Dear Friends, In this week’s Torah portion, Beha’alotecha, the Israelites experience a unique retrospective journey into their past, defined as it was by nostalgia and mythic imagination. Frustrated by their journey through the wilderness that seemed to be leading them nowhere, they fondly remembered the delicious food that used to be theirs for the taking: […]
Chaverim, The author Elizabeth Gilbert once said in an interview that she thinks that she and her sister ended up as authors because as children, they were taught how to do boring things for long stretches of time. And that out of the boredom grew creativity. How many of us remember the experience of waiting […]
Dear Friends, I write to you on the day before Erev Shavuot – that’s Shavuot Eve, the beginning of the festival which celebrates the revelation of Torah. We’ve been counting the days until this night – literally – as the days, then weeks of the Omer have passed. Now is our opportunity to reap that […]
Dear Friends, In his book Empowered Judaism: What Independent Minyanim Can Teach Us About Building Vibrant Jewish Communities, Rabbi Elie Kaunfer introduces the idea of auditory sacredness. What this can mean, he explains, is that being a part of what is sacred need not always be triggered by grandeur or expertly polished, manicured environments. We […]
Chaverim, At our Passover seder every year, we always try to bring a few new songs and readings to enhance the seder, while of course continuing to do everyone’s favorite melodies and passages to honor their childhood customs. It is such a wonderful way of keeping our family traditions alive, while also adding new […]
