A Jewish Spiritual Community for All People
Shabbat services are Fridays at 7:30p. Click here to join on Zoom
The B’nei Ruth Community of Knoxville, TN is grounded in the spiritual teachings of Rabbi Morris and Tehilla Lichtenstein, known as Applied Judaism or Jewish Science. We believe that the wisdom of Judaism is beneficial for all people and applicable to our daily lives. We affirm God’s love, goodness, and universal presence in creation, especially within human beings made in the Divine image. The Divine qualities of goodness, love, joy, life, and health are already present within us, we must only learn to become aware of God’s infinite Presence at all times.
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Ten Fundamentals of Jewish Science
- The Jewish Faith is the only faith we acknowledge. Jewish Science is the application of the Jewish Faith to the practice of life.
- We believe wholeheartedly in the efficacy of prayer. We believe that no prayer, when properly offered, goes unanswered.
- We shall endeavor every day of our lives to keep serene; to check all tendencies to violence and anger; to keep calm even in the face of unpleasant and discouraging circumstances.
- We shall strive to be cheerful every day of our lives. The Talmud says that the Divine Presence departs from one who is in gloom. It is God’s design that man should find joy and cheer in his existence on earth.
- We shall seek to cultivate an attitude of love and goodwill towards everyone. We shall make no room in our heart for hatred and bitterness. The world was created on a plan of divine love, and to admit thoughts of hatred or malice is to violate the plan of God.
- We shall cultivate a disposition of contentment, envying no one, and praising God for the good he has already bestowed on us. Contentment is the greatest friend of happiness; envy its greatest enemy.
- We shall make conscious effort to banish worry and fear from our lives. We regard these two as the greatest enemies of mankind and give them no place in our consciousness.
- We shall trust in God’s goodness in every circumstance of our life.
- We believe that death is an elevation to eternal life, and not a cessation of existence.
- We believe that God is the Source of health and the Restorer of health.
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Uncertainty, Courage, and Faith
An Erev Sukkot Sermon The parsha for Sukkot is a reading from Emor, Lev. 23, which covers the major festivals of the Jewish year. As it is described in the Torah, Sukkot is both a harvest festival and a celebration of Israelite history. We are meant to thank God for the food provided from…
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Kol Nidre Sermon – 5787
On Yom Kippur morning we read Leviticus 16, which begins with the statement, “The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron when they drew near before the Lord and died.” While the reason for reading chapter 16 is due to its instructions regarding Yom Kippur, I want to…
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Kol Nidre Service
Join us to begin the Day of Atonement, no tickets required. All are welcome.
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A (Reform) Jewish Creed
Forgotten Aspects of Liberal Jewish History Classical Reform Judaism of the late 19th and early 20th century often engaged in controversial ideological polemics and attempts at reforming Judaism. Many of these reforms were attempts to make Judaism align with the American understanding of what religion should look like. In other words, attempts to make Judaism…
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The Torah Is Not a Text
D’var Torah for Parshat Nitzavim Parshat Nitzavim contains one of the most iconic sections of the Torah. In chapter 30, verses 11-14, we read that the Torah is not in heaven or across the sea. We don’t need anyone to go and get it for us because it is near us, in our mouths…
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On the Irrelevance of Judaism in Modern Life
Why Our Synagogues Remain Empty and Our People Disconnected There is a crisis in the American Jewish community. Throughout our history, the religion of Judaism has held the Jewish people together. Without distinctive beliefs, prayers, traditions, and a way of life, the Jewish people would have long ago dissolved into the majority populations in…
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My Father Was a Wandering Aramean
D’var Torah for Parshat Ki Tavo Ki Tavo reminds us that God is not an abstraction, not distant, not aloof. God cares how we behave. God responds to prayer. God blesses obedience to his law and punishes the wicked. But importantly, we learn that God chooses to act through human beings. The beginning…
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Intermarriage – Parshat Ki Teitzei
The Torah is opposed to intermarriage, except when it isn’t. In this week’s parsha, we read a list of people who are forbidden from entering the assembly of Hashem. The sages teach us that entering the assembly is a reference to marriage. In this list, eunuchs, mamzerim, Ammonites, and Moabites are banned from marrying…
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Reflection for Elul and High Holidays
As we approach the High Holidays, it is important to remember that this is one of the happiest periods in the Jewish year. Yom Kippur is often referred to as Yom Hakippurim in the traditional liturgy. The sages taught us that this name holds a secret about its nature. Rather than the Day of Atonement,…
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Paradoxical Prophets – Parshat Shoftim
Where does authority lie in Judaism? Deuteronomy places authority very firmly with God and Torah. The Torah, as described in Deuteronomy, is meant to be the final authority in Israelite society, the equivalent of a constitution. All officials, including the kings, priests, and prophets, are bound by its laws and derive their authority from it.…
