Blog
Jewish Communities of Vermont Blog
Our blog shares posts reflecting on Jewish life in Vermont and linking to resources related to Jewish culture, food, family, and leading a Jewish life.
We also highlight Jewish organizations and events in Vermont and beyond!
Tamar, Foremother of the Messiah
From Rabbi Michael Cohen: When we count our blessings, appreciating our life, focusing on what we have, we are able to store, if you will, positive credit. Ideally, we can draw on it during difficult moments in our lives.
Responding to Antisemitism: The Vermont Way
The JCVT convened Antisemitism Task Force continues to evolve. This work is obviously not easy nor will it be something finished in a few weeks or months. There is no magic recipe out there for how effectively address antisemitism so we need to find a path that works for Vermont. Like so many ways Vermont can be a leader for the rest of the country (such as our response to covid or our ice cream), we hope our approach to antisemitism can be a model for the rest of the country.
I think this means we will aim to be proactive as well as reactive, promote positive messages as well as confronting the negativity of hatred, encourage pride along with indignation, and recognize the danger of hatred towards any group of people, not only that directed at Jews.
Making Connections Across Vermont
A wonderful aspect of Jewish life in Vermont is how welcoming we are to the diversity of Jewish experience. We are stronger when we celebrate our differences and commonalities by coming together through multiple venues.
Fighting Anti-Semitism
JCVT aims to work proactively to address anti-semitism and has been engaged in responding to these most recent incidents. We are working with Jewish leaders throughout the state to coordinate our efforts to seek effective and meaningful ways to address this unfortunately disturbing issue. JCVT needs your support to sustain the important work of addressing anti-semitism while also continuing our core program of promoting a positive and uplifting sense of Jewish life in Vermont.
Holding Space for Multiple Truths
The issues and history in the Middle East are tremendously complex and complicated. I so appreciate how so many in our Jewish community in Vermont try to resist the inclination to oversimplify or to affix blame and instead seek to see the legitimacy of perspectives from varied sides and work to promote a long term solution for peace, safety and dignity for all in the region.
On the Conflict in the Middle East: Several Perspectives
It is not easy on either side of our current political divide to hold a complex view of this; those around us would have us choose sides and move to one side or the other. Let’s try and resist overly simplified, emotionally driven narratives (and posts) from either viewpoint, and instead simply tolerate the discomfort, the complexity, and the conflicting feelings that these times bring up. We can’t resolve them. That is up to the Palestinians and Israelis. Most of all, let’s not turn on one another, or away from one another. We need community at these times.
Shmita Kick-off
Shmita can be a radical concept of rethinking so much about ourselves, our relations and the systems that impact all our lives. We are hoping we have a statewide commitment of Jewish Vermonters to engaging with Shmita. We are just beginning the conversation to learn together. We invite you to join us for the free workshop series in May to further our exploration of possibilities. To register or for more information, click here.