The Rabbi's Blog
May 2013
Like many of you, as I watched the events of last week unfold, I often felt like I was watching a disaster movie. A day of community and civic celebration became a scene of chaos and tragedy, killing three innocent people — and then tragically a fourth — and injuring over 170. Then on Friday, […]
read more »Reflecting on the Marathon Tragedy
Friends, In the wake of yesterday’s tragic events, I wanted to reach out and say that I am thinking of all of you through this scary time. If anyone you love was in Boston at the time of the explosions, please let me know. And, if you or your kids want to talk, I am […]
read more »April 2013
This Passover my teacher Rabbi Ebn Leader shared a beautiful teaching that I’m privileged to share with you. The Mishnah teaches that the Israelites celebrated not one, but four New Year festivals each year. The two most prominent were Rosh Hashanah, which marks the beginning of the world, and Nissan, the month of Passover, which […]
read more »March 2013
In the Mood for Love…Of God Dear friends, I write this newsletter article on Valentines Day, so I have the topic of love on the brain. In Judaism, the greatest love story every told is not between two people, but between the Jewish people and God. Every Friday night, we celebrate the wedding of human […]
read more »February 2013
Living the Legacy of Jewish Feminism Dear Friends, As a rabbi, part of my role in our community is to be a connection to our Jewish past, to remind us of where we came from so that we can better understand where we are going. Yet sometimes, my own rootedness in the present makes it […]
read more »January 2013
Dear Friends, This week, we begin the book of Exodus, and explore the Israelite’s monumental liberation from Egypt. Before any miraculous plagues or parting waters, the story of the Exodus begins with the Israelites enslaved. We read of Moses’ birth and upbringing and of the Israelites crying out in pain, which spurs God to take […]
read more »November 2012
Dear Friends, Last month, in addition to my work at Sha’arei Shalom, I began working at a Temple on the North Shore as a grassroots community organizer. My job there is to help the congregation think together about how to transform their community from the bottom up, to build relationships, strengthen leadership, and increase participation. […]
read more »October 2012
Dear Friends, It is October. In the secular calendar, this means settling into the rhythms of school and fall, raking leaves, and getting ready for Halloween. In the Jewish calendar, it means winding down from the holidays, and starting the cycle of Torah all over again. This past Simchas Torah, while taking a break from […]
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