On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Chaplain Barry Pitegoff, BCC, of Neshama-The National Association of Jewish Chaplains, and Missy Stolfi from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention join Rabbi Address to discuss their upcoming virtual webinar, “Through a Jewish Lens,” for survivors of suicide victims. The webinar takes place Sunday, November 24 from noon to 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

This conversation focuses on the critical issue of suicide awareness and prevention within the Jewish community, featuring insights from experts on the statistics, the impact of loneliness, the role of faith leaders, and the introduction of the 988 crisis lifeline. The discussion also highlights the upcoming program, ‘Through a Jewish Lens: Hope and Healing for Suicide Loss Survivors,’ aimed at providing support and resources for those affected by suicide loss.

This year’s program will feature recorded remarks from suicide loss survivor and mental health advocate Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-8) and Ivan Maisel, a longtime ESPN writer and author, who is also a survivor of suicide loss. The program will include live reflections and storytelling from loss survivors across the country and small group discussions.

You can get more information and registration information here.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

Chaplain Pitegoff is Staff Chaplain at Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis, NY, serves as the NAJC Volunteer Webmaster (a/k/a “najcwebmaven”), and is certified by the Red Cross in Disaster Spiritual Care Services.   Chaplain Pitegoff transformed 25+ years of volunteer chaplaincy at hospices and hospitals into professional chaplaincy with a BCC from NAJC.  Chaplain Pitegoff holds a BBA in Statistics from Baruch College / CUNY, an MBA from Adelphi University, and graduate studies in Theology and the Behavioral Sciences at the University of South Florida. Chaplain Pitegoff is the Chair of the Planning Committee for “Through a Jewish Lens,” a day of virtual support for Jewish survivors of suicide loss, a project of AFSP, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. 

Missy Stolfi is a dedicated nonprofit professional with a strong commitment to mental health advocacy. Currently serving as the Area Director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in the Capital and North Country regions of New York, she focuses on promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention initiatives.

With a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University at Buffalo, Missy is passionate about social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and community engagement. She is also an enthusiastic volunteer and a proud aunt, known for her love of animals and support for local sports teams, including the Buffalo Bills and New York Yankees.

In addition to her role at AFSP, Missy serves on the board of Compass House, an emergency shelter and resource center, further demonstrating her commitment to community service and support for vulnerable populations.

The post Seekers of Meaning 11/22/2024: Navigating Suicide Awareness in the Jewish Community appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Lara Moretti, director of family support services for the Gift of Life organ donation program, discusses the critical importance of organ donation.

They discuss the evolving awareness and acceptance of organ donation within the Jewish community and beyond, the processes involved in organ donation, and the importance of family conversations about end-of-life decisions. Moretti emphasizes the significance of understanding organ donation as a modern mitzvah and addresses common myths surrounding organ donation and transplantation. The conversation also highlights the challenges faced by families and the support provided by organizations like Gift of Life.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

Lara S. Moretti, LSW, FT has presented to hospitals, schools and various professional groups about grief, donation and transplantation in her role as Director, Family Support Services for Gift of Life Donor Program in Philadelphia, PA.  Lara has been with Gift of Life since 2003.  She has presented to numerous national organizations, including the Hospice Foundation of America, Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO), The Organization for Donation and Transplant Professionals (NATCO), Transplant Recipients International Organization(TRIO),  Association of Death Education and Counseling (ADEC), the Society for Transplant Social Workers, Transplant Games of America and for the Gift of Life Institute. Several times a year, she leads a didactic, “Communicating with a Grieving Family” for all new clinical staff at Gift of Life Donor Program.  Lara obtained her BS in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) and her MS in Social Work from Columbia University (New York, NY). Lara is a licensed social worker in the state of Pennsylvania and is a Fellow in through the ADEC.

The post Seekers of Meaning 11/15/2024: The Vital Importance of Organ Donation, with Lara Moretti from the Gift of Life program appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Jen Rivera, VP of Membership Engagement, Programs, & Thought Leadership at the American Society on Aging, discusses the organization’s advocacy for seniors and professionals who work with seniors.

They discuss the organization’s role in addressing the challenges of aging in America, including the impact of technology, the importance of community, and the need to combat ageism. Jen highlights the various resources ASA provides to its members, the challenges in the geriatrics workforce, and the importance of health equity. They also touch on cultural perspectives on aging and the organization’s future goals in advocacy and education.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

Jen Rivera is Vice President of Membership Engagement, Programs, and Thought Leadership at the American Society on Aging. Her focus is on developing effective strategies to enhance member satisfaction, advance programmatic initiatives, and shape the intellectual direction of the organization, in collaboration with the education and membership team. With more than 10 years’ experience helping organizations rethink their membership models to deliver a consistent return on investment for their members, she has developed a deep understanding of building and sustaining relationships with stakeholders and implementing growth strategies for organizations.

