Beit Polska Blog

WE MOURN THE PASSING OF PIOTR STASIAK-graphic

03-17-24_Turning Points in Jewish History A Polish Translation__graphic

WE MOURN THE PASSING OF RABBI BURT SCHUMAN

WE MOURN THE PASSING OF PIOTR STASIAK

READ OUR TRIBUTE

Modeling the Jewish Learning and Humanity of Our Late Teacher Rabbi Michael A. Signer.

03-17-24_Turning Points in Jewish History A Polish Translation__graphic

Weekly sermons in English+Polish

Freighted Legacies Web series

Lifecycle Events - Beit Polska

Tower of Babel Hierarchy and its Dangers

By Menachem Mirski PhD 11/01/2024 Leave a Comment Filed Under: Sermons

Thoughts on parashat Noach 5785

At the end of parashat Noach we have a story of the T ower of Babel. This story has been and
can be understood in a variety of ways. Let me suggest yet another take on it, starting with the
following statement: The T ower of Babel represents an overgrown hierarchy in society. The
existence of hierarchy like that, in a completely natural way, increases the distance between the
strata in society, between the classes in the society and creates a situation in which those on
top begin to speak a different language than those on the bottom. Language is understood here
metaphorically as a means of communication that is lost.

The Emerging Jewish Community in Poland

By Rabbi Haim Dov Beliak 10/22/2024 Leave a Comment Filed Under: Beit Warszawa, Congregational Happenings, Rabbi Michael A. Signer Clergy Cabinet, Rekindle the Light of Jewish Life

On Yom Kippur Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin shared his deepest optimism for the future of the Progressive Polish Jewish community. The Rabbi Michael Signer Clergy Cabinet program supported the travel and hospitality expenses for Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin’s volunteer visit to Poland during the Days of Awe.

Expressions of Solidarity with Israeli Hostages

By Rabbi Haim Dov Beliak 10/22/2024 Leave a Comment Filed Under: In the World, Rabbi Michael A. Signer Clergy Cabinet

The Rabbi Michael Signer Clergy Cabinet program subvented the travel and hospitality expenses for Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin’s volunteer visit to Poland during the Days of Awe. Please take a few minutes to read his Yizkor Yom Kippur sermon, Remembering the late Alex Dancyg, a hostage from Warsaw.

Days of Awe 2024

By Rabbi Haim Dov Beliak 10/21/2024 Leave a Comment Filed Under: Congregational Happenings, Holidays

Enjoy some of our holiday photos!

Being Mindful in the Transient World

By Menachem Mirski PhD 10/18/2024 Leave a Comment Filed Under: Sermons

Reflection on Sukkot 5785

You’re probably familiar with the expression “a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” That was told to young women of bygone generations to encourage them to learn how to cook well so that they could “catch” a man. Well, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches, the same is true of coming close to God – The way to your neshamah (soul) is through your stomach as well, through the feeling you feel in both, your soul and your stomach.

On Genuine Teshuvah

By Menachem Mirski PhD 10/11/2024 Leave a Comment Filed Under: Sermons

Erev Yom Kippur 5785 Sermon

First, let me start with a little introduction. We live in times of war, terrible war. Our brothers and sisters in our homeland, Israel, experience it and are scared everyday. I will think of them and pray for them today, which I encourage or don’t actually need to encourage you. But the topic of this drasha won’t be related to the situation in Israel. Yom Kippur is a holiday of introspection. We look inside us, to do the final analysis of our transgressions, our wrongdoings, our moral condition and generally the time of self-assessment. It’s not about what’s going on in the world, it’s about what’s going on inside us. For this exact reason we fast – we don’t eat, we don’t drink, we don’t have marital relations, we don’t even wash (except for health and some rabbinic authorities allow – for hygienic reasons). It is all meant to strengthen our spiritual, internal self against our physical self, to weaken the physical self, which is often stronger than the spiritual one[…]