Rabbi Aaron Potek is the community rabbi for Gather the Jews, an organization that works with Jewish 20s and 30s in Washington, DC.
Aaron Potek
By Aaron Potek
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Community ‘All the lights were off, except for one…the ner tamid’
For many religious people across the world, the loss of not being able to go into “the office” is coupled with the loss of another important source of connection, belonging and purpose – one’s house of prayer. For me, they happen to be the same place. I’m one of the rabbis at Sixth & I…
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Community What Are We Actually Celebrating On Hanukkah?
In less than a week, we will light candles to celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah. Hebrew school pop quiz: What miracle are we celebrating? Classic Hebrew school answer: According to the Talmud, it’s that a small jar of oil lasted for 8 days. But this is not mentioned in any historical record (see the Book…
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Opinion Why I Came to the Capitol To Protest Gun Violence — As a Rabbi
Despite promises to myself that I wouldn’t check Facebook after 9 pm, there I was at midnight opening it up once again on my phone. The top photo on my newsfeed was of a friend protesting outside the Capitol for Congress to do something about gun violence in our country. I texted her to see…
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Yiddish ווי האָבן ייִדן געהיט די ייִדיש־קולטור אױף יענער זײַט „אײַזערנעם פֿאָרהאַנג“?How did Jews maintain their Yiddish culture behind the Iron Curtain?
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