Mourning Former Israeli PM Ariel Sharon
On January 4, 2006, while serving as prime minister, just two-and-a-half months shy of elections that he was expected to win in a landslide, Sharon suffered a devastating stroke and never recovered. Sharon lost the final battle and died on Shabbat January 11, 2014 at the age of 85.
He is survived by his older sister Dita, his two living sons, Omri and Gilad, his daughter-in-law Inbal, and his six grandchildren.
Ariel Sharon was a farmer, warrior, and politician. His was a life that embodied the early Zionist ethos of labor and agriculture along with self-defense. Sharon's early military career began in the Palmach, and it was David Ben Gurion who turned the Eastern European sounding Ariel Sheinerman to the more Israeli Sharon.
Ariel Sharon: May His Vision Never Die
As I try to sort out my feelings on a Sunday evening, the body of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is lying in state in the Knesset. My wife Resa and I won’t be among the thousands who are lined up there – but we certainly are among the mourners.
How My Texas Congregation Led the Way to Support Immigrant Families
Our congregation in McAllen, TX, is the go-to congregation for donations in support of immigrant families; the response from the Reform Jewish community has been amazing.
A Letter to Dan Snyder, Owner of Washington, D.C.'s Football Team
[Editor's Note: This letter by Rabbi Michael Feshbach and Josh Silver was sent to Dan Snyder, owner of Washington, D.C.’s professional football team, on December 23, 2013.]
Dear Mr. Snyder:
B'reishit for Tweens: Jealous Siblings
Explore parashat B'reishit with your tween in this helpful guide.
How Living in Switzerland Taught Me About Anti-Jewish Bias
During the height of the recession, I moved to Switzerland. I had already lived in France, Japan, India and Israel, and traveled much of the rest of the world.
Why We Must be Like Abraham and Speak Truth to Power
It is no secret that social action is a central maxim of Judaism.
Trouble at the Borders — and Within
This post is adapted from a sermon given at Temple Sinai in Washington, DC on Friday, June 29, 2018.
Halachah and Aggadah: The Interplay between Law and Narrative to Determine God’s Will for Us
In Parashat Yitro, we are overwhelmed by the power of the encounter of God and the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. The people respond to God's Presence saying, "All that the Eternal has spoken we will do!" (Exodus 19:8).
Identity and Ethics: Knowing Who and Whose You Are
If someone tells you that Judaism is X or Y, you should never believe them. Judaism is such a complex civilization — it is made up of religion and culture, language and land, and a particular kind of peoplehood. ... The Israelites’ preparations both to enter the Land and to create an ideal society are central motifs of Deuteronomy, and a particular focus of the extensive Parashat R’eih.