The post Seekers of Meaning 11/8/2024: American Society on Aging’s Jen Rivera on advocating for aging Americans appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, attorney and author Norman Shabel discusses his latest book, Four Women.

The conversation delves into the motivations behind the book, the strength and resilience of its characters, and the historical context of the story set in 1968 Miami. Themes of survival, moral questions surrounding justice, and the complexity of heroism are explored, highlighting the personal connections Shabel has with the characters and the broader implications of their struggles.

Four Women tells the saga of four brave and very different women who battle real estate developers and the city of Miami Beach while trying to save their home during the unscrupulous heyday of real estate development in South Beach in 1968.

Helen, a survivor of Auschwitz and Rachel, who led 2,500 Jewish children out of Germany during World War II, along with their defender, a 36-year-old alcoholic lawyer, do battle against a prejudicial judge and a defense lawyer who politically controls the judicial system of Miami.

It is a novel about people who have seen the dark side of the world and now strive for a life of hope and redemption.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

Brooklyn-born, successful New Jersey class-action attorney turned author Norman Shabel has been driven to write ever since he can remember. By the time he was in his twenties he had written several novels that ended up stuffed in drawers as he launched his legal career, married and had a family. To date Norman has written 7 plays and 8 novels, some written in long-hand, hunched over his desk while waiting for a jury verdict to come in and all dealing with either crime, relatable family dynamics or both.

“Courts are inherently dramatic places, and I guess I saw that connection between law and theater before I even realized it,” Norman said recently. His earnest belief is that lawyers need to be good storytellers to engage juries in the “plot” of a case. “You need to hold the interest of a jury if you’re going to win them over, much like the arc of a play or the plot of a novel.  If the juror or the reader or audience member gets bored you lose them very quickly. If you don’t capture them in the first 20 minutes you may as well go home –  and I never like to lose a case or an audience. ”  

To date, three of Norman’s plays have been produced off Broadway in NYC, Philadelphia and multiple theaters in South Florida, where he now resides for part of the year. The productions have received wonderful reviews and there are plans underway for the remainder of the plays to be produced within the next two years. Manuscripts of the plays are available by request. 

Norman’s novels are mostly “terrific, fast-paced reads about the dark side of law enforcement and the judiciary” according to Judge Andrew P. Napolitano. He writes, as only an experienced trial lawyer can, about the ups and downs of the legal system, maintaining  the drama of the story without sacrificing the realities of the of the structure. All of his books can be purchased on Amazon and other digital booksellers. 

According to Norman, “I’m doing two things that both give my life meaning, I’m a very fortunate man.”

The post Seekers of Meaning 11/1/2024: Norman Shabel, attorney and author of “Four Women,” a crime mystery. appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Richard Address speaks with Dr. Barry Jacobs about the growing challenges of caregiving in an aging society. They discuss the implications of a multi-generational caregiving crisis, the role of faith communities, the importance of technology and home modifications for aging in place, and the need for open conversations about aging. Dr. Jacobs emphasizes the necessity of preparation, education, and support for caregivers, as well as addressing healthcare inequalities and the specific challenges posed by dementia. The conversation highlights the emotional and practical aspects of caregiving, offering insights and resources for those navigating this complex journey.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

Barry J. Jacobs, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist, family therapist, and Principal for Health Management Associates, a national healthcare consulting firm. He is the author of The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers (Guilford, 2006) and coauthor (with his wife, Julia L. Mayer, Psy.D.) of AARP Meditations for Caregivers (Da Capo, 2016) and Love and Meaning After 50 (Hachette, 2029). Since 2013, he has been writing a self-help column for family caregivers for AARP.org. Since 2005, he has given over 700 regional, national, and international presentations on caregiving. He maintains a psychotherapy practice in Media, PA and virtually. For more information about him, please visit his website: www.loveandmeaning.com. 

The post Seekers of Meaning 10/25/2024: Barry Jacobs on Multi-Generational Caregiving appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Florida Elder Law attorney Shannon Miller discusses the wide range of online scams and frauds targeting seniors and steps you can take to protect yourself.

In this episode, Rabbi Richard Address speaks with elder care attorney Shannon Miller about the alarming rise of scams targeting older adults. They discuss the statistics surrounding elder exploitation, the psychological and financial vulnerabilities of seniors, and the sophisticated tactics used by scammers. Shannon emphasizes the importance of awareness, preventative measures, and community education to combat this growing issue. The conversation also touches on the role of technology in facilitating scams and the legal avenues available for victims.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

SHANNON M. MILLER, B.C.S., ESQ., was born in Davis, California and was raised in Silver Spring, Maryland. Shannon relocated to Gainesville, Florida in 1994.

