Last Friday night, a young man that I had never seen before came to our synagogue for services. Our security guard Chris and I made eye contact. Chris asked him a few questions and then watched as I approached the young man. I also asked him some questions about his Jewish life and how he ended up at our synagogue.

I’m not sure when it started, but it seems as if all vehicles today make a sound that I somehow associate with spaceships when backing up. So now, when I hear a high-pitched hum, I no longer worry about an alien invasion. I just make sure to get out of the car’s way.

Let’s grab a bite. Or break bread. Or do lunch. Or share a meal. Or chow down. Or stuff our faces. We have lots of ways to talk about eating with another person. That’s because it matters. As I say every time I buy too much food at the grocery store or cook too much for a meal, “Food is love.”

In one of the most memorable lines from Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye the Milkman turns toward heaven and says, “I know, I know. We are Your chosen people. But, once in a while, can’t You choose someone else?”

Today, we observe Tisha B’Av – the 9th day of the month of Av. Just a few days ago, archaeologists working in Jerusalem announced that they had discovered charred beams dating back to the destruction of the First Temple on Tisha B'Av in 586 BCE (more details here). It is yet another example of archaeology telling the same story that we Jews have been telling ourselves for centuries.

When the World Cup narrowed to four teams—England, France, Spain, and Argentina—Jonah Platt (host of the Being Jewish podcast and brother of Ben Platt) posed an interesting question: Which of the four should Jews be rooting for? He shared his thoughts on X.

John Denver once sang that he spent a week in Toledo, Ohio, one day. And, of course, everyone knows the corollary: time flies when we're having fun. Depending on what we're doing, where we are, and with whom we're doing it, our sense of time can vary dramatically.

Rabbi Avi Friedman's Weekly Online Rabbi's Dvar Torah (W.O.R.D) In 1776, the Jewish population of the newly independent United States of America was somewhere around 1,000. By way of comparison, that’s about the same as the Jewish population of North Dakota today. In 1790, the first census of the United States recorded between 1,300 and 1,500 Jewish inhabitants out of a total population of three million. There were synagogues in only five American cities: Newport, Charlesto

As we celebrate our congregation’s 97th birthday this month, I decided to do a little digging in our library because that’s what rabbis and bibliophiles do. I came across some interesting archival material that tells the story of our synagogue.

Weekly On-line Rabbi's D'var-Torah May 7, 2026 22 Iyar 5786 Parashat Behar-Bechukotai This spring, I’ve had the privilege of watching the Summit High School softball team’s incredible season. They’ve been ranked as high as third in the state, and last week, NJ.com called them the best public-school team in New Jersey. Now, it’s on to the county and state tournaments. Just last week, I was cheering on the team at Memorial Field when a father with an elementary-school-aged daug

May 8th - BRING YOUR PET to Tot Shabbat! At COS-SJCC at 4:45pm Outside under the tent, bring blankets to sit on. Pizza and snacks will be served. (inside if inclement weather, stuffed animals only.)

Weekly On-line Rabbi's D'var-Torah April 30, 2026 13 Iyar 5786 Parashat Emor One of the first Hebrew songs I remember learning was “David Melech Yisrael” (David, King of Israel), complete with the nifty hand gestures. The Jewish star I wear around my neck is called a Magen David—the Shield of David. And perhaps the best-known prayer after the Sh'ma is Psalm 23, which begins, “Mizmor L'David”—A Psalm of David. This David fellow seems to be everywhere in Jewish tradition. So im

Greater Summit Jewish Community Connections Lunch & Learn Wednesday May 6 at 11:00 a.m. at COS-SJCC Click here or on the flier below to register! https://summitjcc.shulcloud.com/event/greater-summit-jewish-community-connections---the-resilance-road-map.html

BerKalit is BACK! Sunday, May 3 at 10:45 a.m. Special concert with the JLC students Join us, followed by a festive picnic in celebration of Lag B'Omer!

Self Defense Training at COS-SJCC Wednesday, April 29 - 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. This is a free event with limited registration.

Men's Club Annual Beer Tasting! Sunday, April 26, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the tent! Beer Professor Andrew is back! The theme is "Anything but an IPA" - bring your own pack of anything but an IPA! Email Paul Z. paulzukoff@gmail.com with questions.

Weekly On-line Rabbi's D'var-Torah April 23, 2026 6 Iyar 5786 Achrei Mot-Kedoshim Going back to Israel this past December brought back many wonderful memories from earlier trips. In the Old City of Jerusalem, we were discouraged from wandering through the Arab market known simply as “the Shuk.” But that’s not how it used to be. I vividly remember my first foray into the Shuk—moving from stand to stand. When I found something I wanted, I began to negotiate. We settled on a pri

Weekly On-line Rabbi's D'var-Torah April 16, 2026 29 Nisan 5786 Tazria-Metzora Rosh Chodesh We’re having some work done in our backyard today. We’ve been dealing with some drainage issues. So, at one point I stepped outside to check in with the head of the crew and see how things were going. In the course of our conversation, he asked what I do. I told him I’m a rabbi. Without missing a beat, he told me that he had lived in Israel for two years doing construction—and that he

Thursday, April 23rd at COS-SJCC at 7:30pm!

Great Challah Bake! Help make challahs for Penn's mitzvah project, delivering to older adult communities (with extra to take home). Children under 10 must be with an adult. 8:30-11:30: Mixing dough 11:30-1:30: Braiding and baking! Lunch will be provided (pizza). Stop by after JLC! RSVPs are requested to help estimate ingredients and timing, but not required. Drop ins are always welcome. Email bestchallahclub@gmail.com to RSVP or ask questions.