December 23, 2022

Episode 202: Words of Wisdom from Rabbi Alex

46 minutes

Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein came to Buffalo in the Fall of 2008 to serve as the rabbi of Temple Sinai, now called Congregation Shir Shalom. He brings warmth, creativity, and compassion to the role of synagogue rabbi. A trained chaplain and gifted teacher, he is actively engaged in all aspects of communal life, from helping people with their everyday struggles, to intricate details of synagogue governance.

Rabbi Alex is a respected leader in the Buffalo area, serving on many local boards including the Buffalo Board of Rabbis, the Network of Religious Communities, Jewish Family Services, the Bureau of Jewish Education, the Jewish Community Center, and the Coalition of Economic Justice. He is currently serving as president of the Network of Religious Communities. He is also on the national board of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association out of Wyncote, Pennsylvania. He works with leaders of all faiths, to improve the quality of life in Western New York and beyond.

A 2004 graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College he also holds Masters's and Bachelor's Degrees from the Jewish Theological Seminary, as well as a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University. Before coming to Buffalo, he served as rabbi of Temple B´nai Abraham in Bordentown, New Jersey, and directed the Community Partnership Program for the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

He currently resides in Amherst, with his wife Ashirah, and three young children, Jarah, Boaz, and Noam.

Listen to this insightful Whinypaluza episode with Rabbi Alex about how he helps guide his congregants through the highs and lows of all the stages of their lives.

Here is what to expect on this week’s show:

How Alex became a Rabbi and why it is his true calling.

How Rabbi Alex guides people through the cycles of their lives and how he helps his congregants through stress and hard times.

Special guidance he gave during covid times, and how he saw amazing things despite the added stress.

Removing expectations from outsiders drastically reduces your stress when planning special events, like a bar/bat mitzvah.

How he approaches guiding and supporting couples when they need help connecting and working at their relationship.

Grief comes in many forms, and Rabbi Alex has helped many people through myriad situations.

Having his own family, Rabbi Alex can give sage advice for parents.

How does he manage all the things he does in a day, on top of having a family?

Rabbi’s Advice: You aren’t here to be superhuman. You are here to be human.

What resonates most with him about Judaism.

How can we contribute to creating a world with more acceptance and love.

Why he wrote a book and how he hopes to help others.

How to fit your religious commitments into your kids’ busy lives.

The impact of removing guilt from your life.

Advice on navigating the ever-present Christmas season, when you are Jewish.

Connect with Rabbi Alex:

https://shirshalombuffalo.org/

Twitter https://twitter.com/ShirShalomBflo

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/experiencejewishbuffalo/

Going Above and Beyond https://www.amazon.com/Going-Above-Beyond-Exceeding-Expectations-ebook/dp/B09SVJM469

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By Rebecca Greene

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