In this week’s Torah portion, Moses demands that Pharaoh ‘let my people go.’ It is an iconic moment of bravery and conviction. He speaks truth to power, urging the tyrannical leader to denounce his hateful actions and finally release the Israelites from bondage. Pharaoh has brought havoc, pain and immeasurable...
Over the last many months, with the help of our own Lee Slobotkin, I have been filming short videos to create an online library of Jewish information. These videos are designed to bring Jewish life to YOU in a new way. The videos range in content, touching on holidays, Jewish...
Friends, on Friday night, our service will honor the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We will join in music and prayer as we remember the extraordinary story of Dr King. He calls out to us still to keep caring, keep fighting, keep working for...
A new year comes and it brings the promise of a fresh start. In Judaism, we mark new beginnings with fanfare and joy. Think of Consecration, which marks the beginning of a student’s Jewish learning. Think of a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, marking the beginning of young adulthood. Think of...
In this season of miracles, I am so thankful for the miracles in my life, the life of our synagogue and in the Jewish story itself. Let’s say it clearly: Our being here was never inevitable. Each one of us lives only because of the countless miracles that enabled our...
This Friday night I am going to speak about the jarring levels of antisemitism we have witnessed in recent weeks. We simply cannot ignore the atrocious levels of hate that exist both here in America and across Europe. When Nazis march in Columbus, Ohio or threaten students at the University...
This Shabbat, Jews around the world will read the iconic story of Noah and his family. Noah will be tasked to build an ark to save himself and his loved ones from a flood that God intends to deliver. In frustration, God plans to wipe out humanity itself. We are...
I say without hesitation that Simchat Torah is my favorite holiday. How could it not be? Think about it: singing, dancing, celebrating, beginning anew, going from the solemnity of our holy season to a state of joy and hope. Simchat Torah is about finishing one reading cycle and beginning the...
Over the last few months, I’ve been paying visits to SCI-Phoenix, the maximum security prison not far from KI. I go with a small group of volunteers to spend time with Jewish inmates. I generally lead discussions or Shabbat morning services during these visits. Most of the men in the...
This week we announced our theme for the coming year, “My Heart is in the East.” The line comes from a poem written a millennium ago by Yehuda HaLevi, who spent most of his life in Spain. The poem speaks to his connection to the Land of Israel even from...
