June 30, 2026 STAY INFORMED – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS TO CONSIDER – VOICES – STORIES Jewish Values Helped Build America This Fourth of July, America turns 250 – and despite world events and domestic tensions, Jewish Americans have many reasons to feel proud. The values that make this nation great – freedom, hard work, […]
Excommunicating Extremism The seed from which has sprouted the Jewish extremism that legitimates Jewish terrorism in Judea and Samaria is to be found, in many ways, at the end of this week’s parasha. Phinehas (Pinḥas) takes a spear in hand and appoints himself prosecutor, judge, and executioner all in one. How, then, does that extreme […]
June 23, 2026 STAY INFORMED – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS TO CONSIDER – VOICES – STORIES A Rewarded Regime and an Unfinished Fight The Iranian regime that seized American hostages, murdered U.S. Marines and remains committed to destroying Israel stands to receive sanctions relief, unfrozen assets and hundreds of billions in cash if a final […]
Masorti: Diversity at the Center Last week, I took part in an unusual journey with the Gladstein Fellows, participants in a program at The Jewish Theological Seminary for developing entrepreneurial leadership for small communities, along with leaders of Masorti Olami. Twelve rabbis came from the US, along with lay leaders and donors. We set out […]
June 16, 2026 Iran War Update The U.S. and Iran have reached a deal to end nearly four months of war, with a formal signing set for June 19 in Switzerland. The agreement calls for an end to fighting on all fronts, including between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon and for the Strait of Hormuz […]
Responsibility Stands at the Center On June 15, 1970, an event took place that is known as “Operation Wedding.” A group of Jews and their friends attempted to steal an airplane to fly it out of the Soviet Union to Israel. The attempt failed. Perhaps it was doomed to failure from the beginning. The participants […]
June 9, 2026 STAY INFORMED – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS TO CONSIDER – STORIES MAKING NEWS Qatar Buys Its Way into American Schools, Businesses and Politics As the winds of war have stilled – at least for the moment – the Middle East remains roiled in conflict between Iran and its proxies and the Jewish […]
The Light We Reflect We read at the beginning of Parashat B’ha’alotcha: “’Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you mount the lamps, let the seven lamps give light at the front of the lampstand [menorah].” ~ Numbers 8:2 The seven-branched menorah is the quintessential Jewish symbol, older even than the Star of David. […]
June 2, 2026 STAY INFORMED – TALKING POINTS – ACTIONS TO CONSIDER – STORIES MAKING NEWS Iran’s War on America and Israel Runs Through Hezbollah President Trump announced a ceasefire in Lebanon on June 1, but Iran-backed Hezbollah launched more attacks against Israel three hours later. Hezbollah has continued firing rockets at northern Israel throughout this ceasefire […]
Seeking Psalms on the Radio … Songs of yearning for peace used to fill the Israeli airwaves from the 1950’s through the 90’s. No longer. We have new songs of sacrifice, of patriotism, and of love, but not of peace. Discussion of military defense, especially after October 7th, makes sense. But absent from our consciousness […]