The openness of the Sukkah

“And the Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Say to the Israelite people: On the fifteenth day on this seventh month there shall be a Feast of Booths to the Eternal One to last seven days’” (Leviticus 23:33). Sukkot is everything Yom Kippur is not: light, upbeat, outdoors, casual and...

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May It Be a Year of Blessing

Have we gone numb to the pain? As I write these words, countries on the other side of the globe are recovering from mass devastation. In Morocco, an historic earthquake took the lives of over 2,000 people. In Libya, a mass flooding event has claimed thousands of lives. This, following...

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Preparing for a New Year

Our Torah states that on Rosh HaShanah we are to mark ‘a sacred occasion’ (Lev 23:24). Our commentators will define Rosh HaShanah as a ‘day of remembrance.’ The Talmud will note that this is one of many new beginnings we celebrate amid the year. Our sages will also refer to...

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Hi Barbie!

People are flocking to see the new Barbie movie which, as of this writing, has earned over $700 million in box office revenue. It is the hit of the summer and the film that has brought America back to the movies. Why is Barbie so popular? And why exactly is...

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HaTikvah: The Hope Must Continue

In August of 1897 Theodor Herzl brought together Jewish leaders from around the globe. They met in Basel, Switzerland. The attire was formal. The event would prove to be historic. The subject of the meeting: the need for a home for the Jewish people. Herzl’s vision was to garner support...

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Leaving Home for Home

If you have ever been to Israel, you know what it feels like to land back in America. You are exhausted. You are fulfilled. You are both energized and dragging. That is how I feel as I write this. This week I came back to the synagogue after an extraordinary...

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Returning to Israel

On Saturday night, I will board a plane to Israel alongside members of our community. I can’t wait to get on that plane. Traveling to Israel is more a pilgrimage than anything else. For generations our people have embarked on this very mission, even if modes of transportation have clearly...

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