How Not To Stage A Rebellion
Korach ben Izhar, I’ve misjudged you, and I owe you an apology. You challenged the authority of Moses and Aaron, and ultimately of God and Torah, and for that you paid, along with 250 of your closest friends. But this year, when I read your story, I looked beyond what...
Why Black Lives Need to Matter to Jews
Today is Juneteenth, an African-American holiday commemorating the day, in 1865, that news of the abolishment of slavery reached the state of Texas. You can read more about it here: https://www.juneteenth.com/history.htm As Jews, we know all too well what it means to...
The Blessings of Names
B'midbar, the book of “Numbers” in English, literally means, “in the wilderness.” Speaking to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, God commands him to bring some semblance of order to the chaos of Israelite community wandering b’midbar. This is accomplished by taking a...
Is it Contagious?
I grew up listening to the Fifth Dimension singing, “when the moon is in the 7th house, and Jupiter, aligns with Mars. Then peace will guide the planet, and love will steer the stars.” So perhaps right now isn’t the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, and yes, I’m dating...
When Fear Happens: The Golden Calf and Coronavirus
As a pulpit rabbi, part of my job is to take our ancient, sacred texts, like the Torah, and make them relevant for who we are and how we live today. Sometimes it feels like a stretch, but as has been said, “turn it and turn it, for everything is in it.” (Avot d’Rabbi...
When Amalek Went Viral
The holiday of Purim this year coincides with the spread of COVID-19, the coronavirus, which has prompted schools and other institutions to close, and synagogues to rethink their holiday plans. As with many, if not most infections diseases, those at highest risk are...
Sacred Spaces, Sacred Communities
In looking at our current Torah readings, which contain detailed and repetitive instructions for the building of the Mishkan (sanctuary) in the wilderness–along with the things that will go in it and around it–and the special wardrobe for the kohanim who will...
From the Outside Looking In
In this week’s Torah reading, Yitro, the Israelites receive the Torah from God on Mt. Sinai. It’s the defining moment of the birth of the Jewish people; the acceptance of God’s commandments and the creation of the covenant between God and the people. It’s a moment...
The Mitzvah of Matza
In this week’s Torah reading, Bo, the Israelites get ready to leave Egypt. Following the plague of darkness, they were instructed to prepare a meal, a lamb or kid, וְאָכְל֥וּ אֶת־הַבָּשָׂ֖ר בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַזֶּ֑ה צְלִי־אֵ֣שׁ וּמַצּ֔וֹת עַל־מְרֹרִ֖ים יֹאכְלֻֽהוּ׃...
The Heart of the Matter
In this week’s Torah reading, Va’era, we read about the first several of the 10 plagues suffered by Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Each time, Pharaoh offers to let the Israelites leave Egypt if that particular plague will stop, but once the plague does stop and all is well, Pharaoh either “becomes stubborn” or “stiffens” his heart, and refuses to let the people go.
Fear and Loathing in Ancient Egypt
On Sunday I attended Nassau County’s March and Rally against Antisemitism, where somewhere around 2,000 people of all faiths gathered to show support for the Jewish community in the wake of several recent hate crimes, and also to affirm that hate has no place here. My...
A Grandparent’s Blessing
While I don’t (yet) have grandchildren of my own, there are a few kids out there who call me “Rabbi Grandma,” and it’s something I cherish. I don’t get to see them often, but they do have their own families as well. It occurs to me that while the Torah loves...
Mikketz: How to Succeed in Business (Without Really Trying?)
Welcome to parashah Mikketz, which is always read on the Shabbat of Hanukkah, and continues the story of Joseph. When we last left our hero, Joseph, he was languishing in prison, having been put there for allegedly sleeping with his boss’ wife. After successfully...
The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of
The other night I dreamt that I started smoking again and I was furious with myself; quitting smoking isn’t easy, and I was upset that I’d have to start that process all over again. These kinds of dreams are called “drug dreams,” and they’re common in people recovering from addiction. While the dreams tend to be more frequent in the early stages of recovery, they can happen years later; in my case, still happening 32 years after my last cigarette!
My Grandmother’s Diamond
This week’s Torah reading–Toledot–contains the famous story of Isaac “unknowingly” bestowing his blessing for Esau on Jacob. The text tells us that “Isaac was old, and his eyes were too weak to see,” so it’s easy to assume that this meant he was blind, or at least...
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Yom Kippur: Hope, Despair And A Shining Sun
Yom Kippur 5783 Like many of the quotes and poems that make their way into use, a poem attributed to an anonymous person in a concentration camp, or in hiding, became somewhat of an urban legend, and has often been taken out of context, as well as not accurately...
Kindness
Kol Nidre, 5783 On Rosh Hashanah, we began our prayers in the hopes of moving God, the Holy Blessed One, from kisei din, the throne or seat of judgment, to kisei rachamim, the throne or seat of compassion. Ten days later, here we are at the eve of Yom Kippur,...
Shema: Listening, Hearing and the Shofar
Rosh Hashanah 5783, Day 2 The word, “Shema.” What do you think of when you hear it? Usually, we think of “The Shema” as the verses we chant or sing from the book of Devarim, Deuteronomy, and in that context, it’s a bold theological statement. It is an idea which goes...
Latest Midrash HaZak
Miketz: Preparing For Life’s Journey
Miketz: Preparing for Life's Journey Rabbi Dayle Friedman In Parashat Miketz, we encounter Joseph as a person growing in wisdom. For the third time in his life, he is moved to interpret a pair of dreams. As a youth, Joseph reports two dreams in which he is a center of...
Naso, The Blessings of Living and Giving: Y’varechecha as a Guide
Naso, The Blessings of Living and Giving: Y’varechecha as a Guide Cantor Deborah Katchko Gray Hearing my father, Cantor Theodore Katchko of blessed memory, sing the Y'varechecha, the Priestly Blessing at the end of every Friday evening service, began my love affair...
The Final Chapter: What Moses can Teach Us about End of Life
Photo: Rabbi Susan Elkodsi, The Peak of Mt. Philo, VT The Final Chapter: What Moses can Teach Us about End of Life Dr. Ellen S. Cohn As a young adult, I reveled in Existentialism, a philosophy that expressed my new-found independence and self-determination. I gave...
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