Kim Blumenthal

Engaging Jewish Life for Contemporary Families

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Jun 4, 2022, 12:35 AM

I have been a parent for just shy of 11 years. In that time I have encountered milestones. The ones that we anticipate: brit, first words, first day of school, first lost tooth. The ones whose impact surprise us:...

Nov 22, 2021, 9:33 PM

Vice President Harris’ Mezuzah

A mezuzah hangs on the doorpost of the naval observatory, home of America’s “second family,” Vice President Kamala Harris and Mr. Douglas Emhoff. Reflecting on the past year in preparation for Thanksgiving, Emhoff wrote, “One of my favorite memories...

Oct 18, 2021, 4:38 PM

This rabbi loves Halloween

Trick or treat on Halloween (iStock)

This American holiday of candy and costumes has evolved to be a wholly secular occasion and living in diversity means absorbing and adopting traditions

Sep 23, 2021, 8:33 PM

The Next Right Thing

The Next Right Thing: Kol Nidre 2021 My message this evening is, “do the next right thing.” I have known for months that this would be a critical teaching for this holiday season. We will encounter this lesson through the...

Sep 4, 2021, 12:46 AM

You Are Enough–A Rosh Hashanah Message

I sit, alone with my thoughts, on a late August morning. Anticipating the upcoming holidays, awed by their immense significance and unsettled as they will again necessitate adaptation due to the pandemic. I feel unworthy of the task. Is...

Jun 29, 2021, 12:05 AM

Leaving the Covid Cocoon

When my son was in pre-school, his favorite book was The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Reading this book became a central ritual in our morning drop-off routine. Every school day, for three years, my husband or I...

Apr 13, 2021, 12:32 AM

Accepting Covid: A yizkor reflection

Yizkor: Accepting Covid-19 Last year, for the yizkor (memorial) service on Passover, I wrote a sermon entitled Covid Yizkor. I thought that saying yizkor at home, connected by Zoom, would be a one-time, unique experience. I spoke of the overwhelming...

Mar 24, 2021, 7:08 PM

Embracing a different flame

I am a rabbi. Lighting candles to inaugurate and sanctify the sabbath is a cornerstone of my faith tradition. My son, who has autism spectrum disorder, is scared of the flames. Having a child often means relinquishing expectations, embracing the...

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About Me

Rabbi Kim Blumenthal serves Bet Chaverim in Columbia, MD. Her writing frequently focuses on the intersection of Jewish family life and contemporary American society. She is the parent of two elementary school-aged children. Rabbi Blumenthal received her B.A. from Columbia University, and M.A. in Education and Rabbinic Ordination from The Jewish Theological Seminary.

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