Rabbi Stanways Thoughts on Israel March 2023

Rabbi Stanway: Thoughts on Israel Just a few weeks ago, I came back from the Central Conference of American Rabbis convention that took place in Israel.  It was a trip unlike any of the other dozen or so trips I have taken. There was a mood in the country of anger by many (not all)…

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Rabbi Stanways trip to Poland

As you know, Rabbi Stanway went to Poland to help with the Ukrainian refugee situation and to bear witness to a terrible human tragedy. Below are the two articles from the Asbury Park Press; one before the trip and one after. Many have asked if they can still make a donation and the answer is…

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New Interfaith Group at Beth Miriam

We are very excited to be starting an Interfaith Group at Temple Beth Miriam. This group will be made up of members of Interfaith families here at Temple Beth Miriam, families who are unaffiliated and interested families who belong to other synagogues are also welcome. We are looking for people from families who will be open and…

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Peace by Piece: Storming the Capitol

  The events of yesterday are evoking responses throughout the broad spectrum of political opinion. There is so much noise out there that it hurts. We all know what we saw. And what we saw was a burning hatred pitting one American against another. It seems that hating our fellow American has become a kind…

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Finished with the Truth

While Standing (Six Feet Apart) on One Foot June 22, 2020   I love science. Always have. When I was in school, I couldn’t wait for science class. Biology mesmerized me. Physics tried to satisfy the many ‘whys’ that danced around in my head. And chemistry – oy gevalt – the hardest of all the…

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A Holy Shmatte on a Stick

While Standing (Six Feet Apart) on One Foot June 8, 2020 As my congregants will tell you and for which they jokingly ridicule me, I am not a sports fan. Of course I have been to sporting events and enjoyed them – especially hockey. But I could not name the players on any team, its…

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God Verses god (Misspelling Intentional!)

While Standing (Six Feet Apart) on One Foot June 4, 2020 When the President walked to the Episcopal Church through a phalanx of armed guards to hold up a Bible for what was a photo op immediately after his announcement to send in the troops, I fully understood in my own frame of reference what…

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Kvetching Through the Desert

While Standing (Six Feet Apart) on One Leg May 28, 2020 The Jewish festival of Shavuot begins this evening. In case you are unfamiliar with the holiday, it lands on the 50th day after Passover begins. It is the time of the first harvest, the time of the giving of the Torah, and the season…

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Stumbling Blocks and Zombies

While Standing (Six Feet Apart) On One Leg May 21, 2020 I went to the race track once and bet on a horse. No, really, I did.  In fact, I learned to read the racesheet, compared the track conditions to the track conditions the horses were used to running in, looked for other characteristics and…

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Imagination Rules

While Standing (Six Feet Apart) On One Leg May 18, 2020 Of all the Zoom conferences I had in the past two months, I had a most unusual one last night with my colleagues from Camp Erin. Camp Erin, if you don’t know, is a nation camp movement and my local camp a 2 day…

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