Houston Jewish Herald-Voice » Jewish Center

Cantor Benny Rogosnitzky- Memorial Concert Riverdale Jewish Center June 2007

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:27:48 +0000

Memorial concert performance at the Riverdale Jewish Center in tribute to Cantor Joseph Rosenblatt. June 2007

Baxter Memorial Library (1889) – south view

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:28:23 +0000

Image taken on 2007-10-05 14:13:29 by origamidon.

Judaism and the Jewish People

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:41:07 +0000

The Jews are descendants of nomadic tribes of the Middle East. In the 13th century BC by towns and villages in the area of present Israel. Jewish kingdoms and states are centered around Jerusalem, the site of the Temple. Judaism, the religion that developed in this period, requires ethical behavior, individual responsibility, tolerance and social justice.

Jews believe in a God prohibits the practice of human sacrifice and common worship. Many of the teachings of Judaism in Christianity and Islam and the influence of other religions and cultures. Judaism does not encourage conversions, but has always accepted converts from other religions. In the diaspora, the two thousand years of Jewish life in the dispersion, Judaism spread in many different trends: the mystical movements such as Kabbalah movements seeking hidden meanings and mysteries in Biblical texts, such as Hasidism Pietist who have simple faith and “intensity of religious experience fellowship, and rationalist schools of theology of the Scriptures that explain the logic of reason and history. diaspora communities to provide the framework of Jewish life: synagogues, schools, public baths and kosher food. The communities are often isolated, have little or no contact with groups in other countries. But Jews continue to use the same biblical texts and prayers and observe religious laws thereof. When the Jews were granted equal rights and begin to live outside the Jewish community, Judaism lost its unifying force. development of modern religious movements, leaving the common foundations of traditional Judaism. In countries where there are no legal or social barriers exist, begin to assimilate the Jews, and many embrace the secular identity. After the Holocaust, the idea of a common history and destiny, once again the strength gains among Jews. The Jews of the Diaspora and Israel

The first Jewish community outside Israel, is set during the Babylonian exile (700 BC). Jews also established in the Arabian Peninsula and Egypt. After the Jewish revolt against Roman occupation (AD 66-135), Jews are prohibited from living in Jerusalem and Judea. Under Byzantine rule (324-640 AD), Christianity was introduced in Israel and many anti-Jewish laws are enacted. In the sixth century, Jews became a minority in their own land. After the Arab conquest, the Jewish population shrinks even more. At the time of the first Crusades (11th century), only a few thousand Jews remain in Israel.

Jews for many centuries the only form of ethnic and religious minorities in countries that settled in separate communities living in the general population according to special laws and restrictions. They use the Hebrew language or dialect combined with Hebrew language of the country: between Ashkenasim Yiddish, Jews who settled in Germany; Laden among the Sephardim, Jews who emigrated to Spain, and Judeo-Arabic among Jews of North Africa. Despite their forced separation, the Diaspora Jewish communities to adopt many customs surrounding cultures. Integration is not Jews in the community through marriage is a common practice. Many also convert to Christianity or Islam. As a result, the Jews of the diaspora are often members of two cultures (Jews and Arabs, for example) and even resemble externally to the surrounding population. The Jewish communities in Muslim countries, Spain and Portugal, to grow culturally and economically, despite some restrictions. Jews in Christian Europe were subject to oppression, persecution and expulsion sporadic alternating with periods of relative peace and prosperity. Ashkenasim Sephardi and develop different customs and religious practices for centuries. With emancipation, the granting of equal rights, and reducing the role of religion, the Jews begin to integrate fully in society who have lived for hundreds of years. For many, Judaism became a secular national identity. In the 19th century, Zionism, Jewish national movement, proposes a return to Israel and the restoration of a Jewish state. In 1948 this new state is based. Millions of Jews to emigrate to Israel, but most of the Jewish population is still living in the diaspora.

The First Crusade

During the first 700 years of Christianity, Jewish communities in Europe are rarely placed in direct physical danger. But the situation changed when, in 1095, Pope Urban called for a crusade to liberate Jerusalem from the hands of Muslims. On his way to Jerusalem, the crusaders leave a trail of death and destruction upon the Jewish communities along the Rhine and Danube. “Why,” as he exclaimed: “Why should we attack the infidels in the Holy Land, and let the unbelievers among us unmolested? On May 25, 1096, 800 Jews were murdered in Worms, Germany while many others choose suicide. In Regensburg, the Jews are thrown into the Danube to be “baptized.” In Mainz, Cologne, Prague and many other cities, thousands of Jews were murdered and looted their properties. For the next hundred years new cross accompanied by looting and massacres among the Jewish population. With the Crusades, the Jewish state as second-class citizens blocked by church dogma and the laws of the State in all of Christian Europe. A period of oppression and uncertainty stems ending only in the 18th century.

