Rabbi Noah Gradofsky
About Rabbi Gradofsky Holiday Sermons
Weekly Sermons Holiday Instructions
Other Writings Source Material
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Rabbi Noah Gradofsky joined the Temple Israel Family in August of 2004. A native of Laurelton, Queens, Rabbi Gradofsky attended The Brandeis School in Lawrence through 8th grade. His high school education was at HANC (Hebrew Academy of Nassau County) in Uniondale. Rabbi Gradofsky's undergraduate studies were at the joint program between Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary in NYC, where in 1998 he earned a BA in Economics/Political Science from Columbia and a BA in Talmud from JTS.
After College Rabbi Gradofsky's studies led him to the Rutgers University School of Law in Newark, New Jersey where he received a Juris Doctor in 2002 and the Institute of Traditional Judaism (AKA "The Metivta") in Teaneck, New Jersey. Rabbi Gradofsky received his rabbinic S’mikha (ordination) from renowned Talmud scholar Rabbi David Weiss Halivni of the ITJ in May 2004. Rabbi Gradofsky is a member of the bars of New York and New Jersey. He also serves on the board of the Union for Traditional Judaism (UTJ).
Rabbi Gradofsky is eager to meet all the members of Temple Israel. Please call or stop by the synagogue office, or e-mail Rabbi Gradofsky to arrange a time to meet.
Rabbi Gradofsky can be contacted by e-mail at 
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you must type the e-mail address into your e-mail program) or on AOL Instant
Messenger at RabbiNoahG.
Rabbi's Writings
The Rabbi's Writings are available in pdf form only. 
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form. If you would like to reproduce these items in other than the
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Divrei Torah (sermons) for Holidays
Rosh Hashanah
- Devar Torah
for 1st Day of Rosh Hashanah 5765/2004 (9/16/04) "A God of Justice and
Mercy"
- Devar Torah for
2nd Day of Rosh Hashanah 5765/2004 (9/16/04) "God Doesn't Ask the
Impossible."
- Devar Torah for
1st Day of Rosh Hashanah 5766/2005 (10/4/2005) "When I Grow
Up"
- Devar Torah for
2nd Day of Rosh Hashanah 5766/2005 (10/4/2005) "As We Are"
- Devar Torah for
1st Day of Rosh Hashanah 5767/2006 (9/23/06) "Wrestling With the
Angels"
- Devar Torah for
2nd Day of Rosh Hashanah 5767/2006 (9/24/06) "The Two Walked
Together"
- Devar Torah for
1st Day of Rosh Hashnah 5768/2007 (9/13/07) "The Wandering Parent"
- Devar Torah for
the 2nd Day of Rosh Hashanah 5768/2007 (9/14/07) "Homecoming"
- Devar Torah for
1st Day of Rosh Hashnah 5769/2008 (9/30/08) "Restoring Your Faith In
Humanity" *NEW*
- Devar Torah for
the 2nd Day of Rosh Hashanah 5769/2008 (10/1/08) "Man Can Hear God and
Live" *NEW*
Yom Kippur
- Devar Torah For
Yom Kippur Day 5765/2004 "Why We Ask God to Remember Our Loved
Ones."
- Devar Torah for
Kol Nidre 5766/2005 (10/4/2005) "The Opportunity Inherent in
Sin"
- Devar Torah for
Yom Kippur Day 5766/2005 (10/4/2005) "You're Not Chopped
Liver."
- Devar Torah for Kol
Nidre 5767/2006 (10/1/06) "Were Last Year's Prayers Answered?"
- Devar Torah for Yom
Kippur Day 5767/2006 (10/2/06) "Plastic Surgery for the Soul"
- Devar Torah for Kol
Nidre 5768/2007 (9/14/07) "The Easiest Day to be a Jew"
- Devar Torah for Yom
Kippur Day 5768/2007 (9/15/07) "Forgiveness"
- Devar Torah for Kol
Nidre 5769/2008 (10/8/08) "Not A Panacea: Domestic Abuse and Substance
Abuse in the Jewish Community" *NEW*
- Devar Torah for Yom
Kippur Day 5769/2008 (10/9/08) "In My Daughter's Eyes" *NEW*
Other Holidays
- Thanksgiving
sermon at Long Beach Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration (11/22/04).
- Passover #1
"Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained" (4/25/05)
- Passover
#2 "Became a Nation" (4/26/05)
- Passover
#3"What is this Worship to You" (4/10/07)
- Yizkor:
(Shavuot
6/15/05) "Live Like You Were Dying."
