B'nei Ruth: Community for Applied Judaism

Author: rabbiwilliamt

  • Kol Nidre Service

    Join us to begin the Day of Atonement, no tickets required. All are welcome.

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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.…

  • 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.…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Kabbalat Shabbat service

    Everyone is welcome to join us for Kabbalat Shabbat every Friday on Zoom (link on bneiruth.org). This week’s parshah is Shoftim, which continues a discussion from last week on how…

  • Why Is the Torah Obsessed with Idolatry? – Parshat Re’eh

    This week’s parsha opens with a familiar refrain. God offers us blessing and curse, blessings for obedience to the commandments and curses for disobedience. This obedience is deeply and intimately…