Anti-Jewish Myths

IN THE MIDDLE AGES, faith in miracles and legends is common. Two myths with an anti-Jewish character to appear throughout Europe: Jews desecrated the host and the Jews commit ritual murder. Both myths survive in the 20st century. Other popular belief during the Middle Ages, Jews have grown and the code edges – the attributes of the devil. After the Church in 1215, establishes the doctrine that the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ is contained in the host and wine consecrated, the stories begin to emerge Jews to steal, alter or burn the host, in order to kill Jesus once again. Miracles are an elementary part of this myth: the crippled host began to bleed – the teaching and demonstrating the truth of the Christian faith. According to the blood libel, “Jews are killing Christian children to satisfy their need for a supposed” Christian blood “on the elaboration of bread for Easter or other religious rites. While greater authority of the Church and opposed often stories, the myth lives on popular belief, supported and encouraged by the local clergy that launch profitable pilgrimages to places of suspicious deaths. The allegations of the blood are the most influential legends and cruel belief in the arsenal of anti- Jewish, perpetuating the myth of the evil and inhuman of the Jews and to incite the Christian population of blood revenge. The allegations of ritual murder is superficial in the 20th century in Russia and the dissemination of propaganda by the Nazis .

Patterns of discrimination

In 1215, the pope issues a decree that Jews must wear distinctive marks on their clothing to distinguish more clearly by the Christians. The Church wants to prevent Christians to learn to associate with Jews. These discriminatory clothing brands from place to place: sometimes the Jews must wear a yellow or red for the dress, sometimes a pointed hat, the “Jewish hat.” No brand of clothing is only used to separate Jews from Christians. Increasingly, Jews are forced to live together in isolation in ghettoes enclosed by walls. How ghetto are not authorized to extend, become increasingly broad measure of discrimination crowdedThe in a most fundamental right: Jews do not receive permission to reside permanently in the cities and towns. How is increasingly forced trade, traffic and money lending, the Jews are admitted to the city for limited periods only when the economic development needs of increased trade and credit. They must also pay taxes. When the economic situation changes or dealers have fallen too far in debt, no permits are issued. Often, the Jews are simply expelled. Many communities have to pay taxes to the king or prince, in return for their protection. German states, Jews are considered the property of the emperor who sells the right to tax the local princes and bishops. Often, Jewish communities are caught between the economic interests of local rivals and principles, that “their” Jews.

“Use”

In the second half of the Middle Ages, cities grow and expand trade. Many economic functions of Jews has been achieved in the past are reproduced by other groups. Increasingly, the professions and trades are organized in unions. Since only clan members are allowed to practice these professions, and new members must commit an oath on the Bible, Jews are excluded from participation. In Western and Central Europe, Jews are led by one trade after another. only in the business and the loan of money remains available to them. Many Jewish communities wallow in poverty and only a few continue to thrive. As the Church forbade Christians to lend money and interest, but the need for credit in a growing economy increases, the Jews are often the only ones lending. Interest on loans is high due to the risks and lack of capital. Jews were identified with “usury”, borrowing the money and interest too. Another stereotype of the “Jew” was created as part of the same economic conditions as poor Jewish peddlers of second-hand. These two contradictory images of the Jews, the seller money lender hard and unfair and poor and unreliable, to survive in the 20th century – long after their origins in religious intolerance and economic marginalization, have disappeared. The Jewish community

