A New Year For Us
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| Community Events |
A New Year For Us |
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Erev Rosh
Rosh River Service
Shabbat
Erev
Erev Sukkot
Sukkot
Shemi
Rosh Kodesh
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For over three generations Black rabbis have been leading their congregations to a body of living water at Rosh Hashanah where they could perform the traditional Tashlich service and blow the ancient rams horn called Shofar. For us these rivers connect us across time and space with our Israelite ancestors. Due to construction at Rainy Park, our Tashlich service has been moved to Queens Bridge Park along the East River. Service will begin at 10:30 on Monday September 17, 2012.
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Dr. Rudolph Windsor:
Dr. Rudolph Windsor has been a scholar, prolific writer, and captivating
speaker for over forty years. He is best known for his many books that
document the connection that people of African descent have with Judaism
which include From Babylon to Timbuktu, Valley of the Dry
Bones, and Judea Trembles Under Rome? The thread that runs
through his published works is an earnest desire to educate his people
about their glorious history, their Israelite identity, and the
redeeming power of Torah. This article emerged from an interview that I
had with him and his lovely wife, Mary L. Windsor, in August 2012 about
his life and his new book Barak and Deborah United.
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Lemba of South Africa Unite
As part of our global mission to
unite Israelites of African descent all over the world, Rabbi Funnye,
the International Ambassador of the Israelite Board of Rabbis, has led
several delegations to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ethiopia,
Nigeria, and Ghana. Rabbi Joshua Salters is our representative to the
Lemba community. Together with other rabbis from our Board, they have
been working to forge stronger alliances, build synagogues, and train
leaders. Rabbi Funnye and Rabbi Salters recently returned from South
Africa with an inspiring message of hope and greater unity in the New
Year! (Video)
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The Evil Tongue: Did you know that there are more commandments in Torah that forbid evil speech than there are against eating pork? The nineteenth century rabbi, Yisroel Kagan, better known as the “Chofetz Chayim,” identified thirty-one prohibitions against spreading gossip. Perhaps there are more warnings about this sin than eating swine because when you violate dietary laws you harm only yourself, but when you convey hurtful or derogatory information about others you harm three people immediately: (1) you damage your own soul, (2) the person who listens becomes an accomplice to the act, and (3) the victim of the evil report is injured. If the damage were only limited to those three it would be serious enough, but each act of evil speech adds a little more poison to the relationships within any congregation, organization, or community that is not on guard against the evil tongue. This lesson on lashon harah (הרע לשן ) which literally means “evil tongue” is intended to educate our community about God’s laws on this subject. A thorough study of what constitutes evil speech and an understanding of the very limited circumstances under which you may convey negative information about any person will help you to “keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking deceitfully” (Psalm 34:13). Once we understand that evil speech is a cancer that is spread mouth to mouth then we will be as careful about the words that come out of our mouths as we are about the foods that go into them. (read article)
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Israelite Hebrew Calendar For several years now the International Israelite Board of Rabbis has produced a truly unique calendar. It has the complete schedule of Torah parashot and Haftorah Readings for the entire year. It has the dates of all the High Holy Days as well as civic holidays so that you can also use it appointments. In addition, only this calendar provides the Yarzheit dates of our leaders so that you may remember them in prayer. You may download it today for free, but if it is a blessing to you then we ask that you show your thanks by sending us a gift of support. (Downlaod Calendar)
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"The Case for the
Black Bar Mitzvah" Those of you who loved her first book, Chai-Me: My Exploration of Race, Religion, and Spirituality in America, will enjoy reading this short story It continues her saga and shares some of the joys and challenges of an Israelite women trying to prepare a boy for manhood. (Read) |
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Black Jews at the White House
“The stone which the builders rejected is become the chief cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” Psalm 118:22-23 There was a time when Black Jews were not welcomed in the halls of power. Those days are gone forever! Today, Rabbi Shmuel Funnye travels the world meeting heads of state in Israel, Africa, and America. Most recently he and Miriam went to the Whitehouse to visit his cousin, Michelle, and her husband, Barack, for their Hanukkah Party. President Obama told the story of Hanukkah himself and explained to the assembled guests how much this celebration of freedom means to him. Rabbi Funnye, who attended a similar ceremony at the Whitehouse with President George W. Bush said the difference was “President Obama understands the Israelite Community because he has family members who are Black and Jewish. President Obama understands us because he understands the struggles of people who are marginalized because of their identity.” (Read full article)
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