Rabbi's Message

Today, our hearts are not only in the East with our brothers and sisters in Israel, but they are also in the West as a number of devastating wildfires continue to ravage California.  We thank God for the brave work of first responders and firefighters, and we are grateful for the safety of the evacuees. Yet, we know that the loss of homes and communities has been immense, including the burning down of the Conservative synagogue, the...Read more...

Jewish tradition relates that when the Maccabees entered the damaged and desecrated Temple in Jerusalem around 165 BCE, they looked to see if any oil remained sealed by the high priest with which they could light the Temple Menorah. They found one cruse of oil that was enough for one day. But, miraculously, the small amount of oil burned for eight days, which was long enough for the priest to prepare more and keep the light...Read more...

I am writing this from Israel, where I am attending a Rabbinical Assembly conference. Coincidentally, the name “Israel” appears for the first time in this week’s Torah portion. You will surely remember the story.
Jacob is returning to Canaan 20 years after fleeing from his brother Esau. Afraid that the encounter may be violent, he divides his family and flocks into three groups so that at least some might escape if the others are...Read more...

What does it mean to have everything?  Is it about possessions?  Status?  Power?  Today it can feel like everyone wants everything.  There is little will to compromise in our politics, ideologies, and beliefs, along with a troubling unwillingness to look beyond parochial interests to work for the common good.  In this environment, perfect becomes the enemy of the good.  We become gridlocked and pulled apart....Read more...

As we continue to process the results of the election, I want to acknowledge the emotions that we are all feeling after months of divisive campaigning and these nerve-racking last few days.  We knew that the election results would disappoint some and satisfy others.  As Rabbi David Wolpe remarked after the election, “Resilience is the quality required when the world does not go as you wish, and graciousness the quality required...Read more...

Moadim L’simha! I hope you have enjoyed time with loved ones in the sukkah over the past week.  How incredible has the weather been?! As we conclude Sukkot, we will arrive at the end of our holiday season, which concludes with Shemini Atzeret (which begins tonight) and Simhat Torah (tomorrow night). This is traditionally a time of great joy and celebration, marking the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle and the immediate...Read more...

The full moon is out, which means we are halfway through the month of Elul.  As we approach the end of the year, I keep thinking about a phrase from the Talmud.  In a discussion about the reading of the curses, known as the tokheha, in this week’s parashah, Ki Tavo, the Talmud says that the Torah reading schedule was set so that this portion is always read before Rosh Hashanah.  The reason:  k’day she’tikhleh shanah...Read more...

It has been difficult to find the words this week.  The news that reached us after Shabbat, that the remains of six hostages had been found, and the subsequent identification of them as Carmel Gat z"l, Ori Danino z"l, Eden Yerushalmi z"l, Alex Lobanov z"l, Almog Sarusi z"l, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin z’’l was heartbreaking.  Learning that they were executed by Hamas 2-3 days prior to being found made it even more devasting....Read more...

What does God want from me?  This is a question that I often find myself asking when confronted with difficult situations.  When there is no clear "right" answer, how do we still act like a mensch?  In our Torah reading this week, Ekev asks the same question:  "And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you?"  Thankfully, it also gives us an answer:  "Only this:  revere the Lord your God, to walk...Read more...

Tom Petty sang that “The waiting is the hardest part.”   I’m not so sure it is the hardest part, but it is certainly not easy.  That song has been going through my head this week as I repeatedly check the news from Israel.  Iran and Hezbollah keep threatening an imminent attack and, despite Hezbollah still firing rockets daily at Israel, a major one has not been launched yet (at least as of this writing).  Yesterday...Read more...

Shalom from Jerusalem!  Actually, by the time you read this, I will hopefully have landed back home.  It has been a very full three weeks in Israel.  Most of my time was spent in the beit midrash (study hall) at the Hartman Institute discussing texts and ideas about Israel today and Jewish Peoplehood.  If you’d like to get a taste of some of the conversations I’ve had and teachers I’ve learned with, you can check out...Read more...

Shalom from Jerusalem!  It has been an incredible week and a half of learning, listening, and living here.  Most of my time is spent as part of the Rabbinic Leadership Initiative...Read more...

In this week’s Torah portion, Shelah Lekha, twelve spies (meraglim) are sent ahead to scout out the land as the Israelites approach the land of Israel. When they return, ten of the twelve spies return with a discouraging report, and the people believe that it will be too difficult to possess the Promised Land. Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, offer a positive report pushing B’nai Yisrael to continue forward.

This...Read more...

We begin the book of B’Midbar, the fourth book of the Torah, this Shabbat.  Those 40 years of wandering the desert you’ve heard about?  Thirty-eight of them happen here.  At the outset, the book sets the stage for the Israelite’s long journey (though they don’t know just yet how long it will be).  It does this by taking a census of the people and arranging the camp.  At the beginning of the second...Read more...

This Shabbat we will read parashat Behar, which begins with the words, “The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai…”  The commentaries wonder: why does the Torah need to reiterate the fact that laws that follow were given on Mount Sinai?   The Israelites haven’t yet moved from the mountain, isn’t it obvious that they are still there?  The 11th-century French commentator Rashi answers this question by explaining that the...Read more...