Communities are at the center of Jewish life in the Diaspora. In the Middle Ages, communities are generally very small, comprising one or two dozen families. In large cities, may include a population of several thousand. Being a stranger to the feudal era, Jews have a wide degree of autonomy in regulating their own affairs. Communities raise taxes to pay for the synagogues and cemeteries, for the employment of the rabbis and teachers, and to feed and house the poor. They are in charge of elders elected by the shareholders also vote on the status of the community. Crimes committed within the community and legal disputes between States are resolved by the rabbinical courts. There is no police force and prisons. Courts punish with fines or prohibition of the writers of the community on a temporary or permanent. To enable members to meet the dietary laws, the community provides for the slaughter of cows, goats, sheep and chickens in the manner prescribed. They also build public baths to allow participants to follow the rules of ritual purification. larger communities to maintain religious academies where they study the Torah and the Talmud and the rabbis are trained. rhymes? within the community and legal disputes between States are resolved by the rabbinical courts. There is no police force and prisons. Courts punish with fines or prohibition of the writers of the community on a temporary or permanent. To enable members to meet the dietary laws, the community provides for the slaughter of cows, goats, sheep and chickens in the manner prescribed. They also build public baths to allow participants to follow the rules of ritual purification. larger communities to maintain religious academies where they study the Torah and the Talmud and the rabbis are trained. Expulsions and the Black Death

After the Crusades, the expulsion of whole communities of Jews become frequent events. In 1290, all Jews were expelled from England – about 16,000 people. Communities in England are still determined only in the 17th century. In 1306, Jews were expelled from France. The expulsions are often preceded by accusations of ritual murder and anti-Jewish riots. Building on these anti-Jewish feelings, the local rulers, magistrates and merchants of the city take the opportunity to get rid of Jewish usurers owe money, or unwelcome competition. Just as Jews were allowed into the city to encourage trade or providing credit, evictions are based primarily economic interests as well. The 14th century is overshadowed by a major disaster: Europe is the plague. Between 1348 and 1350 epidemics, killing millions of people – one third of its population. As the actual causes are unknown, foreigners, travelers and the Jews, the only non-Christian minority in all affected countries are accused of spreading the disease. Many believe that the Jewish communities are taking revenge by poisoning wells decades of hostility against Jews and water supplies. Although the disease is progressing in Spain and Italy from north to England and Poland, about 300 Jewish communities were attacked and burned thousands of Jews to bet or dead. German states are almost all the expelled Jewish communities. With the forced conversion and expulsion of Portugal and Spain in the late 15th century, communities are well developed in the Iberian Peninsula and destroyed the Sephardic Jews exiled renewed. occasional expulsion of Jewish communities in Europe will continue in the 19th century.

Palm Beach Jewish Center

admin — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:30:17 +0000

Is it Shabbat yet?

12 million Chair in Jewish studies at Stanford University reconstituted by Peter Menkin

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:28:43 +0000

A chair in Jewish studies has been reconstituted at the Stanford University School of Education, where students pursue doctoral culture, history, language, and all components of the Jewish faith of religion is a salient feature. Only one point out that involves the allocation of $ 12,000,000 dollars. The San Francisco-based Jim Joseph Foundation plays in general education: camps, youth groups, Jewish service learning and travel in Israel. Students will learn the religion of the Jewish people in America. This article is part of Jim Joseph Foundation, to provide the American Jewish community with education.

The aim of this chair is the intersection of Jewish studies and education and training that students will be able to analyze the impact that the role of Jewish education in K-12 education and in general ‘intersection of religion and education. We hope (and expectation) that this initiative is only the beginning of an academic initiative for exploring the intersection between religion and education in the broadest sense – not only for the Jewish context. The role of religion in education, especially K-12 education be understood in a broader and more critical as more children around the world are educated in religious institutions and schools in the U.S. per day.

Jewish Coffee Cake

admin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 20:57:26 +0000

Now there’s a coffee cake to make you want no other coffee cake, and once the preparation of this coffee cake and get a real idea of working on this cake can be very creative and use some different jams, jellies, fruit and so on.

Always remember that there is much you can do with a recipe, not to exceed the parameters of the original recipe.

I made this recipe hundreds of times and still can not believe how well it goes. All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Pound ¼ cup sugar 2 teaspoons butter1 vanilla8 eggs1 ounce cups sour cream2 flour1-teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon baking powder

butter and sugar then add eggs one at a time and mix remaining ingredients together slowly.

In another bowl mix 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup chopped walnuts and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to taste and mix together.

Using a pipe 3inch x 10 inch pan, make sure your pan is well greased and floured, place some cake mixture on the bottom and then a little sugar, nuts and cinnamon mixture and repeat this procedure until have all the cake mix into the pan and the top layer is a mixture of cinnamon.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until a peak located in the center of the cake comes out clean, cool and enjoy, I like my warm with raspberry jam on it.

