After the Academy Awards this past week and so many awards going to “Anora,” a movie about a young sex worker and the acceptance speech by writer/director Sean Baker supporting sex workers across the world, I want to give a big shout out to our TBE board for voting to turn our temple education wing Continue Reading »
We live in a time of suspiciousness, in particular, across our national political spectrum. Being suspicious is a natural human trait and probably evolved to help us survive. Still, it is dispiriting because deep down, our sense of well-being also depends on trusting others. The Talmud recognizes how quick people are to think the worst Continue Reading »
This week was heart-wrenching for Israel and for Jews around the world. The bodies of four hostages were returned to Israel. Three have been identified: Oded Lifshitz, 84, and Ariel and Kfir Bibas, ages 4, and nine months, at the time of their capture with their mother Shiri. Read the words of Bernard-Henri Levy published Continue Reading »
Today is Valentine’s Day and the day always brings back memories… During my first year of Rabbinical school in Jerusalem my theological leanings tilted one way and the next and upon my return I wondered if I should continue to send my mother Saint Valentine’s cards as I had been doing over the years. When Continue Reading »
Tonight is Shabbat Shirah, named after the song the Children of Israel sang when they crossed the Red Sea. There is a quaint midrash that describes the miracles that occurred. Apparently, when the waters parted even the embryos in their mothers’ wombs sang “Mi Chamocha!” – “Who is like You among the gods, O Eternal Continue Reading »
The night before last I watched in horror pictures of the collision of two aircraft in Washington D.C. It was heart breaking. “There but for the grace of God go I…” – is this not what many of us imagine as we witness a tragedy? It could have been me. When a ship sinks and Continue Reading »
On Wednesday evening, February 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. we will be celebrating Tu BiShvat with a music-filled seder and a festive meal. It’s going to be a lot of fun. Tu BiShvat is not one of our major holidays. We know what Purim is, we know what Yom Kippur and Passover are, but Continue Reading »
At a Brit Mitzvah service I often say something like this: “For Jews a facility in prayer is important and the world of the intellect is prized but superseding spirituality and education is the Jew’s responsibility to strive toward personal moral perfection and the creation of the more perfect world.” The world took a step Continue Reading »
The L.A. fires, the faith of Jimmy Carter, voting for a new rabbi and moving to a new community…the common theme I see is dislocation and grounding. The L.A. fires… I lived in Los Angeles from 1976-1979 when I was a student at Hebrew Union College. Los Angeles was foreign to me. I felt like Continue Reading »
Tonight we will light the first candle of Chanukah. Let’s talk about its double story. The historical account goes like this: the Maccabees fought against the army of King Antiochus for 3 years until they were victorious. The second story goes like this: After the Temple was destroyed a little boy found a tiny flask Continue Reading »
