B'nei Ruth: Community for Applied Judaism

Emblem reading בית כנסת עץ חיים, TEMPLE BETH DAVID, SINCE 1928 - JERUSALEM

A Jewish Spiritual Community for All People

Shabbat services are Fridays at 7:30p. Click here to join on Zoom

The B’nei Ruth Community of Knoxville, TN is grounded in the spiritual teachings of Rabbi Morris and Tehilla Lichtenstein, known as Applied Judaism or Jewish Science. We believe that the wisdom of Judaism is beneficial for all people and applicable to our daily lives. We affirm God’s love, goodness, and universal presence in creation, especially within human beings made in the Divine image. The Divine qualities of goodness, love, joy, life, and health are already present within us, we must only learn to become aware of God’s infinite Presence at all times.

The B’nei Ruth Siddur has been published and is available on Amazon.

Check the Rabbi’s Blog or Calendar for updates, locations, and possible cancellations. Use the Contact Us form to be added to our email list.

Ten Fundamentals of Jewish Science

  1. The Jewish Faith is the only faith we acknowledge. Jewish Science is the application of the Jewish Faith to the practice of life.
  2. We believe wholeheartedly in the efficacy of prayer. We believe that no prayer, when properly offered, goes unanswered.
  3. We shall endeavor every day of our lives to keep serene; to check all tendencies to violence and anger; to keep calm even in the face of unpleasant and discouraging circumstances.
  4. We shall strive to be cheerful every day of our lives. The Talmud says that the Divine Presence departs from one who is in gloom. It is God’s design that man should find joy and cheer in his existence on earth.
  5. We shall seek to cultivate an attitude of love and goodwill towards everyone. We shall make no room in our heart for hatred and bitterness. The world was created on a plan of divine love, and to admit thoughts of hatred or malice is to violate the plan of God.
  6. We shall cultivate a disposition of contentment, envying no one, and praising God for the good he has already bestowed on us. Contentment is the greatest friend of happiness; envy its greatest enemy.
  7. We shall make conscious effort to banish worry and fear from our lives. We regard these two as the greatest enemies of mankind and give them no place in our consciousness.
  8. We shall trust in God’s goodness in every circumstance of our life.
  9. We believe that death is an elevation to eternal life, and not a cessation of existence.
  10. We believe that God is the Source of health and the Restorer of health.

  • Abraham Our Father

    D’var Torah for Parshat Lech Lecha Judaism begins with Abraham. Our tradition tells us that Abraham was the first person to realize the truth about the unity of God, and this is why God chose him for the covenant. The Midrash relates many stories about Abraham’s development and discovery of monotheism. We learn that he…

  • Podcast episode on Jewish Science

    I was a recent guest on the Heretic Happy Hour podcast. We discussed my journey to Judaism and the rabbinate, Jewish Science, theology, and points of similarity and departure between Judaism and Christianity. You can find it on all podcast platforms. Click here to listen on Spotify

  • God Is Merciful but You Still Have to Make the Effort

    D’var Torah for Parshat Noach Our parsha opens with a statement about Noah’s character, why he found grace in God’s eyes (Gen. 6:8). Noah was righteous and perfect in his generation, and he walked with God (6:9). Some commentators read this as saying he was only righteous compared to his generation, but he couldn’t compare…

  • New Introductory Booklet on Jewish Science

    I have recently published an introduction to Jewish Science beliefs and practices available on Amazon.

  • Joy Is a Jewish Value

    A Sermon for Simchat Torah               Our Torah reading for tomorrow morning comes from parhsat re’eh. We begin with 14:22 and continue to the end of the parshah. We are taught the laws of tithing and the requirements of the shmita year as well as the outline of the three pilgrimage festivals: Pesach, Shavuot, and…

  • Shabbat and Simchat Torah celebration tonight!

    Zoom link can be found on the home page.

  • Uncertainty, Courage, and Faith

    An Erev Sukkot Sermon               The parsha for Sukkot is a reading from Emor, Lev. 23, which covers the major festivals of the Jewish year. As it is described in the Torah, Sukkot is both a harvest festival and a celebration of Israelite history. We are meant to thank God for the food provided from…

  • Kol Nidre Sermon – 5787

                  On Yom Kippur morning we read Leviticus 16, which begins with the statement, “The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron when they drew near before the Lord and died.” While the reason for reading chapter 16 is due to its instructions regarding Yom Kippur, I want to…

  • Kol Nidre Service

    Join us to begin the Day of Atonement, no tickets required. All are welcome.

  • A (Reform) Jewish Creed

    Forgotten Aspects of Liberal Jewish History Classical Reform Judaism of the late 19th and early 20th century often engaged in controversial ideological polemics and attempts at reforming Judaism. Many of these reforms were attempts to make Judaism align with the American understanding of what religion should look like. In other words, attempts to make Judaism…