Author Archives: Rabbi Cassi Kail

The year was 1922. Los Angeles’ first radio stations hit the air.[1] Angelinos celebrated the opening of The Hollywood Bowl. Children enjoyed the recently published book, “The Velveteen Rabbit” President Taft dedicated The Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Women enjoyed their newfound freedom to vote,  and Judith Kaplan became the first Bat Mitzvah. Just comingContinueContinue reading “Temple Beth El: 100 years and counting”

Rosh Hashanah is the start of a new year filled with promise and possibilities. And yet, here we are again, reading one of the most challenging stories in the entire Torah. We Jews know how to have a good time. The text reads, “Take your son, your favored one, whom you love, Isaac. Go toContinueContinue reading “Sacrificing our Children: Responding the Climate Crisis”

Tisha B’av is the darkest day on the Jewish calendar. On Tisha B’av, our first Temple was destroyed in 586 BCE, and our second Temple in 70 AD. Romans conquered Betar, ending the Bar Chochaba revolt in 132CE, killing a 100,000 Jews. On this day in 1096, the first Crusade began. In 1290, Jews wereContinueContinue reading “A Tisha B’Av message for Bend The Arc”

Tonight, I’d like to thank the Mid-Island JCC for hosting and sponsoring this event. Thank you to all of the event’s sponsors, including the Anti-Defamation League, the UJA-Federation, the Jewish Community Relations Council, the Holocaust Memorial, and Tolerance Center, The Plainview Old Bethpage Interfaith Clergy Council, and the Interfaith Clergy Council of Syosset, Woodbury and Surrounding Neighborhoods.ContinueContinue reading “A Blessing amidst the immigration crisis”

Eighty teens gathered at the Islamic Center of Long this past Tuesday evening, to launch an Inter-Faith Initiative entitled “Embrace Diversity.” Jewish and Christians teens came to join their peers in celebrating the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, and to break the fast together. Muslim, Jewish, and Christian leaders created this program as a response toContinueContinue reading “Teens Discover That Embracing Diversity Creates New Friendships”