Looking all around from my corner of the universe
With Passover coming to a close, the recounting of our journey from slavery to liberation is nearly complete. The 7th day of Passover is traditionally marked as the day of the crossing of the Sea of Reeds, the climactic act which sealed the freedom of the Israelites. The Torah reading that is associated with this …
Think when, not if. Listen to the latest episode of my podcast here. 60 SECONDS TO WISDOM. Short teachings on the weekly Torah portion. Suitable for all who seek.
I know I am in the minority but I love a tongue sandwich. My go-to deli order is pastrami and tongue on rye, and sometimes, hold the pastrami. When I get looks from my family, I proudly declare that “it’s the food that tastes you back.” My love for tongue came up for me this …
Earlier this week, I stood outside Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in El Paso, TX. Painted on the exterior wall was a quote from Franklin Delano Roosevelt from 1938: “Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.” A powerful and meaningful quote to read, having …
Continue reading “In Every Generation:” Notes from the Border
Oy, I realize I have gotten a bit behind in posting each episode to the blog, though you can find each one on Soundcloud, iTunes, or other podcast apps, and here on the Torah tl;dr tab. Here is the latest episode: 60 SECONDS TO WISDOM. Short teachings on the weekly Torah portion. Suitable for all …
Earlier this week I visited El Paso on a trip of about 20 Jewish clergy to the southern border, sponsored by HIAS and T'ruah. There is much to reflect on and process, and I will be sharing more in the future. In the meantime, I had already been scheduled to deliver the invocation at the …
For those paying attention, I haven’t written anything in the past two weeks. Two weeks ago, my Friday (the day I usually write my message) got tied up with an email threat to the congregation, which turned out to have been a boilerplate message that was also sent to other congregations across the country. I …
As a member of the Interfaith Leadership Council of the Faith Action Network, I attended FAN's annual meeting with the Governor to present our legislative agenda. I had the honor of opening our meeting with reflection and prayer. Here is what I shared: Some words to set our intention this afternoon, A week from today …
In the coming week we will welcome in the month of Adar II, and with it the holiday of Purim. Purim is a frivolous holiday that hides a dark message. We dress up in costume, have fun, give gifts, tell jokes, eat and drink, and make a lot of noise at the same time we …
