The Story of Our Lives, The Torah of Our Lives Whenever the Jews were threatened with disaster, the Baal Shem Tov would go to a certain place in the forest, light a fire, and say a special prayer. Always a miracle would occur, and the disaster would be averted. In the later times when disaster […]
The Torah: Passport to Our Future The “Day of Remembering”–Yom HaZikaron–one of the names of Rosh HaShanah, feels particularly apt this year as we approach our 50th anniversary as a congregation this November. This is a momentous occasion for us to travel back in time, recalling and celebrating our achievements. We have certainly come a long […]
The Blessings of Partnership: Creating a Kehillah Kedoshah Together Rosh Hashanah Sermon 5770 My fervent prayer for the New Year might seem a bit strange to you when you first hear it, but please know that it comes straight from my heart, and I hope you will receive it in the spirit in which it […]
Yom HaZikaron: Remember Not to Sacrifice Your Dreams in Serving the Holy Abe is rushed to the hospital in an emergency. His life is passing before his eyes. He is sure that his time has come. He prays to God with all his soul. God’s presence descends in a brilliant light and assures Abe that […]
Hayom Harat Olam. Each of Us is a World: The Jewish Task of Perfecting Our Souls This time of year, during the Holy Days, we are prone to thoughts of change; how we might transform ourselves. How might my life be different? How might I be different? We create resolutions for ourselves. We make promises. We […]
Be An Angel: Becoming God’s Partner in the Ongoing Creation of the World Hayom Harat Olam. Today the world is born. Each year we celebrate the birthday of the world during the sacred observance of Rosh Hashanah by looking deep within ourselves and reflecting upon the meaning and purpose of our lives. We also contemplate […]
Hayom Harat Olam: Today is Eternally Pregnant The life of a rabbi can be difficult. The phone rings: someone has lost a child. There’s been a sudden death of a beloved teacher in the community. An illness, an accident, a tragedy has claimed the life of someone dear to us. As familiar as these occurrences […]
Staking Our Claim for The Soul of Judaism Yankel, a traditional Jew, kisses his family in the shtetl good-bye as he sets out to make his fortune in the new world of America. A year later, his mother comes to be with him in New York. She takes one look at him in disbelief, “Yankele, […]
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