The recently concluded week before Thanksgiving gave my Ohio family the opportunity to fly out of town and reunite with relatives on the East Coast for both a simcha (joyous celebration) and an unveiling ceremony (memorial following the one-year anniversary of the death of my beloved Aunt Becky). With gratitude for sharing those occasions with family, my thoughts shifted to the month of Kislev, which brings preparations for Hanukkah. As winter approaches, each day becomes colder and darker, and the change can be disconcerting. Although we prepare for the joy of Hanukkah during this time, we ex ..read more

Zane Winter has emerged from the studio with new craft items for his Bar Mitzvah project to benefit Magen David Adom, the Israeli emergency medical service providing lifesaving efforts during Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas. Zane began his work shortly after the October 7 terrorist attack against Israel. He hopes to continue to share images of love and peace as a countermeasure to harsh rhetoric and images of conflict. The post Zane continues Bar Mitzvah project with spice jars and paper hamsa to benefit Israel appeared first on United Hebrew Congregation Terre Haute ..read more

For the past few weeks or so, like many American Jews, I’ve been feeling increasing amounts of worry. I worry for specific individuals I know in Israel, about innocent people just trying to live their lives, about how the situation in the Middle East will affect global antisemitism. When I was working with a religious school in Dresher, Pa., in 2015, I taught a high school class about Israel. I remember talking to my students about antisemitism and Israel. I told them they would be expected by the non-Jewish public, as Jewish young adults, to have a high degree of understanding about the confl ..read more

In the wake of the October 7 terrorist attack against Israel and countermeasures by the Israeli Defense Force, the region faces a mounting humanitarian crisis that could exact a terrible toll on both Palestinians and Israelis. Zane Winter and his parents Lee and Tim have shown a deep interest in Jewish life with their recent contributions to High Holy Days and Sukkot celebrations. Now, Zane, who helped build and decorate the Temple’s sukkah, is raising funds for livesaving efforts through sale of his original artworks. The post Zane creates images of peace and love to assist lifesaving efforts ..read more

UHC members and guests gathered last week in the sanctuary at Temple Israel and virtually to celebrate the new year with Student Rabbi Rocki Schy, and later at Fairbanks Park in Terre Haute for Tashlich. Here are some photos from those activities. The post UHC greets 5784 with Rosh Hashanah rituals appeared first on United Hebrew Congregation Terre Haute ..read more

Are you ready for the High Holy Days? I don't mean, are you cleaning the house and cooking for friends and family. I mean, are you doing the work of accounting of the soul in chesbon hanefesh? Accounting of the soul is hard work but allows us to reflect on actions during the past year. The post Are you ready to examine your Jewish values? appeared first on United Hebrew Congregation Terre Haute ..read more

Student Rabbi Rocki Schy will officiate High Holidays services in the sanctuary at United Hebrew Congregation and via Zoom for the New Year 5784, beginning with Erev Rosh Hashanah services at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15. Yana Weinstein will return as soloist for Erev Rosh Hashanah and Kol Nidre. This will be her sixth High Holy Days with UHC during the past seven years. Izaak Skillman will handle shofar duties. The post High Holidays 5784 schedule to begin with Erev Rosh Hashanah services Friday, September 15 appeared first on United Hebrew Congregation Terre Haute ..read more

Elul is an intense month! We’re gearing up for the High Holy Days, and in order to prepare ourselves, we have certain rituals that we carry out during this time. We perform teshuvah, the process of making amends to our fellow humans whom we have wronged during the course of the year. We undertake a cheshbon hanefesh, an accounting of our souls, where we assess how we measured up during the year. We look inward to determine where we excelled and where we fell short. We read Psalm 27, in which the psalmist asks to dwell with G-d. And, of course, we hear the shofar. The post Shofar’s cry inspires ..read more

As the academic year ends for our students in K-12 and college, I’ve started to think about all the hope and talents these students possess. But developing talents doesn’t end with formal schooling. So, what are your talents? I know our congregation is filled with many talented people. First, Student Rabbi Rocki Schy offers succinct homilies, is a pro when reading Torah, and conducts well-organized and informative Torah studies. The post Betsy asks: What are your talents? appeared first on United Hebrew Congregation Terre Haute ..read more

With Pesach and Shavuot now concluded, we’ve completed the period of the Jewish calendar during which we count the omer. This ancient timekeeping mechanism finds new life each year as we number the days in between these two holidays. In ancient times, we used an actual omer — a piece of barley — to track the days between these chaggim, while worshipers traveled to the Temple. Today, the counting of the omer is a more symbolic practice. We keep a mental tally, rather than a pile of barley. The post We’ve again counted the omer, recognizing the glory of freedom and the beauty of the Torah appear ..read more