In this Shabbat greeting to Congregation B'nai Israel of Boca Raton, I look into the conflict that could have been and the compromise that was when Reuven and Gad wanted to stay on the East side of the Jordan River.

In this episode I riff on Parashat Pinchas and the different kinds of leadership hinted at in the text.  

I am delighted to be the Senior Interim Rabbi of B'nai Israel this year!  This is the audio from my 'Happy to be Here' video!

Rabbi Stanway and Rabbi Garten discuss the most troubling story of Aaron and Moses and the episode of 'the thing that must not be mentioned'!

In this CHRI episode, Rabbi Stanway discusses the portion Vaeira with Rabbi Steve Garten, specifically the disputation with God and Abraham around Sodom and Gommorah and the Binding of Isaac.

After 27 years, my tenure at Beth Miriam has come to an end as I head into serving a wonderful interim congregation in Gainesville Florida for the year.  This last service excerpt features a couple of speakers, a presentation, a blessing and my personal remarks.

In this dvar Torah, I reflect on the Torah portion and its connection to the Aaron Family and my one bright vision for Temple Beth Miriam in the future. My 27 years of service to the temple is coming to an end on May 30, 2025 as I embark on an interim career serving other congregations and, though there are decades of memories and hopes, this sermon reflects a hope that is filled with light.

Passover and memory....past and present

Rabbi Stanway and Rabbi Steve Garten discuss this week's parasha and focus on the meaning of Shabbat, especially in a modern society.

The Bibas family has inadvertently become the new symbol for the Palestinians - and it isn't flattering.

My thoughts on the hostage release.

In this dear Torah, I reflect on the comments made by one of our congregants, Grace, who has now been declared cancer-free. Her words were the perfect jump off point to my reflections on how we as a congregation move forward.  Grace's comments are included as the first part of this recording.

In this sermon for Yom Kippur morning, I tell the true story of one of my chaplaincy patients and the lesson she taught me that I carry with me to this day.

In this sermon I discuss the opportunities and challenges to being a beacon in a dark and angry world

Stella Stanway shares her reflections about being in Israel immediately after October 7

Rosh Hashanna Morning Sermon 2025

This year has been filled with brokenness.  How do we as Jews react?  How should we be living? 

A short d'var Torah on Karachi and just one small lesson his little rebellion can teach us.

The audio of Skylar's bat mitzvah sermon - June 14, 2024

Rabbi Stanway's remarks during the Community Yom HaShoah event, May 2024.

https://templebethmiriam.org/birthright-to-israel-jacob-swartz/

In this short d'var Torah, I point out the use of a strangely worded command and what it may mean on this Shabbat.

In these days of rising anti-Semitism on the cusp of Hannukah, I ask the question, 'How do you identify?'

I offer a few thoughts about Veterans' Day and the reality of war

On the 85 anniversary of Kristallnacht, I offer these thoughts in light of the violence toward Jews in 2023

My reflections on the last four weeks.

In this sermon I take a phrase from Jeremiah and apply it to this Yom Kippur.

These are my reflections after the first full week of war in the MidEast.

In this sermon, I speak about our brokenness and how, despite it, we can create.

In this sermon, I discuss the Jewish ideas of a good year, not necessarily a happy year.

My reflections on the titanic changes in Israel that may create another failed Maccabean state.

In this periodic radio appearance, I speak with Rabbi Steven Garten about Moses' punishment for hitting the rock (twice) to provide water for the Israelites even though God told him to speak to the rock.  

This is the audio of the Siyym service for 2023, the last Kabbalat Shabbat Family service led by our upper grades.  The video with audio can be found at this link:
https://Temple-Beth-Miriam.livecontrol.tv/3e51d9b5

In this d'var Torah, I explore Ramban's interpretation of  “The Eternal One spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai” and what it mean's for us today as autonomous Jews.

In this dvar Torah I discuss the hazard of literally reading the passages such as 'an eye for an eye' which so many people ascribe to. I argue that the Rabbis were much more advanced than sticking to the literal text and that tradition of interpretation created what we now call Judaism

In this d'var Torah, I explore the meaning of the portion dealing with the leper in today's Torah portion. I discover it is relevant today as it was thousands of years ago.

In this episode I discuss the death of Nadav and Abihu and Aaron's (non)reaction and what it has to teach us.

In this episode, I introduce you to Nachson ben Aminadav, a leader as brave as Moses but totally unknown to most people. Who was he?  What did he do? Tune in a find out.

In this episode, I explore with the congregants a discussion about our own Passover traditions and how unique and perfectly valid they are.

In this short d'var Torah, I discuss what happens when we only focus on the task at hand and what happens if we neglect to pay attention to the souls surrounding us.

