Rosh Hashanah 5780 – How to Fight Anti-Semitism Shana Tova! Tonight, we begin the year 5780. This past month has been filled with new beginnings—the start of the new school year, new personal endeavors, and new goal setting. Last Tuesday night, Rabbi Pokras and I met with our 30 new confirmation students. One of the […]
Truth and Teshuvah – Rosh HaShanah 1 – 5780 Good yuntif! It’s so wonderful to be together to welcome in the New Year. No matter how good or how difficult the past year has been, I pray that the year 5780 will be a better year … for all of us. This past summer, I […]
“Ki Va Moed,” proclaims the psalmist, “the appointed time has come!” [Ps. 102:14] These three Hebrew words are often used to introduce the beginning of Shabbat, but they especially ring in my heart at this time of year, as we gather together to celebrate a New Year, and search our souls for ways to be […]
Twinningupdated September 2019 Through Yad Vashem in Israel. https://www.yadvashem.org/remembrance/bar-bat-mitzvah-twinning-program.html From the website: For those not planning to visit Israel in the near future you can still participate in the twinning program.The Bar Mitzvah boy or Bat Mitzvah girl will be twinned with a child who did not have a chance to mark his or her […]
Ki Tetze – 5779 Deuteronomy 21:10 – 25:19 In Ki Tetze, Torah speaks with more than one voice. This week’s parasha, among other things, defines who (besides the Israelites) can be admitted to the congregation of Israel, and who may not. According to Rabbi Adam Greenwald, it contains the hardest commandment of all: “You must […]
Shoftim – 5779 Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9 The opening words of this week’s parasha call to us at this time of year: “Shoftim v’shotrim titein lecha, Judges and overseers you shall set for yourself …” [Deut. 16:18] In context, the commandment has to do with setting up a fair and just judicial system – a […]
Re’eh – 5779 Deuteronomy 11:26 – 16:17 “Re’eh!” calls Moses at the beginning of our portion. “See! I am placing before you today blessing and curse.” [Deut. 11:26]. There is nothing odd or unusual about this verse, or about calling us to pay attention, especially when the stakes are high. It makes perfect sense, until […]
Ekev – 5779 Deuteronomy 7:12 – 11:2 “Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God … Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then […]
Va’E VaEt’chanan – 5779 Deuteronomy 3:23 – 7:11 “Shamor v’zachor” opines the poet in the beautiful L’cha Dodi prayer: “Observe and remember.” These words come from the Ten Commandments, or more specifically, the commandment to make every seventh day a shabbat, a day of rest and refreshment for both body and soul. In the book […]
Devarim (Shabbat Hazon) – 5779 Deuteronomy 1:1 – 3:22 We live in a complicated world, where senseless hate and violence are becoming ‘normalized’ and fear of ‘others’ is reaching new heights. This weekend, in Torah and Jewish observance, our tradition compels us to confront hate and fear though our weekly Torah portion, a special Shabbat […]
