Rabbi 360

On Thursday I was invited to give an interfaith spiritual reflection as part of Interfaith Advocacy Day, sponsored by Faith Action Network: Its wonderful to be here this morning to share some reflections as we set our minds and our hearts to do this work together this morning, this whole day. And I have to…

File this under things I didn’t learn in rabbinical school: how to handle a public health crisis at your synagogue. This past Thursday in the late afternoon I got a call from the Thurston County Public Health and Social Services Department, letting me know that they were conducting an investigation into a norovirus outbreak at…

This morning I had the distinct honor of offering the benediction at the swearing in of Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis, who became the first Native American justice on the Washington State Supreme Court, and the new Chief Justice Debra Stephens. Video can be found here. Thank you, it is an honor to be with you here…

We read the climax of the Joseph story in this week’s portion of Vayigash, as the sons of Jacob are reunited. Joseph’s brothers hate him because he was their father’s favorite, and he tended to have dreams that indicated his superiority. First they plan to kill him, then decide to sell him into slavery in…

This past Yom Kippur, reflecting on the work that we are called upon to do in these times, I invoked the image of Hanukkah. And now that we have entered that holiday, I revisit those words and, slightly revised, I share them again: I’ve been inspired recently by the author Courtney Martin who wrote a…

Yesterday was a bit of a whirlwind as reactions and reactions to the reactions swirled in the wake of President Trump’s Executive Order around anti-Semitism. Early reports claimed the order was redefining Judaism as a “nationality,” a problematic designation since it has the potential to lead to a further identification of Jews as “other” or…

Not that I’m known for my culinary arts, but I did cook up a Hanukkah-themed cocktail a few years ago and serve it every year at our congregational Hanukkah party. Essentially it is a spiked hot chocolate made with gelt. Simple, but good! Gelty Pleasure Ingredients: 2 pieces of milk chocolate gelt Hot water Goldschlager*…

As we move into this Shabbat perhaps still digesting our Thanksgiving meal, our thoughts once again turn to food as we look at this week’s Torah portion, Toldot. Jacob and Esau are the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah, and their relationship is marked by rivalry. Esau is the hunter and his father’s favorite (and…

We have almost reached three months into our Sanctuary action at Temple Beth Hatfiloh, three months since we welcomed in a woman and child who are at risk of deportation as they work out their asylum claim, hoping to stay in the United States. It has been a tremendously intense and moving few months. Serving…