February 24, 2023 Back in college, I took a sociology class called “Intimate Relationships,” an exploration of the nature of deep emotional connections and relationships. During this course, I was introduced to “The Five Love Languages,” a book written by relationship counselor, Gary Chapman. These are Words of Affirmation (like complements), Quality Time (doing shared activities), Receiving …
February 17, 2023 This week’s Torah portion brings the many mitzvot (lit: “commandments,” though I prefer the term “sacred obligations”) for which the Israelites will be responsible, having entered into the covenant with the revelation of the 10 commandments at Mount Sinai in Parashat Yitro, which we read last week. Many of the mishpatim (laws) …
February 10, 2023 There’s an old Jewish story that goes a little something like this: Two neighbors were fighting over a piece of land; each was convinced that the land belonged to them, and they fought over it for a long time. Finally, to settle their differences, they called for the rabbi, and agreed to …
February 3, 2023 This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Shira (the Shabbat of Song) because in this week’s Torah reading, we have the Song at the Sea! From this section we take the words of Mi Chamocha – the blessing for redemption traditionally recited as part of the morning and evening Shema each day, and …
January 27, 2023 Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a UN-designated day to mark the day that Auschwitz was liberated in 1945. As the Jewish Telegraphic Agency explains: “While Jewish communities traditionally observe Yom HaShoah, which typically falls in April to mark the beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943, tomorrow’s commemoration is often …
January 20, 2023 “What’s the last Jewish choice you made?” This was the first question posed by Dr. Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath, the Senior Director of Knowledge, Ideas and Learning at The Jewish Education Project, author of #antisemitism: Coming of Age During the Resurgence of Hate, and the facilitator of the lunch-and-learn I attended the other day on empowering learners (primarily …
January 13, 2023 This Shabbat, the weekend on which we commemorate the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, we also enter into the book of Exodus. Of course, the narrative of our people’s enslavement and redemption, and the leadership of Moses, have layers of resonance with the life and work of Dr. King. …
January 6, 2023 For many of us, January marks an opportunity for making headway on our New Year’s resolutions – tackling new projects, or revisiting previous ones that have been left by the wayside, or getting more involved in communities or activities we care about. Just as the new year begins, the book of Genesis …
December 30, 2022 As we make our way toward the close of the Gregorian calendar year of 2022, we find ourselves only 4 months into the Hebrew calendar, having just entered the month of Tevet, at the end of Hanukkah. And though we’re a week into the month, I am compelled to share a tradition …
