Dear Members and Friends, Just last Thursday, on June 13, the date that echoes the 613 commandments of our tradition, I reached out to you in the wake of Israel’s preemptive operation in Iran. We were all feeling the weight of uncertainty and concern for our homeland and for the Jewish people everywhere. What is emerging now is nothing short of remarkable. In just a few days, history has continued to unfold at lightning speed. [...]
With the selection of Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost, and in light of the film “Conclave,” which I happened to watch by chance on a flight back from Florida, I’ve been reflecting on the difference between perception and reality in religious institutions. The film was hard to watch. According to friends in the clergy, Hollywood took too many liberties and included a number of inaccuracies. But the hardest concept to explain to secular audiences, and even [...]
The following letter to the editors was sent to the members of GEM (Greenport Ecumenical Ministries), and is reprinted here, with permission: Dear GEMs, On behalf of Congregation Tifereth Israel and myself, I extend our heartfelt condolences to our Catholic brothers and sisters on the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis. His papacy has accompanied me through most of my rabbinic journey, and when I think of the role of the pope through a [...]
The period between Purim and Passover, two festivals that are deeply intertwined, is a journey of connection to our innermost identity. Both tell stories of danger, courage, and redemption. On Purim, we wear masks; on Passover, we remove them. We deflate not only our bread but our egos. We strip away the disguises we wear in exile. Between the two holidays, I’ve been immersed in reading Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove’s recent and compelling book, For Such a Time as [...]
I am writing this message on March 20, the 20th day of Adar. Exactly 30 years ago on this very day on the Jewish calendar, I was on my way to Jerusalem to register for architecture school. Little did I know that God had a different plan for me. It was a moment of transition — my final week after four years of army service. I had chosen not to extend my service again. I had given my [...]
Life is a constant movement between order and disorder, a delicate balance between structure and chaos, between the expected and unexpected, between moments of clarity and the unknown. This tension is the very essence of our existence — the breath that sustains us and the drama that shapes our journey. In the midst of the profound pain in Israel and for Jews around the world, Hamas released the lifeless bodies of two young souls, [...]
When my sister in Israel mentioned she would stop in New York on her way to our nephew’s wedding in Cartagena, Colombia, she casually noted that her trip coincided with the upcoming inauguration of the returning President, Donald J. Trump. Attending a presidential inauguration had never crossed my mind before. But recognizing how rare and special this moment could be for my sister and brother-in-law, I decided to try to make it happen. I reached [...]
Given the high cost of airline tickets to Israel and limited flights as a result of the current situation, rather than traveling there to present at a conference, I opted to stay closer to home and send a recorded presentation I had given at Columbia University a week earlier. Instead, I headed to Washington, D.C., where I’ve been invited each year to participate in a bipartisan Hanukkah celebration at the Library of Congress. This year, [...]
By Rabbi Gadi Capela On a sunny day in Pompano Beach, Florida, Monday, November 11, we gathered at the graveside to honor the memory of Paul Birman, A”H, a beloved member and benefactor of Congregation Tifereth Israel, who passed away at the age of 89. His mahogany casket, adorned with the United States Military emblem, was a testament to his service and dedication as a veteran. Fittingly, on Veterans Day, we celebrated Paul’s life, marked [...]
Every time Roberta Garris produces a quilt for one of our silent auctions, I can’t resist bidding on it. Her colorful tapestries now brighten several rooms in my house. When she announced that her “A Year in Patches” quilt was accepted into the prestigious International Quilt Festival in Houston this year, I knew I had to join her. Her “Weather” quilt features 365 squares, each square representing a day in a year in Greenport, its temperature and [...]
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