Religion: The Jewish New Year
P.T. Barnum famously said, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” What he meant by that was that it doesn’t matter as much what people are saying about you as long as they’re talking about you. The worst feeling is not when someone speaks...
Congregation Emeth prepares to celebrate High Holy Days
The sound of the shofar, a trumpet-like blast made by blowing on a ram’s horn, will ring through Congregation Emeth in Morgan Hill for the upcoming High Holy Day services.
Congregation Emeth, serving southern Santa Clara County, will be offering a variety of High Holy...
Religion: Living in freedom and without fear
The Jewish holiday of Passover begins Wednesday night, April 1, 2026. On Passover night, Jews conduct a communal meal in their homes, called a seder. The word seder means “order,” because the meal and its accompanying rituals are conducted in a special prescribed order.
We...
Religion: Guard My Speech
How powerful words are! Rabbi Seymour J Cohen wrote: “Words can inspire, destroy, console us, entice us. Throughout history words promoted hatred, murder, even wars! How many politicians permanently had their careers ended by false rumors and innuendos!”
Each of us have experienced the power...
Religion: ‘Perhaps you were created for such a time as this’
Think about a time in your life where you displayed courage. What gave you the strength to engage in this action?
The Latin root of the word courage is “cor” which means heart. In Judaism, the name for courage is Ometz Lev—Heart Strength.
In a few...
From My Perspective: Our sinful nature
As I humbled myself, on Feb. 18, when having an ash cross “painted” on my forehead, I thought pensively and repentantly about my sinful nature. Since being born again, in December 2018, I know my sins have been washed away by Jesus’ blood, but...
Religion: Spiritual communities remain
“Follow your dream—you can do it!” That is the encouragement often offered to children, to youth and to adults in our lives. It is an encouragement to be bold, to pursue their dreams and to persist through difficulties.
But what is that dream? What is...
Rabbi Mendel Liberow: Why be thankful?
Recently, Chabad of South County Women’s Circle hosted a pre-Thanksgiving event titled, “Give Thanks by Giving Back.” We gathered to make fleece blankets and care packages to donate to Rebekah Children’s Services. I was heartened and touched by the tremendous response from our community...
Religion: Life is about choices
“There is no peace on earth,” I said, “for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men!” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned these words in a poem written during the Civil War in 1863. The poem was later set...
Religion: The most important day of the year
This Sunday, April 20, Christians throughout the world celebrate Easter, the resurrection of Jesus. For Christians, Easter is the most important day of the year (Christmas is a distant second) and this year all Christians celebrate it on the same day.
The date of Easter...




















