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One mitzvah leads to another – A contagion worth spreading On Rosh Hashanah, many of us took part in a ritual called Tashlich, in which we toss our metaphorical sins into the water. Whether communally or individually, we took time to reflect on the year’s ups and downs, our missteps, and the choices we plan […]
L’chaim: TO LIFE! Rosh Hashanah 5781/2020 Rabbi Cassi Kail At the end of March, I received a call from my dad. He was worried about my mother’s deteriorating health. She had been struggling with COVID-19 for several days, and it was clear that her condition was declining rapidly. Dad had just put my mother in […]
Responding to Loneliness Erev Rosh Hashanah 5781/2020 Rabbi Cassi Kail It’s been six months since the first stay-at-home orders were issued in Los Angeles county. Many of us forget what friends and family look like without zoom boxes around their heads, or facemasks covering their noses and mouths. We work on zoom. We learn on […]
Birchat HaGomel: Blessing of Safety Rabbi Cassi Kail rabbikail@bethelsp.org Nearly six months into our new reality, we are acutely aware of how much we have lost. Many of us know people who have died or become seriously ill from COVID-19. We lost security, routine, and the opportunity to gather and embrace one another. We’ve lost […]
Elul Reflections Rabbi Cassi Kail rabbikail@bethelsp.org The final month of Jewish year is about to begin. On August 21, we will usher in the Hebrew month of Elul. The words High Holy Days often conjure up images of Rosh HaShanah celebrations, and the solemn atonement of Yom Kippur. While these two holidays are certainly highlights […]
Standing Against Racial Injustice Rabbi Cassi Kail rabbikail@bethelsp.org Throughout my rabbinate, I have always valued interfaith partnership and community connections. When my tenure began, I was delighted to join the San Pedro Faith Consortium, a cooperative effort of five congregations working to make a positive difference in our community. Rabbi Briskin had been one of […]
Strong as Ever Rabbi Cassi Kail rabbikail@bethelsp.org As my first year at Temple Beth El comes to a close, I find myself reflecting about the moments of joy, inspiration, and and connection that we have shared. I am grateful for the way you have so graciously welcomed me into the temple family and into your […]
Counting Upwards Rabbi Cassi Kail rabbikail@bethelsp.org From weekly Shabbat candle lightings with the family to virtual play dates, daily dance parties, long walks, journaling and Peloton workouts, each of us has come up with ways to cope with the Covid-19 crisis. Each of us has found activities that center us, distract us, and give us […]
Unexpected Blessings Rabbi Cassi Kail rabbikail@bethelsp.org As I write this article, I can’t help but think of the old Yiddish phrase Mann Tacht, Un Gott Lacht, “Man plans and God laughs.” As the past few weeks have demonstrated, the future is not always what we envision. We had been prepared for a wonderful April. A […]
Knowing Where You Stand Rabbi Cassi Kail rabbikail@bethelsp.org In my childhood congregation, there was a phase that appeared above the Ark which housed the Torah scrolls, Da Lifnei Mi Atah Omed, “Know before whom you stand.” These words intrigued me. They served as a reminder that this was holy space, in which God is present. […]
