At Kane Street, we bring the wisdom and compassion of Jewish traditions to all, regardless of one’s background. Within our community are very traditional Jews and secularists, families and singles, straight and gay. Our members include many Jews-by-choice (converts) as well as interfaith families and Jews who are returning to their roots. We are rightly regarded as a community where any sincere person can find a place.
We’d love to meet you. If you have questions, feel free to contact Rabbi Sam Weintraub, Engagement Director Rabbi Jason Gitlin, Executive Director Mickey Dobbs, or Rabbi Valerie Lieber, our Director of Education and Family Programming.
Click here to learn about what services are like.
Kane Street Kids, our creative, progressive and hands-on preschool, is now accepting applications for the 2020-21 school year. Please contact Rivka Seeman, Director of Kane Street Kids, for more information.
Our stimulating and inspiring Hebrew School is in session from September to June each year. Enrollment is available online for the 2019-20 school year. For more information contact Rabbi Valerie Lieber.
Purim Celebration for Young Children, Sunday, March 8 from 10:30am-12:00pm
Enjoy crafts, face-painting, music, hamantashen-baking and a kid-friendly Megillah reading.
RSVP at kanestreet.org/purim – $20/family
Erev Purim Services and Sanctuary Megillah Reading, Monday, March 9 at 7:15pm
Dress up and make some noise! The chapel service starts at 7:00pm, while the lively sanctuary event begins at 7:15pm.
Purim Day Service, Tuesday, March 10 at 7:30am, Chapel
Pasta for Purim, Bring an unopened box of pasta to shake during the Megillah reading, instead of a gragger. We will donate your “pasta gragger” to CHiPS, a soup kitchen and shelter in Park Slope.
The Parisian by Isabella Hammad
Discussion: Wednesday, April 22, 7:00pm, Kane Street Chapel
Facilitated by retired Brooklyn College Professor of English and American Literature, Julia Hirsch
A masterful debut novel by Plimpton Prize winner Isabella Hammad, The Parisian illuminates a pivotal period of Palestinian history through the journey and romances of one young man, from his studies in France during World War I to his return to Palestine at the dawn of its battle for independence. Contact Contact [email protected] for more information.
Purim is just one month away!
While you begin to ponder your costume, we hope you will take the time now to make a $180 gift to Kane Street to sponsor mishloach manot. It has been a custom for centuries to give Purim packages to celebrate the Jewish people’s survival, and we give Purim bags – filled with hamantashen, other treats and a card listing our generous sponsors – to members, pre-school students and staff.
The deadline to sign up is Monday, March 2.
Can you chant Megillat Esther? Can you read Torah or Haftorah and want to learn how to read the Megillah? Kane Street always welcomes new Megillah readers. This year, Purim begins on Monday evening, March 9 and continues on Tuesday morning, March 10. For more information or to volunteer to read, Contact Lisa Kleinman
February 25 and March 3 and 10 with Dr. Rabbi Barat Ellman
This course will explore the characters and roles of the three of David’s wives most associated with his kingship: Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba. These three women play unusually prominent roles in David’s amassing of power, and together, their stories map the trajectory of David’s life, from unknown shepherd to guerilla warrior, to dynastic leader. The biblical text considers these important women only in relationship to David, but through close reading of the Davidic stories, along with midrash and modern scholarship, we may be able to uncover their own stories.
Sessions begin with dinner at 6:45pm, followed by learning from 7:30-9:00pm. Read more about this course and view the Open Beit Midrash brochure with full course descriptions. For more information, please contact Joy Fallek.
A Prayer for our Country
Reflection during Shabbat Morning Services, Shabbat Shira, February 8, 2020, following the Senate acquittal of President Trump
In a moment, in the Prayer for our Country, as every morning in the most civic-minded prayer of the daily— the Amidah, we pray especially for the invigoration of two traits, justice and truth, and for the enlightenment of two groups, shofte’cha uf’kide’cha, judges and political officials.
These two traits, and these two groups, are uniquely important in Jewish law. For example, usually we observe a mitzvah when the opportunity to do so presents itself. So, according to Leviticus 19:32, we are to stand when an elderly person walks by. But we don’t get up in the morning and go outside in search of old people to honor. With respect to practicing justice, however, the Torah speaks more aggressively, “Justice, justice shall you pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20). We not only act justly when we can but we must search, like detectives, for ways to promote justice.
There are also, according to the Torah, many acts which are prohibited. We should not steal or cheat or bear grudges. But speaking falsely is the only sin which the Torah commands people to actively avoid: “Stay far away from falsehood” (Exodus 23:7).
Continue reading here
Rabbi Weintraub’s Reflections on Social Issues
T’shuva and its Processes: As the Jew Turns
After El Paso and Dayton: A service of Remembrance, Reflection and Re-commitment
Confronting American Anti-Semitism
Jacob’s Ladder and the Decline of Conservative Judaism
Solidarity Shabbat sermon following the Pittsburgh Synagogue attack
Response to the Attack on the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue
Listening around Rosh Hashanah
Restoring a Moral Agenda to America: The Poor People’s Campaign
Me’avdut L’cherut – From Slavery to Freedom
“To Work and to Preserve” Judaism and the Environment
Spirituality and Politics, Social Change, and my Trip to Israel
Michael Brown and Eric Garner – A Jewish Perspective
Torah text, the Tribe of Dan, Ferguson and Baltimore
