My Current Thoughts Toward a Kehilla Resolution on the Occupation: Forum scheduled for Sunday, June 1
by Rabbi David J. Cooper Sometime during 2014, probably in the Fall, the Middle East Peace Committee is going to propose that Kehilla take an enunciated position in regard to the Israeli control of Palestinian lands captured during the Six-Day War in 1967. For over 25 years, Kehilla’s positions about the land between the […]
Why is it Such a Big Event that Peter Beinart will be at Kehilla this Sunday besides that it’s important and free?
by Rabbi David J. Cooper It was like when Walter Cronkite came out against the war in Vietnam, at least it was for me. Four years ago, Peter Beinart, a well-respected center-right commentator wrote his now famous article, “The Failure of the American Jewish Establishment” and declared that the leadership of American Zionist institutions was […]
Prophetic Responsibility
at the Kehilla Seder with Oakland Community Organizations (OCO)& with Peter Beinart and our Middle East Peace Committee by Rabbi David J. Cooper “If you didn’t break it, you don’t have to fix it.” That’s basically what American and English common law have held for centuries, at least until recently. You see someone drowning and […]
Kehilla Kashrut in Conscious Community
by Rabbi David J. Cooper Are we what we eat? Sometimes when I say the Motzi, I remind myself that it isn’t only the bread that is drawn from the soil, but we, ourselves, are earth-drawn through the bread and through everything we consume. I have had a love/hate relationship with Jewish laws and interpretations […]
Who’s in? Who’s out? What’s a Jew? Why I Need to See “Between Two Worlds” AGAIN
By Rabbi David J. Cooper [NOTE: “Between Two Worlds” will be shown at Kehilla on Saturday, January 25, 7pm.] Again? Yes I’ve seen it before and am looking forward to a refresher viewing surrounded by my synagogue community. Why? The arguments about how Jews should respond to the political realities in Israel/Palestine are ripping the […]
Why we need to see “The Gatekeepers” this Saturday night
By Rabbi David Last night, I saw Rabbi Arik Asherman, the Israeli-American head of Rabbis for Human Rights, speak at an event jointly sponsored by Kehilla, Temple Beth El and TempleSinai. Rabbi Arik is known for leading RHR’s work in defense of the disenfranchised in Israel and in the occupied territory. He spoke modestly and […]
Holiness, Communications & Kehilla History
by Rabbi David J. Cooper In one of the most sacred texts of the Torah and of the Siddur, we are commanded to love and to communicate. Really. In the Sh’ma, right after we are commanded to love, it says that these words are to be spoken and communicated daily and that the communication […]
A Message from Rabbi David
Why we need to hear Yehuda Shaul & Breaking the Silence on Saturday, November 23, 7:00pm On the evening of the 23rd, I am going to be at Kehilla to listen to Commander Yehuda Shaul of the Israeli Defense Forces, to expose myself to what the Israeli occupation means as experienced by an […]