Baxter Memorial Library (1889) – 1927 plaque detail

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:58:50 +0000

Image taken on 2007-10-05 14:11:42 by origamidon.

Divine Harmony, Jewish Spiritual Living and the Present Moment

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:39:19 +0000

When it comes to Judaism, I always knew there was a strong emphasis on the concept of ethics. To be a good person was very important. Since then he realized that there were some Jews who seemed to be very pious and followed the commandments, the mitzvot, very religious indeed. He also knew that those same people are not necessarily loyal in their daily relationships with others, but worked hard to keep the commandments.

There must be more Jewish rituals and prayer. I liked the idea to practice good ethical behavior. I’ve always preferred to be able to sleep at night and in most cases do my best to do right. I like the concept of improvement and with the right motivation, I can always be motivated to improve.

Based on extensive reading has been exposed to the notion of ethics associated with the concept of being “holy.” Well, for me, being a saint is not a great motivator. Moreover, there was the Jewish concept of Yirah, or the fear of God, now, the negative motivation has never been my forte. You know what I mean. “Do this, or get shot in the head” No, I prefer something a little “more positive and beneficial for reasons that resonate with me. Certainly Jewish spiritual life echo in me It took me to find the divine harmony in the center of my life.

The word “resonance” of the great figures in my thoughts. If there is anything I read or heard does not resonate with me, I think it is absolutely impossible to internalize. Ring is like a sympathetic vibration with a frequency that touches something inside me. Again, part of the concept that “When the student is ready the teacher appears.” The point I am trying to make is that what resonates with me today, can not resonate with you today. But do not be surprised if you happen to resonate with you tomorrow.

Almost a year ago, I read the book by Eckhart Tolle, New Earth, and to see every episode of Oprah webinar on the subject. However, it was not until listening to Dr. Wayne Dyer, one month after finish watching all the episodes that finally “understood.” “It was very strange. And” if the fog had lifted from my field of vision. Finally, he came to me. It was the moment. “The new law that now is the time where I wanted to be. Do not want to be in the past or want to be in the future. There was nothing more important than being at this time.

I started thinking about my thinking in relation to the idea of “what is my relationship to the present moment.” I knew I had to learn more. Tolle’s book, The New Earth, not the spark of this flash of understanding. Not Oprah’s webinar. It ’s just gave me a necessary introduction to Wayne Dyer and softened me. I could simply say that what he said happened to resonate with me. That would be like standing outside next to an engine to idle in a Boeing 767 and saying that is very high. I was vibrant, not only the resonance!

I have a copy of Tolle’s previous book, The Power of Now, and began to read. The first 40 pages has come very slowly, but Tolle then began to give examples of how to carry themselves in the present moment. I finally get to a place where I was no longer a prisoner of the past and the perceived deficiencies past I was a prisoner of what could come in the future. I was staying in the present moment or present.

To me it feels very good for being in the moment with my knowledge of Jewish spiritual life. You can not be prepared to be in the moment, but if the time and the message is just what you need, I hope tu’ll open to it.

