Congregation Shema Yisrael

Notice I didn’t ask what will happen in 2018. The more I’ve been wondering what the year ahead holds for us, the more I realize that our particular circumstances will be profoundly less important than how we deal with them. Because how we address our circumstances tends to reveal the state of our souls. Let […] Source

The Torah reading for this week is entitled Vayechi, meaning “And he lived”, referring to Joseph, and completes the book of B’reysheet. Last Shabbat we contemplated Jacob’s joyful reunion with his son Joseph, who for all those years he had thought to be dead. On account of the ongoing famine, Jacob and his entire family […] Source

This week Rabbi Glenn covered 1 Samuel 26-28 during the Bible Study. Source

The name of this week’s parasha is Vayigash, meaning “and he drew near”, and covers Genesis 44:18-47:27. The story of Joseph’s brothers standing before him during their second journey to Egypt is continued in this parasha, which begins with Judah’s plea – asking to take Benjamin’s place as Joseph’s slave, since he had guaranteed Benjamin’s […] Source

This week Rabbi Glenn continued the study with 1 Samuel 25 covering David and Abigail.  The audio for this week was unfortunately significantly degraded due to a technical mistake. Source

Chag Samach, Shabbat Shalom!  Jewish Singer-Songwriter Adam Sandler once wrote, “Chanukah is the festival of lights, instead of one day of presents, we have eight crazy nights.”  In doing so he encapsulated what most people’s understanding of Channukah is, presents and lights.  Now while we could spend some time discussing proper gift giving practices for […] Source

Don’t you wish there were more things in life that could be a one-and-done proposition? Like shoveling snow? In fact, there are very few things in this world, once accomplished, that you never have to think about again. Certainly not the dishes or the laundry, and, in the case of the Harris home, sweeping up […] Source

The Parasha for this week’s Sabbath is entitled Miketz which means “At the end” it covers Genesis chapters 41:1-44:17. Today we will focus on why Joseph was forgotten and how it led him from the prison to the palace as well as how God used Pharaoh to elevate him to be the prime minister of […] Source

Rabbi Glenn continued the Bible Study in 1 Samuel with 1 Samuel 24. Source

Making Room In Our Hearts For Our Leaders; Conflicts On The Outside And Fears Within; God Comforts The Downcast; Godly Sorrow And Worldly Sorrow; Paul Had Complete Confidence In The Corinthians Paul and his team started Messiah’s Community in Corinth, one of the most prominent cities in Greece. After being there for a year and […] Source

This week our parasha is Va’yeishev which means “And He Settled”, and covers Genesis 37:1-40:23.  Parasha Va’yeishev covers the beginning of the life of Joseph and the reality of sins ability to appear in one generation and then the next as an unbroken destructive cycle. Chapter 37 introduces us to Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, who […] Source

This week Rabbi Glenn spent a little time discussing President Trump’s announcement about recognition of Jerusalem and the planned relocation of the embassy. Then he  did a bit of review of 1 Samuel 21 and 22, and went on to study the entirety of 1 Samuel 23. Source

Not Putting Any Unnecessary Obstacles In Anyone’s Way By Responding Well To Every Situation; The Corinthians Needed To Have A Close Relationship To Paul And Timothy And Limit Their Relationships To Unbelievers; They Needed To Keep Themselves Holy Even though the Rabbi from Tarsus was one of the greatest men who ever lived – not […] Source

This week Rabbi Glenn continued his study in 1 Samuel with 1 Samuel 21 and 22. Source

What does gratitude look like? What does it mean to be thankful? First of all, there needs to be a recipient. You can’t give thanks to the air, or to an inanimate object. If you are grateful, it is to Someone! To get an idea of what true Thanks-giving looks like, this morning I’d like […] Source

This week’s Torah portion is called VaYetzei, which means “and he went out.”  It covers Genesis, Chapter 28:10 – 32:3. As our parasha passage opens this week, we find Jacob departing from his home in Beersheba and heading to Haran, his ancestral homeland.  He ends up spending the night in an open area where he sees a vision of […] Source

Knowing This Motivates Us To Please The Lord; Knowing We Will Appear Before The Judgment Seat Of Messiah Motivates Us To Do What Is Good And Not Do What Is Bad; The Ministry Of Reconciliation Paul and his team started Messiah’s Community in Corinth, one of the most prominent cities in Greece. After being there […] Source

Our parasha for this week is Toldot, which means “generations” and covers Genesis 25:19-28:9.  In this parasha we see the destruction playing favorites brings and the dangers of being too clever for our own good. We pick up in Genesis 25 with the birth of Jacob and Esau to Isaac and Rebekah.  Before they were […] Source

Back from Israel, Rabbi Glenn reviewed 1 Samuel through 1 Samuel 20. Source

Today, Lord willing, I will be continuing our series in 2 Corinthians with one of my favorite chapters in all of God’s Word.  2 Corinthians 4.  In this chapter, we see Rabbi Paul continue to give a defense of His Apostleship.  In doing so we are given a deeply personal look at how the great […] 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. As our parasha opens, immediately we are confronted with […] Source

Rabbi Loren taught the Bible Study again this week and covered 1 Samuel 20. Source

Paul Defends Himself And His Ministry; The Corinthians Are Paul’s Letter Of Recommendation; Contrasts Between Old And New Covenants Paul and his team started Messiah’s Community in Corinth, which was one of the most prominent centers in Greece. The congregation grew into a significant community. After being there for a year and a half, Paul […] Source

The name of this Shabbat’s parasha is Vayera, meaning “and he appeared”, and covers Genesis 18:1-22:24. Abraham saw God and two angels (in human form) near his tent and invited them in, offering them food and water. Adonai promised to return the same time the following year, and Sarah will give birth to a son! […] Source

Rabbi Loren covered the Bible Study this week for Rabbi Glenn and covered 1 Samuel 18 And 19. Source