Interfaith Rabbi

07/01/2023

My spiritual teacher who helped me see the beauty in the Jewish tradition and appreciate and celebrate the different traditions. Acknowledging similarities and celebrating our differences! Diversity is our gift! Reb Zalman’s 9th anniversary of his passing …. I’m so grateful to have been able to study and learn from such an important teacher in Jewish spirituality.

A personal tribute to my rebbe, Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi zt"l on the occasion of his 9th yahrzeit, 5 Tamuz, 5783 - June24, 2023. A collection of his orig...

09/12/2021

For over 2000 years, Spanish and Persian(Mizrachi) Jewish ancestry have been celebrating the Jewish New Year by incorporating a unique symbolic meal known as a ‘seder’ into their Rosh Hashanah friends and family gatherings. However, this ritual tradition is not well known amongst American and Eastern European Jews.
The traditional Sephardic Seder includes symbolic foods, intentional blessings for the New Year and storytelling. A seder is a Jewish home ritual blending cultural traditions, food, song and storytelling. Most known is the Seder on 1st and 2nd night of Passover.
But wait! There are more than one type of seder in the Hebrew Calendar and Rosh Hashanah is one of them.
Rabbi Gershon Steinberg-Caudill is the rabbi for The Jewish Interfaith Wedding Network, an online community of couples, families and anyone interested in Jewish culture and tradition. Our mission is to nurture Jewish and Interfaith awareness through developing mixed family life cycle ceremonies and practices, intercultural celebrations and holiday family gatherings.
Yehudit Steinberg Caudill is the founder and director of programming for JIWN. She’s a creative educator specializing in helping the community incorporate rituals, customs and traditions into soulful experiences. Having worked with individuals, couples and families for the past 20 years creating their lifecycle and holiday events.

COME CELEBRATE AND LEARN WITH US ON ZOOM!

When you register, you receive the Rosh Hashanah Seder PDF download

Gather specialty foods and join us live on Zoom to experience this new ritual

Zoom Link and password will be provided by email prior to the event

Come and learn about the Jewish Rosh Hashanah practices at our special event, our First Annual Rosh Hashanah Community Seder on Zoom, A Spanish (Sephardi) and Persian (Mizrachi) Jewish New Year tradition.
Experience a whole new way to celebrate the Jewish New Year with intention.

Registration on Eventbrite.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rosh-hashanah-mini-seder-tickets-167491757355

09/11/2021

WHAT IS TZEDAKAH AND WHY IS IT A NEW YEAR’S TRADITION?

Tzedakah is not just about charitable contributions, but about justice and righteousness.
The word tzedakah means “righteous behavior” and is often paired with justice. In Jewish thought and tradition, material support for those in need is not a matter of charity, but a requirement to show concern for those in times of need.

Come and learn about the Jewish Rosh Hashanah practices at our special event, our First Annual Rosh Hashanah Community Seder on Zoom, A Spanish (Sephardi) and Persian (Mizrachi) Jewish New Year tradition.

COME EXPERIENCE A WHOLE NEW WAY TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH INTENTION

When: September 7, 2021
Time: 6p PDT /6p MST/ 7 MDT / 8 CDT / 9EDT

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REGISTER NOW
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Link in the Profile
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rosh-hashanah-mini-seder-tickets-167491757355

09/10/2021

TASHLICH… CAST LAST YEAR’S MISTAKES AWAY

A Rosh Hashanah ritual for the whole family done on the first day of Rosh Hashanah in the afternoon. Jews traditionally proceed to a body of running water, preferably one containing fish, and symbolically cast off their “sins” (ways we missed the mark). This ritual is a forgiveness ceremony as we throw away what must go and be able to allow for a clean slate for the coming year.

