Dear Friends, It is right around the corner! I take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy 2017! And, of course, we are right in the midst of our celebration of Chanukah – the festival of lights! What might we wish for, as the new secular year begins? Here Continue Reading »
Let There Be Light! Shabbat Parashat VaYeshev Shabbat Mevarekhim HaChodesh December 24, 2016 – 24 Kislev 5777 Dear Friends, The creation story is very familiar to us. The Bible tells us that God said: Let there be light! And there was light!…But then there was also darkness. And the darkness was not only each night. Continue Reading »
Wrestling with our Angels Shabbat Parashat VaYishlach December 17, 2016 – 17 Kislev 5777 Dear Friends, This week’s Torah portion includes the fascinating story of Jacob wrestling with an angel. What insights might we gain by reading this story? Is there some insight into Jacob’s life that we might gain by reading and re-reading this Continue Reading »
Sensing God’s Presence Shabbat Parashat VaYetse December 10, 2016 – 10 Kislev 5777 Dear Friends, If you didn’t sense God’s presence today, don’t be upset. Our weekly Torah portion tells us that our patriarch, Jacob, didn’t sense God’s presence every day either! The Biblical story tells us that Jacob fled from his home and was Continue Reading »
The Power of Being Willing to Say: “I Don’t Know.” Shabbat Parashat Toldot December 3, 2016 – 3 Kislev 5777 Dear Friends, I hope you will join us for services this Friday night and Shabbat morning as we celebrate the bar mitzvah of Jesse Hinnant. Mazal Tov to Jesse and to his entire family! You Continue Reading »
Thanksgiving in the Midst of Real Life Shabbat Parashat Chayyey Sarah Shabbat Mevarekhim HaChodesh November 26, 2016 – 25 Cheshvan 5777 Dear Friends, Thanksgiving weekend is a time filled with hopes and dreams melded together with a conscious attempt to encourage us to express gratitude for the blessings in life. It is an important time Continue Reading »
The Art of Listening Shabbat Parashat Vayera November 19, 2016 – 18 Cheshvan 5777 Dear Friends, Listening is an art! It comes more naturally to some of us than to others. But, it is an art worth developing…. Most of us are familiar with the Torah verse: “Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheynu, Adonai Echad.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) Continue Reading »
What’s Ahead? Shabbat Parashat Lech L’cha November 12, 2016 – 11 Cheshvan 5777 Dear Friends, What’s ahead? Although the future is often uncertain, I think it is fair to say that, right now, many in our nation and around the world are experiencing a heightened sense of uncertainty in regard to the future. One thing Continue Reading »
Noah and Us Shabbat Parashat Noah November 5, 2016 – 4 Cheshvan 5777 Dear Friends, I hope you will join us at services this Shabbat as we celebrate the bat mitzvah of Pearl Lian Kluger. Mazal Tov to Pearl and to her entire family! We often say that we are all the Continue Reading »
Wisdom of the Ages Shabbat Parashat HaAzinu October 15, 2016 – 13 Tishrei 5777 Dear Friends, I hope you will join us at services this Shabbat as we celebrate the bat mitzvah of Zoe Becker Epstein. Mazal Tov to Zoe and to her entire family! This week we read the Torah portion Continue Reading »
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