November 15, 2023
Winter 2023
How Thanksgiving Can Help Us Cope Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, and because it is not relegated to any specific culture or faith, it has the capacity to bring
Continue readingBulletin Messages
July 26, 2023
July 26, 2023
Dear Friends, Tonight begins the holiday of Tisha B’Av (the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av). According to our tradition, it was on the 9th of Av that
Continue readingJuly 5, 2023
July 5, 2023
Dear Friends, Despite the political polarization that plagues our national rhetoric on issues concerning the economy, health care, immigration, and more. . . July 4th invites every American (regardless of
Continue readingJune 28, 2023
June 28, 2023
Dear Friends, We are very excited to welcome Beth Fine-Nelson to our staff. Beth has arrived at a time when we are reimagining ways to engage our community and build
Continue readingMay 31, 2023
May 31, 2023
Dear Friends, In this week’s Torah portion, Naso, God provides Moses with instructions on how Aaron and his sons should bless the Israelites. This blessing, which is often referred to
Continue readingMarch 15, 2023
March 15, 2023
Dear Friends, A number of weeks have passed since I returned from Israel. My intentions are to share insights and observations at an upcoming Shabbat service, but before too many
Continue readingDecember 21, 2022
December 21, 2022
Dear Friends, Chanukah represents a daring innovation. It is not a holiday that is mentioned in the Torah or the Holy Scriptures, but it does hold great significance in the
Continue readingMay 4, 2022
May 4, 2022
Dear Friends, Tomorrow is Yom HaAtzmauut (Israeli Independence Day) and in the spirit of solidarity with Jews all over the world, we honor and celebrate the centrality of the Jewish
Continue readingApril 27, 2022
April 27, 2022
Dear Friends, Tomorrow, Jews around the world will observe Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. This annual day of remembrance designates sacred time devoted to recalling the horrors of the past as
Continue readingMarch 16, 2022
March 16, 2022
Dear Friends, Tonight is Purim, and Jews around the world will be reading the Book of Esther and celebrating in a wide variety of ways. At HCRJ, our custom is
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Rabbi Gross writes most of what is on this page, and says the rest of it on a Friday night. Everyone is welcome at a service, and you do not need to tell anyone you are coming.