by Nina Fondiller Woldin It’s the morning after Rosh Hashana, and I am driving my youngest daughter to the airport. Discussing the holiday, she reminds me about how the words to Joni Mitchell’s song Circle Game chronicle our experience. This year my family viewed the themes of the holiday on many different generational levels – from Continue Reading »
by Audrey Lichter Last night I attended the annual board meeting of our Greater Hartford Federation. The community had not gathered together in person since 2019. Although I have never been on a Federation board, I always go to the meetings to cheer on the people that give their time and passion to the needs Continue Reading »
by Michalee Merritt A friend I met in a Jewish Leadership Academy/Community Leadership Initiative year-long class ran her first board meeting this past week. She shared with our cohort how she started and ended the meeting. She opened the meeting by asking her board members, “How do you find balance in your life?” She ended Continue Reading »
Rabbi Deb Smith I am good at making resolutions, G-d, but I am not very good at keeping them. There are so many things I would like to achieve, so many changes I would like to make. I pray to you G-d, for strength and for wisdom. I want to live a meaningful life, G-d. I want to Continue Reading »
By Nina Fondiller Woldin Yesterday at a bluegrass concert I was reminded of the power of community. The streets were filled with people enjoying music together – singing along and dancing – and good spirit seemed to permeate every interaction. In observing this scene, I was reminded of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (Chief Rabbi of Continue Reading »
by Audrey Lichter As is our custom, wherever our family vacations, I always try and visit at least one synagogue or Jewish organization and let them know about Chai Mitzvah, Yesterday, on our trip home from our annual family reunion in Acadia National Park, I visited Rabbi Bill Siemers of Congregation Beth Israel in Bangor Continue Reading »
by Jill Maidhof We’re in the month of Elul, otherwise known as the on-ramp to the High Holidays, and I have a perfect story for the season: Arthur Kurzweil is a Jewish author, educator, publisher, and illusionist (!) who for years took the train into New York city for work. I had the privilege of hearing him recount a transformational Continue Reading »
by Michalee Merritt Here we are in the heat and wet days of summer. I am enjoying a slower pace of life. Trying to relax and keeping the calendar clear. When the calendar turns to August I start to think about what is coming in the fall. If you have kids it’s about school forms, Continue Reading »
by Rabbi Debra Smith Compassionate One in the Heavens Above: We pray for victims of cruelty, and violence, of all forms of hatred. We pray for those who have witnessed acts of violence. We pray for those who have succumbed to acts of violence. We pray for those who have perpetrated acts of violence upon Continue Reading »
by Jill Maidhof I’m writing this on July 11 and for many of us, the news is not good. If you’re on the east coast, I hope that you’re braving the rains and that your dams are holding strong. I wish those in the south a respite from unrelenting sun and hope that your air Continue Reading »
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