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Today especially
i am grateful for a life to call mine
the bright sunshine 
on a day we remember when millions died

To close out this year's observance of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Reform Jewish teen leaders spoke with Holocaust survivor Ralph Rehbock to hear his story and talk about finding hope in times of darkness. 

Just as each of us goes through a process of self-examination during the Days of Repentence in Tishrei, this week is an opportunity to do so on a collective and national level.

This week, I tell a friend I’d love to chat but actually I have to run Yom Kippur services are starting soon and I’ve got to repent for my sins before the gates are closed. She laughs. “Well, you’re gay, so you’ve definitely got a lot of repenting to do.”

As we consider our preparations for the Days of Awe, let us be thankful that science has permitted us to understand how plagues are spread and seek out knowledgeable guidance from those who can protect us in 2020.

I’m praying that these weeks of consolation before the High Holidays will give us the time to confront our sins and respond in ways that will help us to heal from our brokenness and find the courage and resolve to build a better year for all.

Elul is a time of self-reflection, forgiveness, and exploration. These three new tools can help you make the most of this month before the High Holidays.

Long before I became a rabbi, I was a DJ and a hip-hop-head. Music always scored my life, and for years I've wondered, "How can that music be harnessed for religious practice?"