Joy is Central
We Pray for Peace in Jerusalem
Posted May 13, 2021
My heart is in the East and I am at the end of the West.” These words of the 12th Century poet Rabbi Yehuda Halevi capture the feeling of distance and despair I feel in this moment of devastating violence in Israel this week.
Read moreReflections from Shani Ben Or Regarding The Outbreak of Violence in Israel
Posted May 13, 2021
Every week, I lead a women’s circle of Palestinian and Jewish students at Hebrew University, where we come together to explore the unique dimensions of our identities as women.
Read moreAn Important Message from Central Synagogue
Posted April 27, 2021
We are writing to you today as your Senior Rabbi, Executive Director, and congregational President from a place of communal sadness, anger, shame, and Teshuvah.
Read moreComing Together in Mourning and In Resolve
Posted March 22, 2021
On Tuesday, March 16th eight people were murdered by a gunman in Atlanta. This brutal and horrific attack stands out as one among many, growing instances of violence targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) over the last year. And, as Central member Qian Julie Wang wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed, “though Anti-Asian sentiment has increased during the pandemic, it is woven into the very fabric of this country”. Read more
A New Chapter for Cantor Julia Cadrain
Posted March 22, 2021
We read in the book of Deuteronomy, "Blessed shall you be in your comings and blessed shall you be in your goings." In that spirit, we wanted to share with you the bittersweet news that Cantor Julia Cadrain has accepted a new position as Senior Cantor of Temple Israel in Westport CT, starting July 1. While we are overjoyed and excited for her and her family as they embark on this new journey (and with a former Central Synagogue rabbi, Michael Friedman, as their Senior Rabbi and Julia’s new colleague), we are also saddened that she will be leaving our Central family and we will very much miss her presence on the bimah. Read more
Staying Connected With Your Central Family in 2021
Posted January 27, 2021
We may still be socially distant, but there are new ways for members to come together! Check out these virtual opportunities to meet new friends, re-connect with old ones, and find nearby neighbors with similar interests. Read more
Mental Health Series: “How Are You Really?”
Posted December 10, 2020
Drawing inspiration from the Mental Health Coalition’s “How are you, really” campaign, Central held two separate events — one focused on young children and adolescents, and one on adults — on December 2 and 3, 2020. Journalist and Central congregant Abigail Pogrebin moderated this two-part virtual series, which confronts the very real mental health challenges of this moment, and offers insights and practical tools as to how to navigate this destabilizing time. Read more
Everything You Need to Know for Election Day 2020
Posted September 15, 2020
There are now just under 50 days until the Presidential election. We have a chance to exercise one of our most fundamental rights as Americans, and Central in Action wants to make sure your vote counts in these unprecedented times. Our social action group has created a helpful guide that details several voting options (and instructions) for various ways to vote in New York.
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#LessIsMoreNYC: Community Supervision Revocation Reform Act
Posted July 20, 2020
There are approximately 35,000 people under active parole supervision in New York State who at almost any time can see their efforts to successfully rejoin the workforce and reintegrate into their families and their communities disrupted by reincarceration for a technical violation. This not only harms individual lives and families without commensurate public safety gains, but also drives up the population in the state prisons and local jails, wasting taxpayer money. The Less is More: Community Supervision Revocation Reform Act would fix this problem. Read more
Action Items You Can Take in Response to Recent Protests
Posted June 7, 2020
This letter was sent to the congregation on Thursday, June 4, 2020
As Rabbi Buchdahl so beautifully said, "The work of fighting racism cannot be left only to the Black community, just as we know that antisemitism cannot be fought only by Jews. As we look at these recent turbulent days, we have to separate the violence and looting from the call for change echoing across the country. We must hear the groundswell of voices and listen to the pain and protest emanating from every corner of our beloved nation."
Our Central community is committed to fighting racism in America and helping to make our city, state, and country more just and equitable for every person. We are stronger when we learn and work together.
Below, please find just a few ways we can take action, advocate, and learn together... Read More
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