Shannon received her B.A. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1991 and her J.D. from the University of Maryland Law School in Baltimore, Maryland. She was commissioned into the United States Marine Corps in 1992. She was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1994 and admitted to the U.S. District Court Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts in 1996. She became a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in Elder law in 2011.

In 2005, Shannon was certified as a Circuit Civil Mediator and Arbitrator by the Supreme Court of Florida. Shannon’s experiences within her own family inspired her interest in protecting seniors and their families. Protecting seniors’ independence, while making sure their assets are protected, and giving seniors the best possible death is her life’s work, and the main reason she became an elder law attorney.

She is a member of: the Florida Bar, the American Inns of Court, the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar, the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association, and the North Central Florida Senior Advocacy Network. Shannon served as President of the Florida Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and Executive of the Elder Law Section. Shannon is a frequent speaker at the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, Hospice, Florida State Guardianship Association, Florida Ombudsman, the Alzheimer’s Association, and various law enforcement agencies. She has been certified through the National Network of Estate Planning Attorneys and is an active member of the Life Care Planning Law Firm Association.

Shannon’s special interests include yoga, St. Augustine Beach, animals, traveling, and investing.

Her practice areas include: Guardianships, Probate & Trust Administration, Estate Planning, Life Care Planning, Medicaid Planning, Exploitation Litigation, Mediation, Arbitration, Special Needs Planning, and Probate and Trust Litigation.

The post Seekers of Meaning 10/18/2024: Elder Law Attorney Shannon Miller on Scams and Frauds Targeting Seniors appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address offers a special message for this year’s High Holy Days observance.

In this commentary, Rabbi Richard Address discusses the themes of the High Holidays and shares insights on aging and spirituality. He explores the concepts of acceptance and surrender, holding on and letting go, and the power of choice in shaping our lives. Rabbi Address emphasizes the importance of community and face-to-face interactions as we age and highlights the significance of the sacred and divine in our lives. He concludes with a prayer for peace and well-being in the year ahead.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

The post Seekers of Meaning 10/4-10/11/2024: High Holy Days Message from Rabbi Address appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro, cantor of Congregation Beth El in Voorhees, NJ, discusses the spiritual significance of music in the high holiday liturgy.

Rabbi Richard Address engages with Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro to explore the profound impact of sacred music in Jewish tradition, particularly during the High Holidays. They discuss the emotional connection that music fosters within the community, the legacy of musical practices, and the evolution of Jewish music as a melting pot of cultural influences. Alisa shares her personal journey and the importance of creating a meaningful prayer experience that resonates with congregants of all ages. The conversation highlights the challenges and joys of being a cantor, the significance of improvisation in prayer, and the hope for healing and connection in a broken world.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro grew up on Mercer Island, Washington, in a rabbinic home, instilled with a love of Judaism and music. From an early age, she knew she would continue the long family line of rabbis and cantors.

She was ordained as a Hazzan and earned her degree in Sacred Jewish Music from the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, where she was awarded the Jacobson Memorial Prize in Hazzanut. She was selected as the speaker when she received her honorary Doctorate from JTS.  She holds a B.A. in Near Eastern Studies and Music from the University of Washington.

Hazzan Pomerantz-Boro has served as Beth El’s cantor since 2004. For 13 years before that, she served at Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego, California. While in Cantorial school, she broke new ground as the Assistant Cantor at New York’s Park Avenue Synagogue, that shul’s first female member of the clergy. She was among the first 14 women to be inducted into the Cantors Assembly in May 1991, an international organization she ultimately served as President.

Among numerous recognitions, Hazzan Pomerantz-Boro received the 2011 Hiddur Mitzvah Award presented by Masorti Olami/World Council of Conservative Synagogues to “pillars of leadership in the Conservative Movement”.  She was the first recipient of The Cantors Assembly Hazon – Visionary Award and most recently received Hadassah’s coveted Myrtle Wreath Award.

Hazzan and her husband, Stephen, have two beautiful children, Rebecca and Joshua. She hopes and prays that by lifting our voices together, we will continue to build a better world.

The post Seekers of Meaning 9/27/2024: High Holy Days Music with Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, poet and liturgist Alden Solovy discusses his latest book of poems, Enter These Gates: Meditations for the Days of Awe.

In this conversation, Alden Solovy discusses his new book, ‘Enter These Gates: Meditations for the Days of Awe.’ He talks about the inspiration behind the book, which was the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault on Israel and subsequent war. Alden shares some of his powerful poems and meditations from the book, including ‘Ela Azkara’ and ‘At the Gates.’ He also discusses the themes of history, memory, and mortality in his writings. The conversation concludes with a reading of Alden’s poem, ‘Walking Toward Sunset,’ which reflects on the journey of life and the acceptance of mortality.

Enter These Gates is a High Holy Day companion for our times, with more than one hundred new poems, prayers, and meditations for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.

