Friday, September 24, 2021/18 Tishrei, 5782 Parashat Chol HaMo-eid Sukkot Exodus 33:12–34:26 Dear Friends, During our normally scheduled weekly Torah readings, each year, there are moments where we derail from the general readings to share special readings for holidays. Sukkot, spanning 7 (or 8) days is one such moment, when we stray from the order […]
Friday, September 17, 2021/11 Tishrei, 5782 Parashat Haazinu Deuteronomy 32:1–52 Shana Tovah! It has been an honor and a privilege to welcome in 5782 with all of you. Whether you joined in person or online, your presence mattered. Thank you to everyone who delivered and created our High Holy Days gift bag, to our greeters, […]
Friday, September 10, 2021/4 Tishrei, 5782 Parashat Vayeilech Deuteronomy 31:1–30 Dear Friends, In this week’s Torah Portion, Moses is nearing the end of his life, and God instructs him to prepare the People of Israel for new leadership, and a new future. Moses announces that he is 120 years old, on this day, and prepares […]
Friday, August 6, 2021/28 Av, 5781 Parashat R’eih Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17 Dear Friends, The High Holy Days are quickly approaching. This Sunday evening is Rosh Chodesh Elul, the first day of the final Hebrew month of the year. With just 29 days until Rosh Hashanah, we are aware that a new Jewish year is around the […]
Friday, July 30, 2021/21 Av, 5781 Parashat Eikev Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25 Dear Friends, I love the Olympics. I delight in watching everything from synchronized swimming to skateboarding. My favorite event is gymnastics, and there is no one better than Simone Biles. I watched the qualifying rounds with concern as Simone made uncharacteristic errors. In interviews, she […]
Friday, July 23, 2021/14 Av, 5781 Parashat Va-et’hanan Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11 Dear Friends, This Shabbat is Shabbat Nachamu (the Shabbat of Comfort), our first Shabbat after Tisha B’Av, the commemoration of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Traditionally, Tisha B’Av is a day of mourning, ending with celebration, as we mourn, and then turn our […]
Friday, July 16, 2021/7 Av, 5781 Parashat D’varim Deuteronomy 1:1−3:22 Dear Friends, Last Sunday, over two thousand people gathered in Washington D.C. for a rally against antisemitism entitled “NO FEAR: A Rally in Solidarity with the Jewish People.” They were Jews and people from different cultures and traditions who showed up to support the Jewish […]
Friday, July 9, 2021/29 Tammuz, 5781 Parashat Matot-Masei Numbers 30:2–36:13 Dear Friends, Five sisters passionately pleaded their case before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the chieftains, and the Jewish community in last week’s Torah portion. “Our father [Zelophehead] died in the wilderness… He left no sons. Please don’t let our father’s name be lost to his […]
Friday, July 2, 2021/22 Tammuz, 5781 Parashat Pinchas Numbers 25:10−30:1 Dear Friends, What is the most important verse in the Torah? A midrash in Ein Yaakov, a Talmudic compilation by Rabbi Yaakov ibn Habib, offers three different opinions. Rabbi Zoma says that the most central and inclusive verse is the Shema, “Hear Israel, Adonai is […]
Friday, June 18, 2021/8 Tammuz, 5781 Parashat Hukat Numbers 19:1−22:1 Dear Friends, This week’s Torah portion, Parashat Chukat, always reminds me of this famous old joke, but even more so, as we have been once again witnessing the escalations of tensions in Israel, between the Israelis and Palestinians over the past month. Indeed, in this […]
