The Voice That Calls: Jewish Awakening in Our Time
Imagine being awakened at 4 AM by a voice calling you to something urgent, something that cannot wait for a more convenient hour. This is the essence of selichot – a voice that calls us from the comfortable darkness of spiritual slumber into the demanding light of self-examination and transformation. It is the voice that…
To Occupy or Not To Occupy Gaza
The morning of October 7, 2023, marked a watershed moment in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hamas militants breached the Gaza-Israel…
The Miracle of Persistence: Lessons from a People Who Refuse to Disappear
In an age when entire civilizations have risen and fallen, when empires have crumbled to dust and languages have vanished…
The Modern Erev Rav: When Jewish Identity Becomes a Shield for Betrayal
At a time when Jewish unity, Ahavat Hinam vs. Sin’at Hinam (baseless love vs. baseless hatred), and acceptance of Klal…
Approaching encounters with curiosity and not with judgement
Teens across Israel and in Jewish communities throughout America participate in transformative encounters that shape their Jewish identity, their relationship…
Today, Jews from New York to Jerusalem and across the world, have their eye on the next few hours. It is around this time of the year that we go through old items, consider opportunities, conduct some spring cleaning around the house, and look forward to the changing of the seasons. Pesach, Passover, is on…
The vision I have of the rabbinate has grown out my diverse upbringing and exposure to Jewish life in the United States and Israel. Judaism and Israel have always played a role in my life and influenced my decision making process. As a child I attended a Hebrew Day school and was involved in other…
In the midst of environmental, financial, and political uncertainties – today is Tu B’shvat – the New Year of the Trees. It is a time when vegetation all around is awakening from dormancy, shaking off the dust and beginning to stretch, mother earth is preparing herself for another cycle of creation and life. It’s nothing…
As we enter Day 5 of this battle with Hamas many out there are saying “told you so”. Ever since Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, 3 years ago, Hamas has used its authority over the strip to implement their version of law and order over their people, and to stockpile weapons and rockets. Rather than promote…
I’d like to share a few lines of Shabbat. Consider reading through them, think about what they mean to you. Perhaps there is one that resonates more then any other? שמור וזכור – Observe & Remember the Sabbath
As we trace Zionism’s pulse throughout history, from Abraham to this vey point in time, we see that every generation had its Zionist expression. In Genesis 13:17, Abraham is urged to קוּם הִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּאָרֶץ, “Arise and walk the land…”, literally to walk on it. Thousands of years later, pioneers of the late 1800’s and early…