- Yizkor:
(Shavuot 5766/2006) (Yizkor and Aufruf)
Bereshith (Genesis)
Noach 10/16/04 "Perfect in His Generation"
Lech
Lecha 10/23/04 "Taking a Step"
Shemoth (Exodus)
Shemoth
1/1/05 "The Potential for Good and Evil" (Discussion of tsunami).
Vaera 1/8/05
"Getting in the Habit."
Ki Tisa
2/26/05 "Changing God's Mind"
Ki Tisa 3/10/07
"Birthday Sermon"
Vayikra (Leveticus)
Bamidbar (Numbers)
Naso
6/12/05 "Relating to Yourself and Others."
Korach 7/2/05
"The Value of Dissent."
Devarim (Deuteronomy)
Emor 5/19/04
"Interview" Shabbat
Reeh 8/14/04
First Shabbat with Temple Israel
Ki Tavo
9/4/04 "Hayom"
- How to Light
Chanukah Candles (5769/2008).
- Laws
of the 9 days and Tisha B'av (includes discussion of the 3 weeks). UPDATED
FOR 2008.
- Guide
to Passover (5768/2008).
- Chametz
Sale Authorization Form (5768/2008).
- An
overview of the laws of sitting in the Sukkah
- Does One Wear Tefillin On Chol
Hamoed?
-
Living in the Sukkah on Shemini Atseret
- Shabbat
Evening At Home
- Being
a Halachic Jew: Why the Old Labels Just Don't Fit (Shavuot discussion
5767/2007)
- Invocation
at 2004 Kristallnacht commemoration sponsored by the Holocaust
Memorial Committee of Long Island.
- Invocation
at 2005 Kristallnacht commemoration sponsored by the Holocaust
Memorial Committee of Long Island. Posted (Posted 6/11/06).
- Opened letter regarding women's roles in Temple Israel
-
Response to Rabbi Herschel Schachter's Article on Women as
Rabbis
- Basic
Judaism Course Materials (Work in progress. This PDF includes the
syllabus, the "Guided Tour to the Siddur," and the beginning of
"Jewish Literature, from Torah to Today" (covering Genesis-Joel +
Jonah & Esther)).
- Temple
Israel's Junior Congregation and Hebrew School Siddur.
- Information
and prayers for an unveiling ceremony.
Halacha
- Maimonides'
Seder: Mishneh Torah Laws of Chametz and Matzah Chapter 8, translated and
annotated.
- “Omer
Observances: Appropriate Abstinence or Excessive Restraint?”
- What
Haftorah Should Be Recited for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Av? Note: This source
sheet is not translated, though there are some English notes. **New
(Posted 7/6/08)**
- It Really Is a
Sin: Waste in Jewish Law ***New (Open House Shabbat Lunch 'N Learn
2008, posted 9/12/08).
- The
Command of God: The meaning and Application of Blessings that State "Who
Has Sanctified Us By Your Commandment and Commanded Us To . . ."
Particular attention to the blessing on reciting Hallel on Rosh Chodesh.
(Posted 1/8/06)
- May additional
aliyahs (hosafot) be added on Yom Tov or Yom Kippur? Note: This source
sheet is not translated, though there are some English notes. (Posted
1/26/06)
- Jewish Law on
Abortion and its Implications for Stem Cell Research (Summer Shabbat Study
2007/5767, posted 8/24/07). Should be read along with Dr. Daniel
Eisenberg's "Stem
Cell Research and Jewish Law" found on jlaw.com.
Biblical Studies
- Blind
Faith or Rational Practice: Do Mitzvot Have Reasons, and Should We Investigate
Them? (Shavuot Class 2008 on Ta'amei Hamitzvot) **New (Uploaded 6/17/08)
- Reversal
of Fortune: How the Course of History Was Changed by the Garden of Eden. A study
of the text and the chiastic structure of Genesis 2:4-4:1. ** New
(uploaded 11/24/08).
Philosophy
- A
survival guide to the Jewish New Year (outline of Chovot Halevavot on repentance).
- Desire:
Temptation Toward Evil or Inspiration For Good (Slichot Discussion 9/8/07) **New
(Uploaded 6/17/08)
Rabbinic Literature
- The
Seder in Rabbinic Literature
- Selected Rabbinic
Midrash on the Book of Ruth (Shavuot class 2006, posted 6/11/06)