A d'var Torah on the light that burns inside us - internal and eternal.

The funeral on Sunday, Feb 5 for Dr. Ed Lieberman:

In this d'var Torah I explore as aspect of Pharoah's strangest request on the very cusp of his letting the Jews out of Egyptian bondage.

In this d'var Torah, I speak of the strangeness of 'Jewish theology' and whatever the heck that is!

In this d'var Torah, I speak of the strangest week I think I have ever had and how it seams so wonderfully with this weeks Torah portion, Vayechi

In this dvar Torah, I speak about one part of today's in-vogue anti-Semitism: the angels that are speaking up in the gentile communities, the LGBTQ communities and the African American communities - all allies against hate.

This is a short dvar Torah on the beginning of the portion Hayyai Sarah, the portion describing Abraham's purchase of a burial place for Sarah and the strange way the portion opens by describing her age in a unique way.  What does it mean?

The full service audio from the memorial service for Norma Rosenbloom, long time member of Beth Miriam and activist in the community and politics since the 1940's.  

May her soul be bound up in the bonds of life and may her memory be a blessing.

Noah is not a child's story.  It is deadly serious.  And its lessons for us today in the midst of strife and war are worth heeding.

West Long Branch, NJ/Brooklyn, NY

Jackie passed away on October 16th in Brooklyn after a brief illness. She was born in New York City and grew up in West Long Branch with a passion for singing/acting and sports. She began vocal training at age 8, and performed duets with the children’s performer Jonathan Sprout on two of his albums. 

Upon entering Shore Regional High School, she joined Shore Players and won the part of Peter Pan, the only freshman to ever get the lead in a production. Jackie also had other memorable lead roles in No, No, Nanette and Mame, all while indulging her athletic side and competing for Shore in gymnastics, softball and soccer.

Wanting to hone her acting talents, Jackie was accepted at the prestigious Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, graduating with a BFA.

Jackie was featured in many, commercials, voiceovers, TV appearances (Sex and the City), Off-Off-Broadway productions, and Fringe Festival entries. Returning to her musical roots, she landed a lead role as a singer and bass player for a female punk rock band in Prey for Rock and Roll, which had a six-week run at legendary CBGB’s in downtown NYC. After moving to LA, she made three films, most memorably “Hold It Like a Baby,” where she met and costarred with her future husband, Nick.

Having supported herself throughout her acting career as a waitress and bartender, and feeling like she had gained a unique insight into the human condition, Jackie returned to NY to do graduate work in psychology at Brooklyn College, earning a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology.

For the past ten years, Jackie has practiced as a licensed counselor in Brooklyn, specializing in trauma, at Avenues Mental Health Counseling and building a thriving private practice. She brought all her varied skills to bear in her clinical work and was beloved by her patients, whom she helped immensely. In fact, her parents were so struck with her insight when she would talk about her work that Sharon never hesitated to refer patients to her. The feedback that Sharon always got was that Jackie was remarkable and gifted. 

Three years ago, Jackie fulfilled a childhood dream when she and Nick adopted a rescue puppy she named Pickles Sebastian, as she always said she would. To put it mildly, she was a devoted and wonderful mother to Pickles.

Jackie loved growing up with her older sister Jamie whom she admired and adored, and her younger brother Matt, whom she greatly enjoyed, mothered, and frequently entertained.

She will be immeasurably missed by them and by her parents, as well as by her three best friends from childhood Jen, Lauren, and Jamie, a friendship to which she brought infectious joy and unconditional love. As a quartet, their bond has remained unbreakable.

Jackie is survived by her husband, Nick Marcotti, and her parents, Drs. Ron and Sharon Kamm; her sister, Jamie Rose and her husband Lou, nephew Ian, niece Sophie; her brother Matt Kamm and his wife Tegan Kehoe and their newborn daughter Raina; and her uncle and aunt Rick and Patt Kamm, and many cousins.

Jackie’s uncle and aunt, Joel and Vickie Katz, predeceased her.

Services will be held at Bloomfield Cooper Jewish Chapels 2130 NJ-35, Ocean Township, NJ 07712 on Friday, October 21, 2022, at 1:00 pm.

Shiva will be begin after the funeral services at the Kamm Residence on Friday until 4:00PM

and will reconvene on Saturday from 6:30PM to 8:30PM (with a minion at 7:00PM) and on Sunday from 12:00PM to 5:00PM

8 Abis Place, West Long Branch, NJ 07764

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Jackie’s name to The Cowboy Capital Pet Assistance League or to St. Jude's Children’s Research Hospital.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.bloomfieldcooperocean.com for the Kamm family.

