Category: Uncategorized
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Let Us Make Them a Sanctuary
One of the quirky aspects of the text of the Torah is how much parchment is dedicated to a description of the ancient Tabernacle. A portable structure that is to be built and carried around by the Israelites, the Tabernacle is described in rich detail twice. The first description is the plans—God telling Moses what…
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Purim: The First International Women’s Day
This post was originally posted on Wednesday as part of my monthly contribution to the Rabbis Without Borders blog. You can click here to read it in its original setting .Today is International Women’s Day, and we have a confluence, as we sometimes do, between secular observances and our Jewish calendar. For just three days…
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Carpooling with Rabbi: “SBNR”
We are back for our 3rd season of Carpooling with Rabbi! In this episode, Kirsten and I discuss what it mans to be spiritual but not religious, and I may or may not break out singing a little Alanis Morissette:
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On the Anniversary of Moses’s Death, We Can Prepare for Ours
The Jewish month of Adar is known primarily for the celebration of Purim. This holiday, recognizing the events of the biblical book of Esther in which Esther was able to save the Persian Jewish population from destruction at the hands of Haman, is marked by fun and games and a lighthearted tone. It falls on…
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Watching Out for the Ox That Gores
In this week’s Torah portion of Mishpatim we continue the theme of last week’s: the revelation at Sinai. Having journeyed out of Egyptian slavery, the Israelites are now at Mount Sinai where Moses is to receive the laws. Mishpatim means “laws” and the portion is a collection of different laws and practices that we are…
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Torah tl;dr: “Yitro”
The 11th Commandment is peace. Listen to the newest episode of my podcast here: 60 SECONDS TO WISDOM. Short teachings on the weekly Torah portion. Suitable for all who seek.
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Being Good Citizens
In this week’s Torah portion the Israelites, under the leadership of Moses, have escaped from Egyptian slavery, crossed the Red Sea and are beginning their journey to the Promised Land. Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, has heard about the events that took place, and travels from his home in Midian to meet up with Moses in the…
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Why American Jews Should Stop Observing Yom Hashoah
This post originally was on the Rabbis Without Borders blog. An interesting thing happened two weeks ago. When President Trump issued his executive order banning refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries, setting off a wave of protests and condemnations, many Jewish groups who opposed the ban noted the cruel irony that the ban was issued…
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Interfaith Vigil for Compassion and Sanctuary
On Tuesday of this week, the day when the City Council meets, my clergy colleagues and I hosted an interfaith vigil to support our City Council’s decision to become a sanctuary city and to support the Olympia Charter of Compassion which we developed. Many powerful words were said, songs were sung and the feeling of…
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