The Academy for Jewish Religion, a transdenominational rabbinical seminary, will open its doors in Los Angeles this fall, giving formal expression to a longtime trend toward a more personalized, spiritually oriented, pluralistic Judaism, academy founders say.
Had Elazar Muskin not locked himself out of his uncle\’s house while on his honeymoon here 13 years ago, he might not today be rabbi of one of Los Angeles\’ most vibrant Orthodox shuls.
Julia Celia Canhi Moreno remembers when 6-year-old Daniel would stand up at the Teva, the Ark, at Sephardic Temple, and reach for the Torah from his special foot bench.
Your rabbi is a banana. Your cantor thinks she\’sJohn Lennon. And the entire congregation is singing Beatlestunes.
A nightmare? A parallel universe?
No, it\’s just Purim at Sha\’arei Am: The SantaMonica Synagogue, and Rabbi Jeff Marx\’s megillah reading is just oneof many bizarre scenes that will play out as rabbi and congregantsrid themselves of cumbersome inhibitions for one silly day.
More than 40 rabbis, from Orthodox to Reform, look for ways to increase respect among Jews
It\’s finally happened. Marketing gurus have gottentheir hands on Shabbat, taking it off dining-room tables and throwingit up onto billboards across the nation — in the hopes of bringingit back down to more tables.
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