Parasha BeChuKoTai
IF.....This week’s sermon is a meditation, of sorts, on the first word of our weekly parasha. It is a small word in Hebrew, only two letters – eem. The equivalent…
Parasha BeHar
Whose Responsibility? I wonder if the idea I am going to talk about tonight has ever crossed your minds before. It is an idea that might even seem heretical. It is…
Israel Independence Day
The founding of the State of Israel in 1948, 66 years ago, will be observed the 6th of Iyar, this Tuesday, May 6th. It has been a tumultuous history, born…
Parasha Kedoshim
Do Not Stand by the Blood of your FellowThis weekend marks Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Memorial Day. We will be having our annual Holocaust Memorial Service this Sunday, following our…
Shabbat HaGadol
Hole-y Matzo! I am currently reading Taking the Stand, Alan Dershowitz’s account of his professional life as a Harvard Law Professor as a, high profile attorney, and as an ardent defender…
Parasha Metzorah
Life and Death are in the Hands of the Tongue A midrash tells us that the King of Persia took ill and was advised by his doctors to drink the…
March 7
(With much talk about Secretary of State John Kerry's peace initiative coming to a conclusion, I wanted to share with you this sermon I delivered on March 7, which I…
Parashat Shemini
Leaders for our TimeOne of the most troubling episodes in the entire Torah is found in this week’s parasha. I am referring to the deaths of two of Aaron’s sons,…
Shabbat Zachor
Mistakes Christians Sometimes Make about Jews In our megillah reading tomorrow night, Haman says to King Ahasverus, “There is a certain people- scattered and dispersed among the other peoples in…
A Modern Midrash
This Shabbat I will be away from the synagogue on a Family Retreat with members of Congregation Beth Shalom. We will be spending the weekend at Camp Shai in Wisconsin,…