Month: April 2015
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I Am The 0.0009%
Oftentimes in describing the details of life we talk about the percentages. I realized recently that I am one of the 0.0009 percent. No, this isn’t a reference to income inequality (wouldn’t that be nice). This is a reference to two years ago, when I was struck down by bacterial meningitis-an inflammation of the layers…
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The Perils of Individualism
This week’s portion, Shimini, carries us deeper into the book of Leviticus. The first half of the portion is the initiation of the sacrificial cult: the Torah describes in dramatic fashion the first sacrifices Aaron and his sons carry out in their role as priests. They slaughter various animals corresponding to the different types of…
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MLK’s Dayenu Moment
This week I wrote my monthly entry in the Rabbis Without Borders blog, reflecting on the confluence with the beginning of Passover and the Seders with the anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. For my weekly message, I share what I wrote, and fitting as we move out of Passover this week.…
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Passover: Eat Differently, Clean House, Give Birth, Become an Ally
The holiday of Passover is upon us, beginning tomorrow night. The week-long festival marks the onset of spring and the story of the Exodus, the Torah story of the Israelites’ liberation from Egyptian slavery. The story is an important theological anchor for Judaism: the journey from redemption to freedom is a paradigm we refer to…