In this sermon, I discuss the repentance the Reform movement has had to undergo.  As well, in the middle of the sermon a page was missing and I punted.  I kept the entire sermon as it was delivered to present the authentic experience, warts and all.  Listen to the very end....the lost page turned out to be a great teaching moment!

This is the Yom Kippur morning sermon which speaks about our essential goodness in spite of the fact that the noise of people's evil inclination gets all the attention. 

This is my Rosh Hashanna morning sermon for 2022. 

Two Tornadoes
An erev Rosh Hashanna sermon about restoring balance in our unbalanced world

The Russian barbarity in Ukraine has brought out the best in so many people.  In this sermon I discuss the experiences I had in Poland bring help to and bearing witness to the situation of the Ukrainian refugees forced to flee their homes.  Their pain is immeasurable and their determination inspiring.  I speak about this profoundly life-altering trip and hope that you, too, consider helping these people.

https://www.friendsofjcckrakow.org/ukraine

A trip through the archives on my thoughts from Erev Passover, 2020

A short meditation on the war in Ukraine and the sacrifices we make

The Disappearing Glacier

In this sermon, I share the thoughts of our ever-changing climate and the spiritual response to it.

Community Trust
 Rosh Hashanna Morning 2021
 Rabbi Cy Stanway

 
In this sermon I discuss the fundamental shift in our synagogues to a selfie-centered one and away from its real value: the soulful need for a community.

In this short essay, I share some of my thoughts about the Chauvin trial, verdict and the little and big injustices we encounter - or contribute to - each day.

In this short episode, I consider the Atlanta shooter's racism and his feelings of relative impunity, his premeditation and his sense that the politicians he identified with would smile at his massacre.

In this short episode, I reflect on the concept of Yom Kippur of wearing a mask and the ethical shortcoming in not doing so.

In this short reflection, I give my reaction to the new racist Georgia law that is so blatantly voter suppressive, it comes right out of Nuremburg.

In this short commentary, Rabbi Stanway reflects on what our response ought to be and can be in the shadow of the violent events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021

In this podcast I explore the idea of the metaphor of the Jabbok, the essential change of Jacob and Esau and the bravery it takes to leave your old self behind but having first to expose it, not repress it.  

Rabbi Stanway's Yom Kippur morning sermon from Temple Beth Miriam, Elberon, NJ.

The question of the Days of Awe.....Now What?

The Corona and the Crown - Distancing from our ugly selves to embrace who we think we really are.  Yom Kippur Evening Sermon 2020

Rosh Hashanna morning sermon from Temple Beth Miriam.  
Keeping the Ner Tamid alive and burning.

Rabbi Cy Stanway's Erev Rosh Hashanna sermon

In this episode I respond to the call to open up all the schools and ponder the wisdom.

In this episode I reflect on science, denial and how someone else's denial may very well be mortal to me or you.

In this episode, I explore the tension of a symbol and whether it is simply a piece of cloth on a stick or something much, much more important.

In this episode, I reflect on an emerging theology in America, well-known to African Americans and communities of color, but relatively unheeded by majority religious establishments.  

In this episode, I ponder on the similarities and differences between our journey through this pandemic and the Jews' journey through the desert.

In this episode, I explore the connection between the similarity of the lies we tell ourselves about this virus and my favorite genre; the zombie movie.

In this episode, I am exploring the consequences of knowing when to stay silent in the face of death and offer my suggestions to the politicians, our friends and families, and co-workers who are trying to talk the issue away, diminish its impact and generally try to innure us to the pain.

In this episode, I share the inspiration I got from a Zoom call last night and maybe help you dig the same wells of a life-sustaining water.

In this episode, I make an observation of the two conflicting Jewish traditions: 'Life is with people,' and 'Therefore choose life' and how the pandemic is putting that to the test.

In this episode I give a little thought to what we may have lost in our months of quarantine.

In this episode I reflect on how truly great some people can be.

In this episode I address my reaction to Dr. Oz's suggestion that a small percent of students are expendable just as long as he can get to Home Depot.

In this episode of 5 1/2 minutes I talk about the notion of exile and how it is part of the Jewish DNA and how, in a sense, we are all experiencing a Jewish phenomenon.  

In this podcast I share my thoughts about the real heroes of this pandemic and the inner strength that each one of these remarkable people show in the face of evolving hate.

In this podcast, I offer a way to confront this virus with the well-known characteristic of chutzpah klapei hashamayim - Confronting Heaven.

Some daily - kinda - thoughts from a rabbi on the Jersey Shore stuck at home during the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Today, a thought about 'sacrifice.'  It's a 3 minute podcast.  Let me know what you think.