“To Bigotry, No Sanction:” Remarks after Charlottesville

In the wake of the events in Charlottesville, in which white supremacists staged a rally filled with hate, replete with racist and anti-Semitic symbols and chants, a rally that turned violent and resulted in the death of a counter-demonstrator, I joined with other clergy to hold a vigil outside Olympia City Hall. Here are the words I shared, among many other powerful words shared that evening. We stand here with heavy hearts after the events of this past weekend. AndRead more

Torah tl;dr: “Ekev”

I took a short summer hiatus from the podcast, and now I’m back. Listen to the latest episode below. You Didn’t Do It On Your Own. 60 Seconds to Wisdom. Short Teachings on the Weekly Torah Portion. Suitable for All Who Seek.Read more

This Rabbi Supports the Raising of the Palestinian Flag at Camp Solomon Schechter (And Condemns the Hate That Followed)

Our local Camp Solomon Schechter made news this week when, it raised the Palestinian flag alongside the Israeli flag. The camp was hosting a group from Kids4Peace, an organization that brings together Jewish, Muslim and Christian, Israeli and Palestinian youth to build relationships through a variety of activities, including summer camp. From their website: “Founded in Jerusalem in 2002, KIDS4PEACE is a global movement of youth and families, dedicated to ending conflict and inspiring hope in divided societies around the world.”Read more

For Our Star (A Prayer of Rededication)

When we moved into our new synagogue building in 2004, Temple Beth Hatfiloh said a bittersweet goodbye to our original building, built and dedicated in 1938. We sold that building to support our future plans, but with one condition: should the building ever be demolished or remodeled, we would retain the rights to the stained glass Star of David window and the dedicatory corner stones. Earlier this year, the current owners of the building, K Records, called me to sayRead more
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How to Be Wise, Strong, Rich and Honored (What I Learned at Camp)

I just got back from a wonderful week at camp. As I shared two weeks ago, I find it a time to take a working break by putting myself in a different environment, engaging with a different population and having some time to focus on projects and plans. All of which I experienced. It was also a time for learning. Jewish camp is not just Jewish because the rhythms of daily life are built around Jewish practice and tradition—the mealsRead more