T'shuvah Can Heal Our Hearts, Even When We Can’t Totally Forgive
When we learn about repentance and forgiveness from a Jewish perspective, we often focus on what we assume are the distinctions between Jewish and Christian views, and conclude, that as Jews, we simply don't need to work on forgiving those who haven't repented.
Hey, Rabbi! An Elul Q&A with Rabbi Shoshanah Conover
We asked clergy across North America which music, books, art, movies and more help them get into a reflective state of mind as they gear up for the High Holidays. Here’s what Rabbi Shoshanah Conover from Temple Sholom in Chicago, IL, had to say.
Hey, Cantor! An Elul Q&A with Cantor Joshua Breitzer
We asked clergy across North America which music, books, art, movies and more help them get into a reflective state of mind as they gear up for the High Holidays. Here’s what Cantor Joshua Breitzer from Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn, NY, had to say.
Hey, Cantor! An Elul Q&A with Cantor David Berger
We asked clergy across North America which music, books, art, movies and more help them get into a reflective state of mind as they gear up for the High Holidays. Here’s what Cantor David Berger from Congregation Tikvat Jacob in Manhattan Beach, CA, had to say.
What an Atheist Belgian Musician Taught Me about Judaism
As a teenager, I would sit on my bedroom floor listening to old records of Belgian singer-songwriter, poet, and performer Jacques Brel. I didn’t need to keep a journal, because his lyrics wove together everything I felt at the time. Brel had a fire within, and his anger, longing, passion, and truth blazed through every word he sang. His music, raw and real, transformed and fed my soul; it informed and shaped who I am today.
A Jewish Response to Political Scandal
As we witness public figures dismantled by the revelation of ugly episodes from their pasts, we parents must distill these events and their aftermath for our children.
The Shofar Blasts as a Metaphor for Life
If, as the Talmud tells us, the blasts of the shofar are meant to remind us of crying, (Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 33A – specifically of Sisera’s mother – but that is another subject!), then I would offer the following.