Not Only Our Daughters: A Prayer for Women Throughout The World
The following is a prayer expressing gratitude for what those of us blessed with privilege and freedom can offer our daughters - and so too is it a prayer of protest and concern for those of us who cannot provide these things.
For the People of Italy: A Prayer after the Earthquake
Here are two prayers after an earthquake struck Italy today: one for the people and one for first responders.
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.
What Will It Take for the World to Offer Women Full Equality?
Nearly 40 years ago, I stood on the bimah as a bat mitzvah, the first young woman in my family to celebrate my Jewish coming of age. Its significance was totally lost on me, however. Having been raised to believe that both boys and girls could pretty much do anything they wanted, what was the big deal, I wondered.
How Music Can Help Us Make Connections in Difficult Times
The Hamilton craze is sweeping the nation, and even the Jewish community isn’t exempt. Case in point: Recently, at the annual convention of the American Conference of Cantors and the Guild of Temple Musicians, several cantors led a Shacharit (morning) service that included several prayers set to tunes from the smash hit by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
And it wasn’t the only secular music to take center stage. Just two days earlier, a few colleagues and I had led a Maariv (evening) service that included “Be Here Now” by Ray LaMontagne and “Grateful” by John Bucchino.
What is it that makes secular music useful and appropriate in a service setting? Or is it?
Why I Spent a Week Learning with Muslims and Christians
It troubles me that I live in a socially segregated community, so when my professor announced that he would be co-teaching with a Protestant preacher and a Muslim imam a week-long summer intensive called Building Abrahamic Partnerships, I immediately signed up.
We See Ourselves in the Syrian Refugee Narrative
Each of us had different reasons for taking part in the recent mission to Berlin sponsored by the Central Conference of American Rabbis. We care deeply about the refugee crisis and wanted to learn so that we could share the story, engage our congregants and communities with this issue, and be part of an effective response.
Monotheism and the Problem of Truth
"You shall have no other gods beside Me!" This is the first of Aseret HaDib'rot, literally the "Ten Declarations" or "Ten Commandments" found in this week's parashah, Va-et'chanan (see Deuteronomy 5:2-18; we recited a slightly different version earlier in the year in Parashat Yitro, Exodus, chapter 20). Aseret HaDib'rot lays out the central terms of an exclusive covenant between God and Israel. After a brief prologue in which God self-identifies as the One who freed Israel from Egyptian bondage, the first declaration occurs in the form of a command that Israel take no other gods in addition to the God of Israel: "You shall have no other gods beside Me!"
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.