Teachings: Answer to questions

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Dear Andy, It has been a difficult month with all that has been happening in the world. And you are right, Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur are the most serious of our holidays.

For those scheduling Jewish life cycle ceremonies, there are hundreds of available dates as well as a number of black-out dates when rites cannot be held.

Dear Reb Shohama, I feel so uncomfortable with the word God, yet I keep searching for a spiritual connection. The strange thing is that when I see a beautiful garden or even a beautiful flower, I find myself thinking “Thank you, God.” Does this make any sense to you? Thanks, Renee

Dear Renee,

Yes, it makes a great deal of sense to me. You probably were raised with a forbidding concept of God as a serious old King on a throne, and have not adequately explored Jewish theology as an adult.

Dear Reb Shohama, Your guidance would be greatly appreciated regarding the following. We maintain a traditional style Jewish home, and Passover is very important to us. As vegetarians, how do we incorporate soy into our diets during Pesach without compromising the holiday? Each year we struggle with this situation, because soy is the major staple for us, providing a natural source of protein in our heart healthy meals. Thank you for your advice! Respectfully, George

Dear George,

Dear Reb Shohama,

My fiancée and I are planning our wedding, and we want a ceremony that is traditional, but that feels like us. We know a rabbi, a friend of the family, who shares our desire for warmth and informality. This rabbi usually officiates by herself, as she has a nice voice. We also know a cantor who has served at our family’s synagogue since I was a child. We would like to include him, but are concerned that his formal operatic style will undercut the tone of the ceremony we are trying to plan. What should we do? Sincerely,Sharon