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Soul Kashering
I know we are coming up on the month of Elul and the High Holidays, but I wanted to turn my attention to Passover for a minute. Passover is a holiday which traditionally requires a fair amount of preparation. The practice over the holiday is not to eat any hametz(leavened products like bread, pasta and so…
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The Value of Values
Thirty years ago the movie Trading Places came out, and 30 years later I finally understand it. One of the best birthday presents I could have gotten is a report from NPR, which explains the ending I never understood. The movie concerns the wealthy Duke brothers who bet each other that they can take a…
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Destruction and Rebuilding this Tisha B’Av
On Tisha B’Av we mark the destruction of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. It was such a calamity for the Jewish people, as the Temple was central institution of the community at the time. Since then, we have mourned its loss with fasting and the recitation of the book of Lamentations, as well as adopting…
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On Not Taking Your Base
Ah, summertime in Olympia. Despite the excessive (?) heat this week, I believe most of us can agree that summertime is truly special around here. Moods brighten, plants are in bloom, raincoats and fleeces are hung up and there is much to see and do. One of my favorite summertime activities over the past few…
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Supreme Equality
It’s been an exhilarating week in our country with history being made by the Supreme Court. As you are well aware, yesterday the Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, a Clinton-era law which defined marriage as solely between a man and woman. This had the effect of denying federal benefits to thousands of…
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From “Member” to “Chaver”
Some of this post is drawn from my remarks at our annual congregational meeting, as well as a letter sent to our chaverim. What does it mean to be a part of a synagogue community? Being a part of a congregation is a unique form of association. It is being a part of a covenental…
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Calling All Tailors
While I love Judaism and being a rabbi, I will admit that there are two things that my Christian colleagues have of which I am envious. The first is the garb. Recently I had the honor and privilege to participate in the installation ceremony of a new colleague, the Rev. Elsa Peters, who took over…
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JTNews: “What We’re All About”
This past week I had occasion to write the Rabbi’s Turn column in the JTNews. I chose to write about TBH as a means of marking our anniversary but also introducing us to those outside Olympia (read, Seattle) who may not know much about our Jewish community. Enjoy.
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Rabbi 360 