• Purim 2020

    In our era the glue which used to hold families together, interconnect members of communities, and unite nations, is dissolving.  I do not believe the Coronavirus is the cause of these ailments, but these hard times hold up a mirror to us.   Worldwide catastrophes exerts pressure, testing the bonds we may have thought were…

  • Sanctifying God’s Name in the Modern World

    In 1865, almost 100 Hungarian Rabbis, (in reaction to Reform and Enlightenment movements), signed a pisak din, a halachic decision, to forbid the following in Orthodox Shuls, and additionally decreed that anyone who finds themselves in such a shul should leave immediately: The derasha given in a “secular”  language other than Yiddish or Hebrew, a…

  • Building Bridges of Faith in a Time of Hate

    This past week Jews and Christians were attacked in the midst of religious celebration and prayer.   What prompts such attacks on religion?   Though on a conscious level this hate seems to be about prejudice itself, and for Jews it seems to come from many sides of the political spectrum,  I believe that it…

  • Lessons from Joseph and His Brothers

    We have just finished reading the story of Joseph and his brothers.  In it Joseph’s brothers experience confusion, despondency, and powerlessness as their brother secretively manipulates them, falsely accusing them of being spies and thieves.  One can imagine being in their shoes and asking: Why?  Why are all these terrible things happening?  Ultimately their worst…

  • Finding Meaning in Crisis

    This week’s parsha, Vayigash , is the culmination of several chapters documenting the intriguing story of Joseph and his brothers. Imagine yourself in the shoes of the brothers – the perplexity and horror at finding their money in their sacks, the viceroy’s cup in Benjamin’s sack – framed for a crime. Having to bring their…

  • Balancing Tradition: Orthodoxy’s Struggle with Extremes

    Orthodox Judaism, in its desire to create distance from liberal denominations, at times does itself a disservice.    This phenomenon is well known.  For instance our sometimes hyper focus on the letter of the law in a way that dismisses its deeper meaning I think is often in response to liberal denominations which stress the…

  • A Jewish Perspective on Exile and Influence

    Maimonides writes the following in the Mishnah Torah, his book of Jewish law, based on a source in the Talmud: “A Jew is not allowed to follow in the ways of the idolaters, and is not permitted to imitate their dress or hair style.    Just as a Jew is different in their thinking and…

  • Turning Wounds into Wisdom

    In this week’s Parsha, Vayechi, Jacob dies and the brothers of Joseph are afraid that Joseph will take revenge upon them.  Joseph says to them, “Am I in the place of God? Although you intended me harm, God intended it for good, so as to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.  And…

  • The Younger Leader: Embracing Struggle and Creativity

    In this week’s Parsha, Vayichi, we have a familiar story of blessings bestowed upon two brothers.  According to the Torah the first born receives a double portion and is meant to be the leader and even the Jewish people itself, as a leader among the nations, is in this sense called by God, “My firstborn.”…

  • Simchat Torah 2019

    This week Jews in synagogues around the world will begin again reading the Hebrew Bible from the beginning of the book of Genesis to finish the five books of Moses in 52 weeks hence.   Reading the biblical story of creation is on one hand enlightening in its stark contrast to many ancient accounts of the…

  • The Path to Truth: Learning from Moshe on Simchat Torah

    We have just completed the pathway of the Tishrei holidays whose purpose is to provide us with a strong foundation for the coming year. The process of Teshuva fixes and strengthens our relationships with others and with God, and Sukkot gives us an appreciation for all that we have, including – in agricultural times –…

  • Herman Wolk: A Legacy of Faith, Learning, and Resilience

    This morning I went to the shiva for our oldest congregant, Herman Wolk, who died at 103 years old this past week.  The shiva was held in New York at one of the many orthodox Shuls that he attended over his 103 years.  In an act of amazing hakarat hatov, gratitude, his nephew told me…

  • From Muggings to Meaning: Reconnecting to God and Community on Shabbat

    As you know by now Sunday night while walking through Rose Park I was mugged and robbed.   Two individuals who no doubt saw a person they perceived to have expendable cash, jumped me.  I don’t blame them, people do such things out of desperation.  We often have little control over what happens to us,…

  • Individualism and Conformity

    Judaism believes deeply in the power and value of the group, but it also values the individual.  Jewish unity is vital, the Jewish people were only able to receive the Torah when they were like one person with one heart.  On the other hand the danger in unity is the loss of the self. If…

  • The Voice of Women in Holy Song and Prayer

    In the beginning of this past week’s Torah portion,Toldot, the Torah writes, “These are the generations of Isaac…” Surprisingly, we are told in the next verse that there are no generations, that Rivka, like each of our ancestors, was  barren. The Torah comes to describe the empty space of no children and the need for…

  • Science and Creation

    “In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the land.”  Rashi (11 century) comments, “…The Torah is not attempting to describe the order of the creation…for if it was how could the Torah say, ‘the spirit of G-d hovered over the water,’ before it has spoken of the creation of the waters…thus it must be…

  • Lessons from Rabbi Akiva’s Students

    Our Parsha, Emor, continues with the theme of holiness from last week’s Parsha.  This week we read about the holiness of the Kohanim and of the holidays and Shabbat which are called mikraey kodesh, “times of holiness”.   We are also in the midst of the counting of the Omer, a period that in Mishnaic…

  • Sukkot 2017

    A great answer to a famous question Every child learns the question in Jewish day school.  If the sukkah reminds us of God’s protection of the Jewish people in the desert why don’t we build it in the month of Nisan when the Jewish people left Egypt.  There are many answers but one that Rav…

  • The Power of Relationships in Creating Something New

    Beginnings are a very powerful time in Judaism.  I guess the best place to learn about them is at THE BEGINNING.  When the Torah describes God creating human beings God says something strange: “Let us make humans”.  The classic Jewish commentaries ask: “Why us?”  Clearly the Torah sees God as only One.  Who is God…

  • Passover 2017

    Pesach is a holiday that brings with it many mitzvot and much joy and freedom, but also a great deal more limitation and rules.   Suddenly, something that is permitted all year, is indeed the staff of life, is suddenly limited.   Additionally, there is great anxiety about chometz since we can not only not…