With the selection of Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost, and in light of the film “Conclave,” which I happened to watch by chance on a flight back from Florida, I’ve been reflecting on the difference between perception and reality in religious institutions. The film was hard to watch. According to friends in the clergy, [...]
The period between Purim and Passover, two festivals that are deeply intertwined, is a journey of connection to our innermost identity. Both tell stories of danger, courage, and redemption. On Purim, we wear masks; on Passover, we remove them. We deflate not only our bread but our egos. We strip away the disguises we wear in [...]
The following letter to the editors was sent to the members of GEM (Greenport Ecumenical Ministries), and is reprinted here, with permission: Dear GEMs, On behalf of Congregation Tifereth Israel and myself, I extend our heartfelt condolences to our Catholic brothers and sisters on the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis. His papacy has accompanied [...]
Project Exodus - The Roadmap to Freedom Session 13 of the monthly study series on the Book of Exodus, an interfaith exploration into the mechanism of freedom by Rabbi Gadi Capela, Fr. Roy Tvrdik and Dr. Don Russo. Sunday, March 16, 2025
Project Exodus - The Roadmap to Freedom Session 12 of the monthly study series on the Book of Exodus, an interfaith exploration into the mechanism of freedom by Rabbi Gadi Capela, Fr. Roy Tvrdik and Dr. Don Russo. Sunday, February 16, 2025 at St. Mark RC Church 105 Randall Rd., Shoreham, NY 11786
I am writing this message on March 20, the 20th day of Adar. Exactly 30 years ago on this very day on the Jewish calendar, I was on my way to Jerusalem to register for architecture school. Little did I know that God had a different plan for me. It was a moment of transition — my [...]
Life is a constant movement between order and disorder, a delicate balance between structure and chaos, between the expected and unexpected, between moments of clarity and the unknown. This tension is the very essence of our existence — the breath that sustains us and the drama that shapes our journey. In the midst of the [...]
WE ARE FROM HERE A Family Story of Indigenous Jews The film follows Rabbi Gadi Capela, a Columbia University student during the October 7 riots, as he shares his family’s exodus from Yemen during Operation On Wings of Eagles. Highlighting the experiences of over a million Middle Eastern Jews, the film challenges the narrative of [...]
Project Exodus - The Roadmap to Freedom Session 11 of the monthly study series on the Book of Exodus, an interfaith exploration into the mechanism of freedom by Rabbi Gadi Capela, Fr. Roy Tvrdik and Dr. Don Russo. Sunday, January 19, 2025 1:30 - 3 PM ET at St. Mark RC Church 105 Randall Rd., [...]
When my sister in Israel mentioned she would stop in New York on her way to our nephew’s wedding in Cartagena, Colombia, she casually noted that her trip coincided with the upcoming inauguration of the returning President, Donald J. Trump. Attending a presidential inauguration had never crossed my mind before. But recognizing how rare and special [...]
