Monthly Archives:December 2025

So often, I get to talk with someone on Shabbat about the joy of seeing so many children crowded under our giant tallit for a ...

Last week, Hanukkah began in fear, marked by a horrific terrorist attack against Jews celebrating on Bondi Beach—fifteen innocent lives were stolen. This week began ...

One week after the attack at Bondi Beach, our hanukkiyot glow with their fullest light. Writing from afar, the author reflects on fear, distance, and ...

One small gesture—a kind word and a saved seat—sparked a lasting sense of connection for this BJ member. Now, as part of the New Member ...

After time away, one couple returns to BJ and finds new ways to reconnect through small groups and warm Friday night greetings. In this heartfelt ...

As the Hanukkah lights push back the darkness, three BJ members reflect on the quiet courage of migrant families—and the powerful light of Thursday night ...

For Gideon Frankel and his family, joining BJ meant finding a spiritual home that honors both cultural and traditional Jewish roots. In this heartfelt reflection, ...

For nearly 40 years, Carol Gelles has helped BJ feel like home—showing up wherever she’s needed, from committees to leadership. Today, she’s a High Holy ...

A longtime synagogue volunteer in Little Rock, Arkansas, Carmen found a “balm for the soul” in BJ and sought a way to give back from ...

From a “Hanukkah dinner” conjured out of an empty fridge to a child mesmerized by a light switch, this piece traces one family’s relationship with ...

Tomorrow, December 13, 2025, is the 75th anniversary of my mother and grandparents arriving in the United States from a displaced persons camp outside Vienna.  ...

One of the most beautiful and remarkable aspects of our tradition is its layering and intertextuality. Each generation receives what came before and builds on ...

BJ Rabbinic Fellow Iliana Brodsky reflects on the haftarah for Vayishlah and explores how Ovadia’s searing prophecy challenges us to seek justice without surrendering to ...