Chavurat Lamdeinu
Prayer - Study - Community
About Us
| About Rabbi Ruth Gais |
For many years she taught about the Classical world at a variety
of institutions including The Brearley School, Syracuse University,
Hunter College, The Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in
Rome, and Drew University.
She has served congregations in Orlando and St. Augustine,
Florida, and is the founding rabbi of Chavurat Lamdeinu in
Madison, New Jersey. She lives in Summit, NJ, with her family.
of institutions including The Brearley School, Syracuse University,
Hunter College, The Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in
Rome, and Drew University.
She has served congregations in Orlando and St. Augustine,
Florida, and is the founding rabbi of Chavurat Lamdeinu in
Madison, New Jersey. She lives in Summit, NJ, with her family.
| About Russell G. Jayne |
| Russ is currently enrolled in the cantorial school of the Jewish Theological Seminary. He is in his second year. His first year, 2008 - 2009, was spent in Jerusalem. He has been serving as Shaliach Tzibur of Chavurat Lamdeinu since its founding in 2003. |
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The ancient Romans had a saying, “nomen est omen,” roughly
translated as “your name is who you are.” This is true for Chavurat
Lamdeinu as well. Understand our name and you will know a lot about
who we are. We are a Chavurah, a group of people who are chaverim,
friends, fellow travelers, fellow seekers. And we are Chavurat
Lamdeinu, a group of people who are fond of each other and who
believe in “Lamdeinu - Teach us!”
It takes a lot of words in English to explain what the Hebrew says quite
simply: we are people who are eager to learn, from God through our
sacred texts and through prayer, but also from each other, through
praying, studying and being together.
Some of us have been together for years, some of us have joined
recently. We are all volunteers. No one gets paid. We have no
president, no Board of Trustees. We have a treasurer, Mal Schwartz,
who handles our finances which we use to pay for our rent, new
books, tzedakah and any other miscellaneous needs. Once a year we
have a “congregational meeting.” Bruce Stein is our Webmaster and
weekly email updater. Russ Jayne is our Shaliach Tzibbur, and I am our
Rabbi. We all take turns furnishing our weekly Kiddush. People
continually contribute great ideas about enhancing our worship,
prayer space, and community, and they just go ahead and do them. It’s
a marvel, really.
In short, we like and respect each other and have a great time.
translated as “your name is who you are.” This is true for Chavurat
Lamdeinu as well. Understand our name and you will know a lot about
who we are. We are a Chavurah, a group of people who are chaverim,
friends, fellow travelers, fellow seekers. And we are Chavurat
Lamdeinu, a group of people who are fond of each other and who
believe in “Lamdeinu - Teach us!”
It takes a lot of words in English to explain what the Hebrew says quite
simply: we are people who are eager to learn, from God through our
sacred texts and through prayer, but also from each other, through
praying, studying and being together.
Some of us have been together for years, some of us have joined
recently. We are all volunteers. No one gets paid. We have no
president, no Board of Trustees. We have a treasurer, Mal Schwartz,
who handles our finances which we use to pay for our rent, new
books, tzedakah and any other miscellaneous needs. Once a year we
have a “congregational meeting.” Bruce Stein is our Webmaster and
weekly email updater. Russ Jayne is our Shaliach Tzibbur, and I am our
Rabbi. We all take turns furnishing our weekly Kiddush. People
continually contribute great ideas about enhancing our worship,
prayer space, and community, and they just go ahead and do them. It’s
a marvel, really.
In short, we like and respect each other and have a great time.
Rabbi Gais has been Chavurat
Lamdeinu's rabbi since its founding in
2003.
Since 2007, Rabbi Gais has
devoted much of her energy to hospital
chaplaincy. She serves as Palliative
Care Chaplain at Overlook Hospital,
Summit NJ, where she is also a CPE
Supervisory Student, and is Hospice
Chaplain at Rahway Hospital, Rahway,
NJ.
She was ordained in 2000 from Hebrew
Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.
A native New Yorker, she has a BA from
Bryn Mawr College in Greek and Latin and
a Ph.D. from Princeton University in
Classical Archaeology.
Lamdeinu's rabbi since its founding in
2003.
Since 2007, Rabbi Gais has
devoted much of her energy to hospital
chaplaincy. She serves as Palliative
Care Chaplain at Overlook Hospital,
Summit NJ, where she is also a CPE
Supervisory Student, and is Hospice
Chaplain at Rahway Hospital, Rahway,
NJ.
She was ordained in 2000 from Hebrew
Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.
A native New Yorker, she has a BA from
Bryn Mawr College in Greek and Latin and
a Ph.D. from Princeton University in
Classical Archaeology.
And she's a fencer!
Comment from a member What attracted me to the group in the first place was that I found the group traditional but at the same time progressive. It was also less formal and more intimate than the Conservative synagogue I had been attending, although I was previously used to an Orthodox environment. (I have not been to a Reform synagogue in 40 years!) No one demanded that I sit in a certain place. No one told me to wear a certain item of clothing. No one bothered me about bills or statements or about which “tribe” I belonged to. I never hear anyone bemoaning the fact that they or their children or whomever might be intermarried. I never hear anyone talking about the sky falling in because of assimilation. (That seems to be an obsession elsewhere.) I liked it because it was easy going and accepting. So, there you have it. |
About our Shabbat service Our service is closest to a Conservative service. Most of the service is conducted in Hebrew. Our prayerbook is fully transliterated. All prayers have English translations on the opposite page. You can see a sample page in the "Prayer Book" page. The wearing of kippot and talitot is optional. Dress is casual. Since our seating is not fixed there is plenty of room to get comfortable or walk around. |