hateful" the speech the less likely the writer wishes to be identified. Perhaps it's because they are simply lying or they just feel the need to tip lances at a windmill.
There is so much hurt, distrust, fear and hate in our society and our faith. Perhaps the Messiah isn't that far off after all.
See you in Shul
One more thing: My name is Michael Libbie and you can reach me at the shul most every day....in case you really want to talk.
December 06, 2009
The Three Leg Answer...
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about "Sleeping Jews" and a reader took issue saying that he knew all sorts of Jews who are not religious but do great things for their community and for their world. While that may be true, as Jews...they are still missing out.
How so? Let's look in the Torah...
This past week, in Vayishlach (Gen. 32: 25-32) we are told this very strange story about Jacob "wrestling" with "a man". It turns out this "man" is actually an angel of evil that can not overtake Jacob because of his knowledge of Torah.
The commentary goes on to quote the Chofetz Chaim, "The Evil Inclination doesn't mind if a Jew fasts, prays, and gives charity all day long - providing he does not study Torah!" So, what does this have to do with my friend who thinks "repairing the world" is all that needs to be done?
Abraham represented kindness and Isaac represented service. Both are wonderful qualities each of us should have. But, it's like having a two-legged stool. It won't stand without the third leg: Torah. It is Jacob that represents Torah and without Torah.... As the commentary goes on:
"Jewish history bears this out too tragically. In countries where Jews invested heroically in synagogues and charities, but not in institutions of Torah study, they assimilated and nearly disappeared. Only when they remained loyal to the legacy of Jacob did they remain strong."
See you in Shul!
November 24, 2009
The Dinner Guest
Two weeks ago Beth El Jacob held a second "Shabbos Challenge". It's an opportunity for people to gather at a hotel and spend a traditional Shabbos where we can learn, pray, eat and build community. It's a great time.
Something very odd happened that weekend on Erv Shabbos.
The rabbis wife, Janice Schwarzbaum, left the dinner table to take food to the staff at the front desk. (It is her passion to make sure that when there is food or fun...everybody gets.) As she stood there explaining to the surprised hotel staff what kugel is a man standing nearby said to the workers, "Oh, you'll like kugel. My favorite is carrot."
Surprised at this addition to the conversation, Janice turned and asked, "You know kugel?" The man said, "Oh yes! But it has been many years since I've had it." Of course the next question from Janice to The Man was, "Are you Jewish?"
The Man shifted his gaze to look away and said, "I was. Many years ago I converted and became a Christian. My mother, until the day she died, never spoke to me again."
Stunned, Janice responded as only a frum Jew would, "Come and eat with us! We're having Shabbos Dinner right upstairs with people from our synagogue and, yes, we've got more kugel."
The Man followed her to the dining room and took the only chair left, which was right across from the rabbi. He told us he is a physician from Illinois and in Des Moines for a conference. He was about to ask the hotel staff for directions to a restaurant where he was going to meet people for dinner when he overheard the kugel conversation.
For over two hours The Man sat, ate, listened and sang Shabbos songs with us. After we finished Grace after Meals he said goodbye but said he might return. And, an hour later he was back listening to a divar Torah and sharing his personal story. And we listened...
I don't know if we'll ever see The Man again but I have no doubt that this event made an impact on his life. And, for his blessed Mother to see him at a Shabbos Table in Des Moines, Iowa....oh my.
My friends...you never know who G-d puts in your path or why. This experience is just another in a long list of opportunities for outreach. It is clear this experience touched our dinner guest. The question is, will The Man respond in a deeper sense? And the answer is, yes...he already did, each time he said, "Amen".
See you in Shul....
November 15, 2009
From A Hotel Room In Des Moines...
It's early Sunday morning, the final day of The Shabbos Challenge II for Des Moines, This past weekend saw 33 people gather at the Day's Inn of Walnut Creek for a true Shabbos. From check-in on Friday afternoon we have prayed, learned, worshiped, ate, sang and played together. It's not only the right thing to do, but it goes toward building a community. (Last night we even had a whipped cream treat...)
For Orthodox Jews living in other parts of the country leaving your home and checking into a hotel for Shabbos may sound strange. But here it's different. We have members of our shul that are observant and those working toward the goal. We have members who care little for religion and others that truly "get it". And so we meet in a location to give those who are grasping for reason the opportunity to start with observing Shabbos. It's a wonderful adventure... Thank you Rabbi Schwarzbaum for doing this again. Let's start planning Shabbos Challenge III.
In other news, the Des Moines Sunday Register carried an article about the three new families who have moved to Des Moines. Last week writer Marc Hansen visited Beth El Jacob and heard, first hand, why Orthodox families have made the choice to create community in Des Moines. Nice job Marc and thank you...here is the story.
See you in shul...
October 31, 2009
Doing Business With Friends!
On Sunday Beth El Jacob will honor four individuals at the Fifth Annual Tribute Dinner and Gala. It will be our privilege to present Senator Jack Hatch, Officer Mark Miller, Jack Blair(OBM) and James Blair with honors from our shul. (If you have not yet made reservations...shoot us back an e-mail and we'll make sure you get a seat.)
As with all "volunteer groups" we found ourselves doing things at the last minute. The Tribute Booklet had to be written and printed. The writing took longer than the printing. Tammy Bainbridge and the folks at Lotus Moments received our raw files at 9am on Friday and the booklets were delivered, by Tammy, to the shul before Shabbos! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
The plaques were another matter. Kathy Trail at Crown Trophy in Urbandale whipped those out in no time and even made special "hours" for us to come and pick them up. Kathy, thank you thank you, thank you!.
But, you see, that's the way it is when you are dealing with great people who are also your friends. We'll have a nice event on Sunday night...and we're pleased to honor some wonderful folks. We also wanted to shout out the folks at two local businesses that made all the difference.
Thank you, again!
See you in Shul
