The Torah In Haiku: Vayeilech
Vayeilech is the shortest portion in the Torah - just one chapter consisting of 30 verses. But it includes an important commandment, part of which is included at the beginning of the Torah service in Mishkan T'filah, the Reform Movement's siddur.
What Happened When I Walked to Shul
Punch block, no punch back!" This Yom Kippur, I found myself thinking about a family tradition involving sibling punches on the sidewalk. But what does that have to do with Jewish youth?
Three Great Congregational Programs that Tackle the Challenge of Demographic Diversity
Three Reform congregations received URJ Belin Awards or honorable mentions for the ways they’re “meeting people where they are” – creatively adapting their engagement strategies in response to local community needs, thereby enabling their congregations to successfully meet and engage people where they live and work.
Yom Kippur Wasn't Always the Holiday It Is Now
As the summer passes its midway point, rabbis begin to think seriously about the coming Days of Awe.
Darkened Skies, Blue Skies: A September 11th Reflection
It was a beautiful August morning, the temperature a comfortable 70 degrees. I was riding on my favorite flat, a road that extends for miles along the shoreline. My legs felt strong, and despite the gusting head wind, I was setting a fast pace.
Three Congregational Programs that Prove We’re Stronger Together
In Jewish tradition, the theme of partnership is one that arises again and again: Adam seeks an appropriate partner from among God’s creations; Moses and Aaron are two brothers whose strengths and leadership skills complement each other; King Saul and King David both depend on Samuel the prophet
Isaac Remembers When He Ended It with Abraham
In Parashat Tol’dot, Isaac is described as having “weak eyes,” which is considered a metaphor for his inability to see what his twin sons Jacob and Esau needed from him (Gen. 27:1). Why was he so poorly prepared to father his boys? In this midrashic monologue, Isaac gives us a clue as he reflects upon his relationship with his own father.
How America's Journey for Justice Helped Me Truly Understand Reform Jewish Values
Two rabbis, a Methodist theologian, and a synagogue’s brotherhood president walk into a national social action event…
Yes, it sounds like the beginning of a joke, but there is no punchline.
Sacrifice My Son? What Was I Thinking?
Did you ever wonder what Abraham thought about in the years following his “almost-sacrifice” of his son Isaac? In this midrashic monologue based on Parashat Vayeira, we imagine Abraham’s inner struggles: