Lucero, our homeless activist friend who is staying with us just returned from doing what I call, her nightly social work. She described an 80 year old lady whom she has known for about 4 years. She was leaning against a wall tightly holding on to her plastic bags of stuff. She told Lucero she […]

NATIONAL POLICE WEEK CEREMONY February 16, 2020 Remarks by Rabbi Norman Patz Delivered in Spanish by Luis Sanchez I am honored to represent Temple Beth Shalom of Puerto Rico and our rabbi, Norman Patz, who has spoken at this ceremony in past years. Today he is leading a memorial service for the late Jimmy Klau, […]

AFTER THE EARTHQUAKES Rabbi Norman Patz  Erev Shabbat Vayehi January 10,2020 – Tevet 14, 5780   Temple Beth Shalom, the Reform Congregation of Puerto Rico   [Preface: Our congregation’s custom is to follow the mi sheh-beirakh prayers for healing with an opportunity for congregants to share good news. When I asked what happy events there […]

Sunday, December 29,2019/7th Day of Hanukkah, 5780 Dear Members of Temple Beth Shalom: We are horrified by the stabbings at the home of an Orthodox rabbi in Monsey, New York on Saturday night. The attack comes shortly after a series of assaults on Jews in the Greater New York during the Hanukkah week. I want […]

“Yet though we bolt and bar our house from You, to every door, O Death, You have a key.” We all knew that Jimmy was ailing, but he had come back from every crisis. His resilience and his will to live were formidable, as formidable as Jimmy was himself. Rabbi Jacob Rudin wrote, “To ask […]

Rabbi Norman Patz Temple Sholom of West Essex Yom Kippur Morning, October 9, 2019 – 10 Tishri, 5780   To my Temple Beth Shalom family: Naomi and I send you warm greetings on the New Year 5780 and wish you a good year. We look forward to spending the months from Hanukkah to Purim with […]