Browsing category Judaism

Do Jews have Low Expectations of the Divine?


In recent dialog with Christian friends over prayer, I was struck by something that is probably not profound, but is certainly meaningful. In prayerful petition, we have very common phrasing. We pray for peace, we pray for healing, we pray for our country. We pray for our communities, we pray for an end to war.

Leah vs Brian: Include the Matriarchs in Jewish Liturgy?


In egalitarian Judaism, some of our siddurim (prayer books) have introduced references to the Matriarchs (Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah) in prayers that mention Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Reform’s Mishkan Tefillah and the Conservative Movement’s Siddur Sim Shalom are two examples of this. Leah is referencing Siddur Sim Shalom. Leah: Page 156a or 156b. That’s

Spring Finally Arrives


We’ve been living in Maine for three years now. Our house search culminated around this time three years ago when we found our Winterport acreage and perhaps one of the most unique A-frame layouts imaginable (that’s three stories, with second and third story lofts). We put Pennsylvania Amish country, which is itself a unique place

Synagogue Security


The shooting this past Shabbos at a Chabad shul near San Diego is a harsh reminder of the reality we now inhabit. I’m not a security “expert.” I’ve been in the military for over two decades, as an infantryman, and I worked as a civilian for nearly a decade for a security products manufacturer.  I

Does Judaism Have a Salve for Moral Injury? – Part I


Moral injury refers to an injury to an individual’s moral conscience resulting from an act of perceived moral transgression which produces profound emotional shame. The concept of moral injury emphasizes the psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual aspects of trauma. Wikipedia Definition for “Moral Injury” I’ve been reflecting of late on my work, now a few years

About Brian

Brian Kresge

Brian Kresge

Writer, President of Bangor's Congregation Beth Israel, soldier, programmer, father, musician, Heeb, living in the woods of Maine with three ladies and a dog.

About Leah

Leah Kresge

Leah Kresge

Director of Education for Congregation Beth Israel in Bangor, Maine, special educator and former school board member, mother to Amelia and Nezzie.

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