Voices

If Not Now, When?: Our Blog

Posted on May 18, 2012

“If Not Now, When?” Our new Anshe Chesed blog takes its name from one of three questions posed by Rabbi Hillel centuries ago. The other two questions were: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” and “If I am only for myself, what am I?” To all of us at Anshe Chesed, “If Not Continue Reading »

Purim’s Cautionary Tale for the Modern State of Israel

Posted on March 6, 2023

Rabbi Joshua Caruso shares his March 3 sermon about Purim and our current world of increasing antisemitism: Happy Purim! It’s the time of year to enjoy sweet-filled Hamantaschen, swing the grogger, and attend the Megilla reading! It’s common for folks to dress up in costumes, be silly in the Purim Spiel, and take the kids Continue Reading »

True Privilege of Serving as a Poll Observer

Posted on November 3, 2022

Cantor Laureate Sarah Sager shared her in recent virtual meditation/reflection (found here), her positive experience of serving a poll observer during early voting. Although I was nervous about doing it for two days in advance, I had the true privilege of serving as a poll observer during early voting at the Cuyahoga County Board of Continue Reading »

Mayfield Cemetery is Filled with History, Memories and Family Connections

Posted on October 30, 2022

I recently visited Mayfield Cemetery to get to know our park-like cemetery. The grounds are beautiful and I was struck by how many family names I recognized. Enjoy the photo essay below sharing a little bit about my experience. Consider a visit to walk around the grounds. Perhaps you’ll feel the same sense of history Continue Reading »

Lost and Found and

Posted on October 11, 2022

This sermon,  Lost and Found and, was shared by Rabbi Elle Muhlbaum during Yom Kippur, 2022. Lost and Found and When I was fifteen and a half, I got my learner’s permit. This temporary license came with a great sense of excitement, responsibility, and freedom. I lived in Cincinnati at the time, and by the Continue Reading »

Time Flies

Posted on October 11, 2022

This sermon, Time Flies,  was shared by Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk during the Yom Kippur Afternoon Yizkor Service,  Oct. 5, 2022.    We are here at this Yizkor Memorial Service and I want you to know…I am also positively heartened by seeing many of you physically present in front of my eyes. I feel your presence Continue Reading »

“Eyn Li Eretz Acheret” – Why We Support Israel and Zionism

Posted on October 7, 2022

This sermon was shared by Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk during the Kol Nidre Sanctuary Service,  Oct. 4 , 2022.    We’ve all seen that compelling moment in a courtroom drama when a central character agrees to testify. We are led to believe the testimony will help justice to be served. But a stern warning is soon Continue Reading »

Regrets, I’ve Had a Few…

Posted on October 6, 2022

This sermon, “Regrets, I’ve Had a Few…”, was shared by Rabbi Joshua Caruso on Yom Kippur, Oct. 5, 2022. For some of you, it is not a big secret that I went to high school with the actress Jennifer Aniston. She and I actually graduated in the same year, and we even took a class Continue Reading »

Living Our Weeks

Posted on September 27, 2022

This sermon was shared by Rabbi Elle Muhlbaum during the Erev Rosh Hashanah Sanctuary Service, Sep. 25, 2022.   “Living Our Weeks”  This summer, we traveled to one of, if not the top seven, at least the top ten wonders of the world: Niagara Falls. We stayed in a home about a mile from the Continue Reading »

When Your Heart is Burdened, Speak Up

Posted on September 27, 2022

This sermon was shared by Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk during the Rosh Hashanah Sanctuary Service, Sep. 26, 2022.   When Your Heart is Burdened, Speak Up   Most years on Rosh Hashanah we read Genesis 22, when Abraham is commanded to bind his own son as a sacrifice. Though child sacrifice never occurs in Torah and it Continue Reading »

Remembering David Berger…

Posted on September 6, 2022

These reflections were shared by Rabbi Joshua Caruso during the during the Friday, Sept. 2, 2022,  Shabbat Evening Service: Remembering David Berger:     On one fateful day in 1972, Jim McKay, ABC’s Olympic broadcasting anchor, shared the impossible news just after 3 am in the morning: I’ve just gotten the final word. When I Continue Reading »