August 1, 2017
Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism may have just celebrated sixty years as a congregation, but in many ways we have entered into a period of adolescence as an institution. This
Continue readingJune 1, 2017
The earth is the home to over 7 billion people speaking over 6,500 languages. Yet, despite this diversity of culture and heritage, human behaviors are remarkably similar, as we are
Continue readingMay 1, 2017
This month we are completing the formal programming of our 60th Anniversary as a congregation. While the first worship service actually took place on August 23, 1957 (which we will
Continue readingApril 1, 2017
The Torah is written in a way that invites engagement. The porous nature of the ancient narratives and laws encourages debate as we seek to find meaning and direction in
Continue readingMarch 15, 2017
Dear Friends, This week’s Torah portion contains the story of the Golden Calf. Through this ancient tale, important lessons concerning leadership are presented as we observe Moses responding to the
Continue readingFebruary 1, 2017
In the Book of Genesis, there is mention of a character whose identity is all but invisible to the unfolding story of creation. His name is Enoch. Enoch is the
Continue readingDecember 1, 2016
At the HCRJ board retreat in August, our temple leadership decided that a primary goal for the coming year would be to focus on the growth of our congregation. Our
Continue readingNovember 1, 2016
Every year, Veterans Day represents a way to honor our veterans who boldly put their lives on the line to protect the values of our nation. These men and women
Continue readingSeptember 1, 2016
According to a study which was recently published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, there is strong empirical evidence to support the idea that experiences of awe play
Continue readingAugust 1, 2016
Eight years ago, a group of woman in our congregation decided that they wanted to add an activity to our annual Mitzvah Day. Each of these women loved to knit
Continue readingRabbi 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.