Introduction to Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:13:01 +0000

When asked Judaism Jews, commonly asked questions such as: What is the nature of God? Do you believe in heaven and hell? What happens to us after death? The answers to questions like these characterize most religions. While Jewish law (Talmud) focuses on what God wants of man, the area of Judaism and Jewish thought that discusses these issues within the realm of Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah.
Kabbalah is the name applied to the entire range of Jewish mystical activity.
The word Kabbalah comes from the Hebrew root-Beit-Lamed kuf, meaning “receive, accept.” If you have spent time studying or reading about the Kabbalah, one can not help but notice that there are many alternative spellings of the word. The reason for this is that some letters of the Hebrew alphabet have more than one representation in the English alphabet. For example, the letter “kuf can be written as K or Q or C. This has led some authors choose one spelling of Kabbalah, while others prefer another. Eventually, they are all talking about the rich mystical tradition has been a part of Judaism from its earliest
According to its supporters, the intimate understanding and mastery of the Kabbalah brings man spiritually closer to God and man as a result you can get information about the inner workings of God’s creation As these universal principles, which works to explain not only how our world which sits inside and outside, but why. It teaches a method that allows the spiritual seeker to live in harmony with the driving force behind all reality.
History of Kabbalah
Although it is unclear exactly where the mystical traditions of Kabbalah of origin, some texts claim this mystical system born to Moses on Mount Sinai, while others say that was provided by the angels to Adam as a means to return to the grace after the fall of “man. According to Kabbalistic tradition, the hidden dimension of the Torah – Kabbalah – was transmitted orally by the Jewish patriarchs, prophets and sages of antiquity. However, after the prophecy ceased and the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed, a new era dawned for Kabbalah. And the teaching of Kabbalah began to emerge around the second century AD Since then, and is still used by many as a guide to discover our inner truth.
The most famous work of Kabbalah, the Zohar, was revealed to the Jewish world in the thirteenth century by Moses de Leon. The Zohar was the form of a commentary or interpretation of the five books of the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament). While most of the comments to interpret the Torah as a plot and legal work, the mystics, like the Moses of Leon, tend to interpret as a system of symbols that reveal the secret laws of the universe.
Scholars have identified as the study of Kabbalah Yoga West. Its fundamental principles and beliefs are similar to the system, including chakra yoga. It is the theory that the ideas and the method used in chakra system represent abstract ideals to be achieved. The Kabbalistic system, on the other hand is expressed through the use of specific concepts and concrete symbols, which carry the unconscious thoughts, ideas and behaviors in our consciousness.
The prohibitions on the study of Kabbalah
Over the years, the prohibitions arouse around the study of Kabbalah. The rabbis of the Talmud regarded the mystical study of God as being important, but warned that it could be dangerous. There is a famous story where four great sages of the Talmud came into a garden. They went into a state of ecstasy, a state of ecstasy and spiritual, and three of them do not survive. One went mad, one died and one abandoned his faith. It is only Rabbi Akiva entered in peace and be left alone.
That was this episode, after the experiences of people who became mentally unbalanced while engaging in mystical and disaster false messiah Shabtai Zevi, which gave rise to the seventeenth century rabbis to legislate that Kabbalah should be studied only by married men over forty who were also scholars of Torah and the Talmud. In recent times, the prohibitions in connection with the study of Kabbalah, even in Orthodox communities have been relaxed.
Types of practical Kabbalah
There are two types of Kabbalah: contemplative practice.
Practical Kabbalah seeks to alter the nature of existence and change the course of events through ritual techniques. It can be seen as a kind of white magic, which is the use of techniques that could evoke supernatural powers. Its aim is to produce real change, through the intervention of God can find examples in the Bible, with stories such as Moses drawing water from the rock or a stick of Aaron is transformed into a snake. We use the expression of the divine names and incantations, amulets and talismans, like palmistry, astrology and physiognomy. In recent times, this is the way of Kabbalah is very often practiced by non-Jewish Kabbalah practitioners of magic or ofHermetic.
The other form of Kabbalah, Kabbalah contemplative seeks to explain the nature of God and the nature of our existence through intellectual and meditative techniques.
This form of Kabbalah is the most often when reading written works on Kabbalah. Much of this branch has grown from the study of Scripture. various techniques to reveal the basic meaning of the sacred texts are Notariqon temurah Gematria and exploring relationships and hidden meaning of numbers, letters, words and phrases. In turn, theories of how the universe was created and the essential nature of God and man, are explored and summarized through the symbol or glyph is known as the Tree of Life.
To a Kabbalist, the representation of the tree of life is often seen as a visual map that can continue as we enter the realm of the unconscious and the unknown. It consists of 10 balls or Sephirah that symbolize the emanations of God or quality. According to Kabbalistic tradition, the Ten Sefirot correspond to ten levels of creation or ten different ways of God is revealed to us.
They can also be considered as energy centers goals and discrete states of consciousness available to us or a description of the unfolding energy transition from God to man. They form the internal structure of reality and represent the dynamic relationships that take place both physically and spiritually, where we offer a model of personal growth and development. This is because hidden within each Sephiroth is a hidden force which corresponds to different states of psycho-spiritual motivation of the human soul.
There is much more that can be discussed when talking about the Kabbalah, but this should begin this exciting journey of self-discovery.
Kabbalah gives us the tools that allow us to explore all aspects of our inner and outer and help us better know and understand our relationship with the world around us. Can also be used as a tool to open spiritually and know God better No matter how you choose to use the wisdom of Kabbalah, find gratitude in all their work and learning and be open to receive his blessing.
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Baxter Memorial Library (1889) – roofline detail SQ

admin — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:33:30 +0000

Image taken on 2007-10-05 14:13:59 by origamidon.