COME EXPERIENCE A WHOLE NEW WAY TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH INTENTION

When: September 7, 2021
Time: 6p PDT /6p MST/ 7 MDT / 8 CDT / 9EDT

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REGISTER NOW
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Link in the Profile
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rosh-hashanah-mini-seder-tickets-167491757355

09/09/2021

WHY DO WE BLOW THE SHOFAR ON JEWISH NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS?

On Rosh Hashanah we awake from our spiritual slumber. The shofar is like an alarm that calls on us to examine our deeds and correct our ways, as we reconnect our inner and outer worlds. We thus blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah to remind us to examine our deeds and contemplate how we can improve them. Teach your children the traditions of their ancestors and make it relevant for these times.

COME EXPERIENCE A WHOLE NEW WAY TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH INTENTION

When: September 7, 2021
Time: 6p PDT /6p MST/ 7 MDT / 8 CDT / 9EDT

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REGISTER NOW
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Link in the Profile
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rosh-hashanah-mini-seder-tickets-167491757355

09/08/2021

HONEY CAKE FOR A SWEET ABUNDANT NEW YEAR!

Honey is potent stuff in the Jewish world. Since ancient times, it has been a powerful metaphor for love, hope and promise, and it is the key ingredient of the iconic honey cake, which retains its High Holiday status to this day.

Both Eastern European and German Jews brought their own versions of honey cake when they immigrated to the U.S. You’ll find variations ranging from dense and chewy to the extraordinarily light and multi-layered cake. People today make their family honey cake recipes. In our home baking offerings, we’ve created a honey cake that is both a bit dense and moistened with applesauce and sweet dark raisins.

COME EXPERIENCE A WHOLE NEW WAY TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH INTENTION
When: September 7, 2021
Time: 6p PDT /6p MST/ 7 MDT / 8 CDT / 9EDT

*******************
REGISTER NOW
********************
Link in the Profile
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rosh-hashanah-mini-seder-tickets-167491757355

09/07/2021

COME EXPERIENCE A WHOLE NEW WAY TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH INTENTION

When: September 7, 2021
Time: 6p PDT /6p MST/ 7 MDT / 8 CDT / 9EDT

*******************
REGISTER NOW
********************

Link in the Profile
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rosh-hashanah-mini-seder-tickets-167491757355

09/07/2021

WHY DO JEWS EAT HONEY ON THE JEWISH NEW YEAR?

IT'S A TRADITION!

It’s an age-old tradition to dip honey into apples on Rosh Hashanah. This symbolizes the wish for a sweet year ahead.

One seemingly obvious reason he doesn't mention is that honey was the sweetener of choice in biblical times; neither sugar nor maple syrup were known to the ancient Israelites. Honey, on the other hand, is at least as old as written history; it was mentioned in Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform writings, and other ancient texts going back 4,000 years.

COME EXPERIENCE A WHOLE NEW WAY TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH INTENTION


When: September 7, 2021
Time: 6p PDT /6p MST/ 7 MDT / 8 CDT / 9EDT

*******************
REGISTER NOW
********************
Link in the Profile
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rosh-hashanah-mini-seder-tickets-167491757355

09/06/2021

THE HOSTS OF OUR ROSH HASHANAH SEDER
Rabbi Gershon Steinberg Caudill is from the Spanish Portuguese Jewish tradition. He’s been celebrating the Yehi Ratzon Rosh Hashanah Seder for many years in our Berkeley community. This year we’re bringing this well received ritual to our friends and family near and far away with the marvels of technology we’ve become accustomed to during these past 18 months of the pandemic. He’ll be leading us through the Seder guide, which each participant receives ahead of time, to familiarize themselves with the foods and blessings. Yehudit brings her knowledge of Jewish Life rituals, event planning, content creation and online live video to the event.

COME EXPERIENCE A WHOLE NEW WAY TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH INTENTION

When: September 7, 2021
Time: 6p PDT /6p MST/ 7 MDT / 8 CDT / 9EDT

*******************
REGISTER NOW
********************
Link in the Profile
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rosh-hashanah-mini-seder-tickets-167491757355