Month: September 2019

by Rabbi Jared H. Saks After Moses encounters the burning bush while tending his father-in-law’s sheep in the wilderness, God selects him to confront Pharaoh to demand the Israelite people’s freedom. Moses, however, does not believe that he is up for the task. Unlike Jonah, whose story we’ll encounter in the Haftarah reading on Yom … Read more

We are pleased to welcome Andrea Levinsky as Bet Ha’am’s new youth group advisor.  Andrea has a long history of involvement with and impact on Maine’s young adult community and the Maine Jewish community.  She has been an educator both in traditional schools and in supplemental education programs. She holds a BA from Connecticut College where she studied American studies, human development, education, and public policy. … Read more

By Lynn Urbach As we approach Rosh Hashanah, the head of the Jewish Year, it’s a good time to reassess our lives. Yes, the Days of Awe and Yom Kippur are times to ask forgiveness of those we have hurt, to seek atonement for our missteps. They are also the time to evaluate how we are living our lives. … Read more

By Toby Rosenberg   I remember when our architects, Brigitte Shim and Howard Sutcliffe, suggested a reflecting pool as part of our building design. There were doubters. How would we keep it from freezing in the winter and what would it take to maintain?  During a January visit to Toronto, Brigitte and Howard showed our building … Read more