Poet-liturgist Alden Solovy draws from his unique spirit to blend today’s struggles and joys with classic themes, layering a contemporary voice into beloved motifs. Enter These Gates is a vital resource for individual prayer, study, and communal worship. Themes include confession, repentance, forgiveness, and memory, as well as frailty, seeking holiness, and what Solovy calls “the ancient journey.” A companion to the machzor, Enter These Gates offers a fresh yet deeply rooted approach to heightening our experience of the Days of Awe.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

Alden Solovy is a modern day piytan, a traveling poet/preacher/teacher who uses Torah and verse to engage and inspire.

Alden embodies the intersection of scholarship and heart. A new voice for ancient yearnings, his writings resonate with the soul and his presence is sought after in Jewish spiritual spaces around the world.

A liturgist, lyricist, and educator, Alden offers a fresh Jewish voice, challenging the boundaries between poetry, meditation, personal growth, and prayer. His writing was transformed by multiple tragedies, marked in 2009 by the sudden death of his wife from catastrophic brain injury.

Solovy’s teaching spans from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem to Limmud and Leo Baeck College in the UK, and synagogues throughout North America.

He is the author of four volumes from CCAR Press: These Words: Poetic Midrash on the Language of Torah (2023), This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day (2017), This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings (2019), and This Precious Life: Encountering the Divine with Poetry and Prayer (2021).

The Jerusalem Post called his writing “soulful, meticulously crafted.” Huffington Post Religion said “…the prayers reflect age-old yearnings in modern-day situations.”

Solovy made Aliyah to Israel in 2012, where he hikes, writes, teaches, and learns. His work has appeared more than 25 collections, including Prophetic Voices: Renewing and Reimagining Haftorah (CCAR Press, 2023), Mishkan R’Fuah: Where Healing Resides (CCAR Press, 2012), L’chol Z’man v’Eit: For Sacred Moments (CCAR Press, 2015), Mishkan HaNefesh: Machzor for the Days of Awe (CCAR Press, 2015), and Gates of Shabbat, Revised Edition (CCAR Press, 2016).

He is a three-time winner of the Peter Lisagor Award for Exemplary Journalism. His writing appears on Ritualwell.org, ReformJudaism.org, Ravblog.ccar.org, TimesofIsrael.com and tobendlight.com. Alden is also the founder of ManKind Project Israel.

The post Seekers of Meaning 9/20/2024: Poet Alden Solovy discusses his latest book, “Enter These Gates” appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Jill Maderer and Rabbi Jack Paskoff reflect on the meaning of the High Holidays this year in the wake of the October 7 Hamas massacre of 1,200 Israelis and as antisemitism surges in the United States and around the world.

The conversation focuses on the upcoming High Holidays and the challenges and unique aspects of preparing for them. The two rabbis discuss their personal preparations and the spiritual significance of this time of year. They also address the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the need for open dialogue and understanding. The conversation touches on the importance of joy and connection during the holidays, as well as the impact of the pandemic on synagogue attendance and the opportunities it presents for reaching a wider audience. The rabbis express their hopes for the coming year, including peace, connection, and understanding.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player.

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Podchaser
• Amazon Music

Jill L. Maderer is the Senior Rabbi at Congregation Rodeph Shalom, where she has served since her ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, NY in 2001. 

Rabbi Maderer currently serves on the Board of the Interfaith Philadelphia; in the past she has served as: president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia, chairperson of the Center City Kehillah, a member of the Religious Leaders Council (multi-faith) of Greater Philadelphia, as a Mussar Institute instructor training Reform rabbis, as faculty at URJ Camp Harlam, and she has served on the Central Conference of American Rabbis’ Task Force for Experience of Women in the Rabbinate. 

Jack Paskoff is in his 32nd year as the rabbi of Congregation Shaarai Shomayim in Lancaster, PA. During that time, the congregation has grown in significant ways in terms of membership, childhood and adult learning, and social justice work.

To many, Lancaster seems an unlikely place for meaningful Jewish life, but this community of 330 families has made its presence known throughout Pennsylvania and throughout the Reform movement. Jack often addresses social justice issues in his congregation, and, through his various community activities, has become a voice of Tikkun Olam throughout Lancaster County having participated in and launched projects related to homeless, poverty, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and immigrant resettlement. He regularly speaks about this work in a column in the local newspaper and through numerous speaking engagements.

Jack is very involved in Reform Judaism’s youth and camping programs. A number of graduates of the congregation have gone on to active involvement in Jewish life.

Jack has been married to Risa for 38 years. He is the father of Ari (married to Danielle) and Gadi, and recently became the proud Saba of Seth.

Jack is a native New Yorker, graduating from Brandeis University, before being ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Prior to arriving in Lancaster, Jack was the associate rabbi at the Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick, NJ.

The post Seekers of Meaning 9/13/2024: Rabbis Reflect on The High Holidays appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.