Congregation Shema Yisrael

Moses compiled eleven genealogies in the book of Genesis. The parasha for this Shabbat is entitled Toldot, translated generations, histories or descendants. This Parasha covers the 9th of these genealogies or toldot, which is the account of the generations of Isaac. Isaac’s wife Rebecca, like Sarah before her, had trouble conceiving. Isaac had learned from […] Source

Rabbis Loren, Glenn, and Jerry discuss Romans 13 and how we should relate to governments. They discussed Romans 13:1-10. Source

This week’s parasha is entitled Chayei Sarah, meaning “The Life of Sarah” and covers Genesis 23:1-25:18. In this parasha we see God’s plan to continue His promises through Abraham’s son Isaac, and a teaching for us on what it means to be servants of the Lord. Our parasha opens with the death of Abraham’s wife […] Source

Rabbis Loren, Glenn, and Jerry conclude Romans 12 with a discussion of loving our enemies. They discuss the importance of living in harmony and peace. They also discuss the importance of ignoring our desire for revenge and retribution. Source

Rabbi Glenn continues with discussing what true God-centered love is and is not. This week he covers 1 John 3 Part 2. Watch Below: Source

Rabbis Loren, Glenn, and Jerry continue their discussion of Romans 12. They discuss the importance of serving others and what it means to help one another in love. Source

The Torah reading for this week’s Parasha, is entitled Vayrea meaning (And He approached). It’s taken from the book of Genesis 18:1-22:24. Adonai came to visit Abraham, accompanied by two angels. They appeared to Abraham near the oak trees of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the door of his tent. perhaps still recuperating from his […] Source

Rabbi Jerry continues the study of 1 John with 1 John 3:1-10. He discusses what it means to be a child of God and what the children of the devil are like. Watch Below: Source

Rabbis Loren, Glenn, and Jerry continue their series through the Letter to the Romans with the first part of Romans 12. They discuss spiritual gifts, and the importance of being part of Messiah’s Community of Jews and Gentiles. Source

Rabbi Glenn continues his study of 1 John with 1 John 2. He discusses the Lord’s anointing and how it is misunderstood. Watch Below: Source

Rabbis Loren, Glenn, and Jerry discuss parasha Noach covering Genesis 6-11. They discuss the flood, the tower of Babel, and the history of Noah and his sons. References discussed: Time of the Flood: 2500 BC: https://www.icr.org/article/when-did-noahs-flood- happen New DNA Study Confirms Noah: https://www.icr.org/article/new-dna-study-confirms-noah The Dawn Of World Redemption By Erich Sauer   Sour...

Rabbi Glenn continues his study of 1 John with 1 John 2 Part 2. Watch Below: Source

Rabbis Loren, Glenn, and Jerry discuss Genesis 1-6. They discuss the fountains of scripture and their importance for our lives. Source

Shabbat Shalom. I have the privilege this morning of continuing our teachings on Sukkot. During the holiday of Sukkot, we remove ourselves for a time from the craziness of life and experience the peace of the Sukkah. The sukkah is a fragile and temporary shelter designed to expose us to the elements and to focus […] Source

Here we are – once again celebrating the most delightful of holidays, Sukkot – the Feast of Booths, or Shelters, or Tabernacles; the seventh of the annual God-given holidays found in Leviticus chapter 23; completing the cycle of these sacred times. By whatever name you choose to call it, Sukkot is, I think, the most […] Source

This morning’s parasha will complete the annual cycle of Torah readings. It is entitled V’zot HaB’racha, translated, And this is the blessing, and covers Deuteronomy chapters 33 and 34. Moses will soon die – God has told him as much. Because of his disrespect toward Adonai at Meribah (Numbers 20), he will not enter the […] Source

This week Rabbi Jerry continues the study through 1 John. He covers 1 John 2:1-11 and discusses the importance of loving those who are part of Messiah’s Community. Watch Below: Source

I want you to take a moment, and imagine with me a perfect day. Imagine it’s 73 degrees and sunny, with just a few occasional clouds to set off the beauty of a brilliant blue sky; the humidity is low and periodically a slight and refreshing breeze. Now, forget that this is Michigan – it […] Source

On the first day of the seventh month, Yom Truah, the day for sounding the shofar, also known as Rosh HaShana, we prayed and blew the shofar and considered the important things the shofar reminds us of. For the Yamim Nora’im, the 10 Days of Awe from Rosh HaShana to Yom Kippur, we confessed our […] Source

This week our parasha is Ha’Azinu which translates to “Listen” and covers Deuteronomy 32. Ha’Azinu is the penultimate parasha and contains the final teaching and warning of Moses for our people.  This teaching takes the form of a song, written in double columns in the Torah. The song prophecies our people’s future disobedience and destruction […] Source

According to Rabbinic tradition from Rosh Hashanah to the end of Yom Kippur, the gates of heaven are open to receive our prayers and atonement. This is so we may survive the new year by being written in the book of life. But when the Shofar is blown at the end of this service the […] Source

I’ve got good news and bad news for you. Which do you want first? Doesn’t matter, I’m giving you the bad news first; and this is it: Yom Kippur doesn’t work. Let me clarify. Yom Kippur, as it is constituted today, doesn’t work. It doesn’t even come close. It isn’t that anything is lacking in […] Source

Among the Jewish people, there are various greetings used during the Days Of Awe, the ten days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. Good Yom Tov – good holiday. Chag sameach – happy holiday. And then there’s l’shana tova tickatayvu – may you be written for a good year. Written for a good year? What […] Source

The man and his wife were driving down the road one morning in his old pickup truck; the same one he took her out in on their first date all those years ago, when pickups had bench seats. This particular morning she had a slightly frustrated look on her face. “What is it?” asked her […] Source

This week is Shabbat Shuva which is known as the Sabbath of Return. In Hebrew, Shuva relates to the word Teshuva which means repentance.  Occurring between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, this is a special Shabbat focused on repentance and return. Repentance is a word we use a lot, but to quote Inigo Montoya in […] Source