Who Should Teach About Hanukkah and What Should They Be Teaching?
Now that my daughter is in preschool, I've come to realize that hearing about cultural and religious practices directly from the practitioners only emphasizes our otherness.
Hearing God’s Whispers
Back in January, I spent the better part of a long Sunday afternoon at my parents' house going through the contents of my mom's desk and her wallet. Among the keepsakes I found in the wallet was a small newspaper clipping
Sacrifice: A Poem for the Akedah
Genesis 22:1-24, the story of God testing Abraham by instructing him to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah, is known as the Akedah.
Yom Kippur: Seder Ha’avodah
More than any other biblical mo’ed (appointed time), Yom Kippur is pre-eminently a Temple-based observance. True, all Israelites were to fast on that day, but the ritual described in Leviticus 16 is exclusively focused on the Temple. It is about the purgation and pu
Four Pieces of Good News About Religious Freedom
We often hear a lot about negative stories about religious freedom around the world.
Listening to the Harmony of Life, Even While Losing My Hearing
The most important declaration of faith in our tradition is the Sh’ma, which means “Hear!” or “Listen!” When I chose my titles for my High Holiday sermons th
Celebrating Thanksgivukkah, a Once-in-a-Lifetime Holiday
This year, for the first time in history, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah will overlap, producing an anomalistic hybrid holiday that’s come to be known as Thanksgivukkah.
Fighting Racism in Israel
Ring… ring…
“If you are in contact with a goy and need assistance, press 1,” is the first option offered by Lehava's hotline.
A River Flows from Eden: Rabbi Rick Jacobs' Address to the URJ Biennial
This movement’s task, in this moment, is to nurture the natural waterways that connect us. To keep our congregations the strong sources of life they have always been and will always be.
A Hanukkah Tradition From My Christian Mother-in-Law
Sometimes we create our own traditions, sometimes we carry on a tradition we inherit, and sometimes a tradition can come from unexpected places.