Malibu Jewish Center & Synagogue : The Rabbi

Come Home to MJC&S ....

Many of us have spent a lifetime searching for a spirituality we can call our own. You may have "test-driven" other religious, spiritual or meditative traditions, only to feel that something was still "missing" in your life. Perhaps you have participated Jewishly all along. Or maybe it was the birth or growth of children that inspired your search. Regardless of your journey, you will find at MJC&S a place- a warm, friendly center of Jewish learning and caring—you can finally call your own.

Located here on the Malibu coast, MJC&S encompasses a wide variety of backgrounds. Some of us are more observant, some are less, and at MJC&S, we all come together as part of the Jewish people. Our services, while traditional in their essence, are designed to be deeply meaningful and a spiritual joy, no matter what path has brought you to our door.People come from all over Los Angeles and Ventura counties to participate in our weekly Torah study.

Our Kaballah (beginning and advanced) classes, Israeli dancing classes and guest speaker series enrich our appreciation of what Judaism can bring to our everyday lives. Singing a wordless melody, eating latkes (potato pancakes) on Chanukah, studying Torah, bringing food to a shelter, lighting candles on Friday night, reading with your children, all of these are part of the ordinary acts that add to our Jewish identity and spirituality.

MJC&S offers a personal and participatory Jewish experience. Havurot, small fellowship groups, meet within the congregation to further enhance the feeling of belonging. Our Shabbat-in-the-Home dinners encourages members to meet in each other's homes and enjoy each other's company in a Jewish context away from the synagogue one Friday per month. MJC&S is a place to find friends.

Many of us come to MJC&S for our children, and end up remaining for the spirituality and joy that enters our lives. The weekly torah discussions on Saturday mornings treat torah as "current events", and the adult education on Jewish spirituality, History, Kabbalah, Torah, Talmud and even parenting classes connect us in a new way to our tradition.

Reconstructionist Judaism encourages active caring and concern to achieve tikun olam - the repair of the world. At MJC&S, we are officially designated as a "caring community" and have won grant awards for our efforts toward helping people in times of crisis and healing. In addition to special events, one Saturday a month, we hold a "healing service." We assist people in times of need as well as participating in community-wide responses. We care.

Reconstructionism is respectful of traditional practice and open to new interpretations and forms of religious expression. We place emphasis on Jewish culture, food, language, literature, music, history, ethics and philosophy as well as liturgy and traditional forms of Jewish practice. Tradition has "a vote, but not a veto."

As Rabbi, I serve as teacher, facilitator and partner for each member of MJC&S. My goal is to infuse each service with creativity and joy. Having spent many years in Israel and New Mexico working with Jewish communities, I studied with religious teachers from many traditions before my ordination ten years ago. I know that each person who becomes a member of MJC&S has a specific and unique path like no other, and therefore no two life cycle events are exactly the alike. At the same time, I am dedicated to the creation of a community that is responsive to all needs, whether for the joys of birth, bnai mitzvah, marriage or the pains of life's transitions. We are in this together.


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