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A Vegan Rosh HaShanah for a Sweet New Year
I am vegan because I am Jewish. Everything that led me to a vegan practice came from my childhood where I kept kosher, learned by asking thoughtful questions, and practiced daily rituals like hand washing and reciting brachot that brought intention to aspects of daily life.
Keeping Family Close, Regardless of Distance
As I boarded the plane to Israel in the summer of 2002 for my first year of rabbinical school at HUC in Jerusalem, my mother said, "Please, just don't meet an Israeli." As soon as the plane touched down at Ben Gurion airport, I knew that I was home. A few months later, I met that Israeli. From our first conversation, he understood that I was studying to be a rabbi, and I understood that he wanted to live only in Israel.
An Al Cheit for Asylum Seekers, Refugees, and All Those Seeking Safety
The following blog post is adapted from a prayer shared by Legislative Assistant Rachel Klein at the #1YearAfterDelRio March and Vigil for Haitian Migrants and Asylum Seekers on September 23, 2022.
Opening Our Doors & Improving Our Welcome
In recent years, our synagogues have explored what it means to be 'expanding the tent' and embracing 'audacious hospitality.' Both ideas center around the notion that our Jewish communities ought to be places of belonging - spaces where everyone is welcomed, affirmed, and can feel at home.
Shanah Tovah, Congress: Reflections on 5782 and Goals for a Sweet 5783
Rosh Hashanah is a time of reflection and celebration of the past year and the year to come. As we reflect on 5782, we celebrate the legislative victories from this past year.
A Climate Reading of the Unetaneh Tokef
I have long wondered: what must Isaac have been thinking as his father bound him and laid him across the altar? Isaac must have realized his father had lied to him - did Isaac cry out? Did Isaac see his father pick up the knife?
Lead Your Board Through Self-Reflection for the High Holidays
On the Jewish calendar, the start of the month of Elul signifies the beginning of the High Holiday season. As individuals, it is during this time that we begin the process of cheshbon hanefesh (accounting of the soul), reflecting on the past year. So too, it is important for your leadership and community to reflect on the past year and consider how to do better moving forward.
Hispanic Heritage Month Has Begun!
Hispanic Heritage Month is particularly important for me this year as I feel more connected to my Hispanic, Latino identity than I have in the past.
Antisemitism Finally Hits Home for Me
In the many years (57 to be exact) that I have been in an interfaith marriage, I felt somehow removed from antisemitism. I was raised in a Roman Catholic family, and, while there were a few comments from aunts and uncles when I got engaged, it was the 1960s, and I was in love. I believed we would figure it out as we went along.
Reviving Synagogue Communities Using Smart Tech
Email and other technologies are a huge factor in why employees feel like they're always on the clock. This "always-on" culture accelerated while synagogues began facing declining membership before the pandemic and has only intensified since. Even if clergy or staff are cut, the work demands don't decrease. As a result, remaining clergy or staff or volunteers are even more overwhelmed and are burning out at alarming rates.