Welcome home, Rabbi Israel
In 2006, Congregation Emeth in Morgan Hill welcomed Debbie Israel as a part-time student rabbi from the Academy for Jewish Religion in Southern California. When she was ordained, the Jewish temple’s Board of Directors enthusiastically invited her to become their permanent rabbi.
Over the next...
Religion: Why I believe in God
Although serving as the Bishop for the Gilroy congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints keeps me quite busy, it’s not my day job. I have worked for over 30 years in the tech industry as a software engineer. Over those...
Rabbi Mendel Liberow: Four things I learned from the Super Bowl
With the football season coming to a close, it’s a great time to apply the wise Jewish teaching that everything one encounters can teach us a lesson in how to serve G-d. Here are four lessons I learned:
Every Player is Crucial
The star quarterbacks, wide...
Religion: More blessed to give?
Do you have a prayer room? Is there a room or destination that is “your place” to connect with God? The garden across the Kidron Valley was a place where Jesus went to pray and connect with his father. It is there that Jesus...
Religion: Service: The Antidote to Hate
Just a few days ago on Sept. 11, many of us took a moment to remember the terrible events of that day 21 years ago. In an effort to create something positive from this event, The National Day of Service was instituted to be...
Religion: Bearing good fruit
If we want to change the world, we must first change ourselves and help those around us. I have always thought that all the decisions we make in our lives are going to bring consequences and one day we will realize that the important...
Religion: The importance of friendship
I had a call a few nights ago from a good friend. She had just heard some news and she needed a person to listen while she talked and processed what she had heard. We have been friends for many years and this was...
Religion: Let’s give each other grace
My friend Allie is wise, creative and caring. She is a truly loving soul, open to all she meets. She spends her days sharing her light with others. As a result, she has many friends. Among them is one I’ll call “Maggie.” The two...
Religion: Beloved community: Can we create it?
2026 is trying to be a New Year, but two weeks in, are you feeling hopeful? Where do you find places of solace that bring you hope in the midst of a dark geo-political world? How can all who are here on United States’...
Religion: A Muslim’s most important journey
In the last week of June, millions of pilgrims are preparing for Hajj, the most important journey in a Muslim’s life. Hajj, the Pilgrimage to Mekka, is an epic journey. It’s the 5th and final pillar of Islam.
Hajj takes Muslims on a journey back...














