Rabbi Marc Rudolph’s Sermons

We are fast approaching the New Year.  The editor of our newsletter, Brad Kolar, assigns us "regular columnists" a topic to write on for each newsletter.  The topic chosen this…

  This week marked a first, I believe, in Naperville history – the placement of a menorah next to the Christmas tree on Naperville's Riverwalk.  Newspaper reports, ever on the…

Six year old Jacob approached me on the bima following a recent Friday night Family service. "This is what it is all about," he proclaimed, "this is the way it…

Tonight is the first night of Chanukah.  I don't know about you, but all week my thoughts have been turned to the image of the heroic champion striding across the…

Chaye Sarah 5770 G-d Blessed Abraham BaKol This week's parasha opens with the death of Sarah and Abraham's purchase of the cave of Machpelah in which she will be buried. …

Lifelong Learning   We are first introduced to Abraham at the conclusion of the book of Noach.  We are told very little about him.  It is striking, in fact, that…

A rabbi is brought to speak before a congregation that is seeking a new spiritual leader. "What will you be talking about?" the president asks the rabbi as they walk…

In Pirke Avot – the Ethics of the Fathers – we find the following saying of Ben Azzai: Run as fast as you can to do a minor mitzvah.. for…

The Gift of Life One evening a number of years ago my family was sitting at dinner when one of our sons asked my wife and I an intriguing question…

Averting the Severe Decree?   On the face of it, unetaneh tokef is a pretty fatalistic prayer.  Listen: "As a shepherd herds his flock, and causes them to pass beneath…