Practicing Audacious Hospitality on Sukkot
I cherish the holiday of Sukkot. It beautifully encapsulates the quintessential magic of this bountiful time of year.
Dwelling in Safety on Sukkot: A Prayer for Refugees
We pray to you
Creator of the Universe,
who causes the winds to blow
and the seas to rage…
For the weary and the heart shattered
refugees
escaping violence and bloodshed and war
Hanukkah Reconsidered: A Split in the Jewish Soul
I grew up loving this holiday – until I learned the dark side and felt like a kid discovering that there’s no Santa Claus. It turns out Hanukkah is, in part, a tale of Jew vs. Jew.
Reclaiming the Public Square with Hanukkah Lights
According to Rashi, we light Hanukkah candles to “publicize the miracle.” What exactly is the miracle we’re publicizing – and what’s the best way for us to do so today?
Inviting Guests into Your Sukkah to Take Action Against Hunger and Climate Change
On Sukkot, we celebrate the harvest.
Learning Their Truths: Talking to Kids About Camp
I had the honor to learn with teen leaders from two of our NFTY regions. I asked them to share with me their truths – the things they have learned about themselves and the world, that are central to the way they live. Truths can be found in questions like: What do you stand for? What do you value? What are your boundaries? Who are you aspiring to become?
Chocolate Smooths Transitions into High Holidays
How I Try to Create Jewish Memories for my Grandkids
What are your earliest memories of “doing Jewish”? I have a smattering of recollections from when I was 5, 6, and 7, though not much before that. Even from those years, I can only call up bits and pieces: moments, vignettes, colors, flavors.
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.
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.