Core Values
Core Values
CDT’s values express our highest aspirations for who we are and who we hope to be as a congregation. They are a touchstone for us to reflect on in our actions and our decisions, guiding us in our life together as a community.
This list of values was developed over the course of 2014-2015 through discussions guided by the CDT Board and involving the congregational membership as a whole. We are grateful to Rabbi David Teutsch for the list of Jewish values that he included in A Guide to Jewish Practice, published by the Center for Jewish Ethics at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, which served as our springboard into the process of developing our set of core values.
קְהִלָּה Kehillah (Commitment to Community): According to Jewish tradition, human beings can only fulfill themselves in relationship with others. The Torah teaches that the holiest form of community is formed by a brit, a covenant, in which individuals enter into sacred relationship with one another and with the Source of Life. Anchored within a web of mutual obligation, members share a commitment to the wellbeing of the community and its values, and to one another.
חֶסֶד Chesed (Lovingkindness): We extend to one another lovingkindness, sharing joyful times and difficult times, providing comfort, marking milestones, and supporting one another through life’s transitions.
Inclusion and Human Dignity: We affirm the idea that every human being is created b’tzelem Elohim, “in God’s image,” and is thus deserving of care and respect. We welcome all those who share our values: people of all ages, races and ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, abilities, gender identities and sexual orientations.
כַּוָֹנָה Kavanah (Sacred Intention): We engage in speech and action with integrity and with deliberate, thoughtful attention and intention.
תַלְמוּד תוֹרָה Talmud Torah - Lifelong Jewish Learning: We are committed to dynamic Jewish study, engaging with Jewish texts, values, practices, and traditions and “reconstructing” them in ways that move and inspire us today. We are committed to developing the Jewish education of our children, nourishing the next generation’s values, traditions, and spiritual and ethical practices.
מַחֲלוֹקֶת לְֹשֶם ֹשָמַיִם Machloket l’shem shamayim (Debate for the Sake of Heaven): We foster respectful discourse and affirm the traditional Jewish value of “debate for the sake of heaven”.
מִצְוָה Mitzvah (Ethical & Ritual Practice): We affirm the concept of mitzvah as “sacred connector,” a religious or ethical practice that connects us in many ways: to other people, to God/liness, to Jewish history and tradition, to the earth, to our own best selves. We seek to learn about both traditional and contemporary mitzvot and to explore their relevance to our lives and our world today.
Spirituality: We seek out and nurture experiences, both individually and collectively, that elevate, inspire, and connect us to That which is beyond ourselves. Our collective spiritual life, informed by Jewish practice, strengthens the community as a whole while supporting and fostering the spiritual journeys and personal growth of members.
תִקוּן עוֹלָם Tikkun Olam (Repair of the World): We strive to create a world that is just and kind. We pursue justice/tzedek for all—through personal, social, and political action. We understand that we are responsible for our broader community and our planet.
Fri, March 5 2021
21 Adar 5781
Upcoming Events
-
Friday ,
MarMarch 5 , 2021All Ages Erev Shabbat Service
Friday, Mar 5th 6:00p to 6:45p
-
Saturday ,
MarMarch 6 , 2021Refugee Shabbat Morning Service
Shabbat, Mar 6th 10:00a to 12:00p
-
Sunday ,
MarMarch 7 , 2021Kitah Hey B'nei Mitzvah Cohort Meeting with Rabbi Toba
Sunday, Mar 7th 10:25a to 11:45a
-
Sunday ,
MarMarch 7 , 2021
Sunday, Mar 7th 10:30a to 11:30a
The elusive “work-life balance” is out of reach more than ever for parents. Come join other Dorshei Tzedek parents and caregivers in a low-key, judgment-free Zoom space to give and receive support. We will meet for four weeks to talk about what it means to parent “out loud” in the time of COVID-19 and share tips with peers. For more information, email margolis.hadassah@gmail.com. Hadassah Margolis, MSW, LICSW: Hadassah is a clinical social worker and the Lead Therapist at McLean’s Spirituality and Mental Health Department, where she has helped develop the hospital’s first-ever Spirituality and Treatment groups. She is also a staff clinician at the Brandeis Counseling Center. She has over 15 years of group facilitation experience. In 2018, Hadassah, along with Kitty Dukakis, launched the Spirituality and Mental Health Discussion Series, which has expanded into a variety of COVID-coping support groups, workshops, and talks supported by the Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Project. Hadassah is a 2020 Commonwealth Heroine and was a 2019 CJP Chai in the Hub honoree. -
Sunday ,
MarMarch 7 , 2021
Sunday, Mar 7th 10:30a to 11:00a
The Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) had tremendous success during the past year advocating for policies that improved the lives of Commonwealth residents. When the COVID pandemic tanked the economy, GBIO helped some of the neediest avoid eviction or mortgage foreclosure. Healthcare now includes telehealth visits, notification about out-of-network procedures, and free COVID testing and vaccinations due, in part, to the work of GBIO. In response to the horrific murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis policeman, Massachusetts created the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission. It will have the power to investigate police misconduct, to subpoena records and testimony, and to decertify police officers that have abused their authority. How can BUSY parents and ACTIVE Religious School students get involved with an organization that accomplishes so much for the residents of Massachusetts? What activities should GBIO undertake in the coming year that interest you? Should a religious school class adopt an activity like this in the future as part of the curriculum? Co-Liaisons Louise Enoch and Tony Broh would like your help celebrating GBIO accomplishments and exploring your ideas about greater engagement with the Religious School. For questions or suggestions, email lpenoch@gmail.com or c.anthony@broh.com. -
Tuesday ,
MarMarch 9 , 2021
Tuesday, Mar 9th 3:00p to 5:00p
Presented by Other Israel Film Festival and New Israel Fund From David Ben Gurion to Benjamin Netanyahu, from Golda Meir to Dov Khenin, some of Israel's most outspoken leaders have been reflected upon in the last few years, through provocative films. In this opportune moment, join us for a series of films examining Israeli leaders from the past and present. The series will include films about: David Ben Gurion, Golda Meir, Avigdor Lieberman, Menachem Begin, Dov Khenin, Benjamin Netanyahu and a US premiere about Ehud Olmert. All of the films will be available for viewing for the duration of the two weeks of March 8th through March 23. See information about Q&As and discussions below. -
Wednesday ,
MarMarch 10 , 2021Torah Study
Wednesday, Mar 10th 8:00a to 9:00a
Start your Wednesday mornings with Torah Study! Join Director of Congregational Learning Earnest Vener for a weekly hour-long study of the weekly Torah portion on Wednesdays at 8am. You are welcome to drop in or come weekly. All are welcome and no prior knowledge is required. Please email Earnest at e.vener@dorsheitzedek.org with any questions. -
Wednesday ,
MarMarch 10 , 2021
Wednesday, Mar 10th 5:30p to 5:45p
All are welcome to join Rabbi Toba for a moment of calm each week. The content will vary - a brief teaching, a meditative moment, some music, or another contemplative practice. We will start promptly at 5:30pm each Wednesday, but feel free to drop in at any time. Each session will end with an opportunity for those in mourning or observing a yahrzeit to recite Mourners Kaddish. Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/97091443951?pwd=dVk4bFZIVitMcDViYllNQnRIdmhmZz09 -
Wednesday ,
MarMarch 10 , 2021
Wednesday, Mar 10th 7:30p to 9:00p
We are excited to welcome back Dr. Irit Aharony, who will offer to members of CDT a three-session course on “Israel’s Many Cultures: Together or Apart?” The course will explore the diversity of Israeli cultures, highlighting both commonalities and tensions among its diverse communities. Each session will emphasize a different art form and explore a particular formation of Israeli voices. The classes will be conducted in English, and readings will be available in Hebrew and English. Advance reading will be necessary only for the final session. “In many small windows, through side entrances” (Yehuda Amichai): Questions of immigration, otherness and belonging, “here” versus “there” in Israeli art, with an emphasis on Russian and Ethiopian new Israelis (עולים חדשים) Irit Aharony is Senior Preceptor in Hebrew at Harvard University, where she teaches courses in Hebrew language, culture, and literature. She holds a PhD in Hebrew literature from Bar-Ilan University. She has taught classes at CDT in the past, to great acclaim. -
Thursday ,
MarMarch 11 , 2021
Thursday, Mar 11th 12:00p to 1:15p
Zmanim
Alot Hashachar | 4:51a |
Earliest Tallit | 5:23a |
Netz (Sunrise) | 6:14a |
Latest Shema | 9:05a |
Zman Tefillah | 10:03a |
Chatzot (Midday) | 11:57a |
Mincha Gedola | 12:25p |
Mincha Ketana | 3:17p |
Plag HaMincha | 4:28p |
Candle Lighting | 5:21p |
Shkiah (Sunset) | 5:39p |
Tzeit Hakochavim | 6:21p |
More >> |