The Road (Not) Taken “I have set before you this day… a blessing and a curse.” On this Shabbat Mevarekhim, the Shabbat when we offer a blessing for the new month ahead, the Torah reminds us that our journey in the world is not a predetermined destination, but rather an open invitation to choose our […]
Who Wants The Elephant In The Room? Don’t think of an elephant right now. And just like that, an image of Dumbo flies across your mind’s eye! Can I control what I’m not thinking? And if I can’t, am I being set up to fail? These are core theological questions behind each of the laws […]
What is most Precious On May 17, 1977, Menachem Begin was elected Prime Minister, ending 29 years of uninterrupted Labor rule in what became known as “The Revolution” (Ha-Mahapakh). When the results were announced, Begin entered Likkud headquarters to the cheers of his supporters. Taking a kippah from his pocket, he recited the Sheheḥeyanu blessing […]
Rightful Heirs In memory of my mother, my teacher, Rina bat Rachma (Gabi), at the conclusion of the first 30 days of mourning. At the conclusion of the book of Numbers, the issue of the daughters of Tzelopheḥad, this time due to the concern of their relatives about the potential loss of part of the […]
Common Ground: Our Place in History, Our Place on Earth I recently visited “Ezrat Yisrael,” the egalitarian section of the Western Wall in Jerusalem. As an Israeli tour guide, I have had hundreds of opportunities to stand on the Roman stones below and share stories about the Jews who walked there 2,000 years ago — […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]