Rabbi's Message

Each night, we pray ufros aleinu sukkat shelomekha, that God spread over us, a Sukkah of peace.  I haven’t been able to stop thinking of this prayer this week, as I sit in my own Sukkah and anxiously await the implementation of the deal that will bring the 48 hostages home and end the war in Gaza.  On October 7, the first day of Sukkot, we reflected on the last two years and all of the pain and joy that we have been holding....Read more...

It was wonderful to have the whole TBS mishpaha together on Rosh Hashanah, in person and online.  We are looking forward to being together again on Yom Kippur next week.  These days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are known as the Aseret Yemai Teshuvah – the 10 Days of Repentance, and this first Shabbat of the new year is known as Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat of Return.  It is a time to reflect on our lives and to...Read more...

Twenty-four years ago today, I was studying in a beit midrash in Manhattan.  Thankfully, we were in Morningside Heights, far away from the towers, on September 11, 2001.  Still, I will never forget the shock, confusion, and panic on that day, as well as the smell of destruction, posters of the missing, and the shiva I attended for a friend’s father in the days after.  It was a terrible day where we were caught off guard...Read more...

Today, we mourn the killing of two children and the wounding of seventeen others at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis yesterday.  This most recent tragedy of the all too frequent incidents of gun violence in our country, senseless shootings that leave families bereft and communities broken, hit home for me.  First, because, again, this shooting happened at a religious institution while people were at prayer.  And...Read more...

Judaism celebrates infusing behavior with meaning. The performance of daily mitzvot imbues routine behavior with the sacred. By transforming a deed into a mitzvah, we deepen its history and enrich its meaning. This kind of transformation is beautifully exemplified in this week’s Torah portion, Ekev. This week, we read in the Torah that after a meal, “when you have eaten your fill, give thanks to the Lord your God for the good land...Read more...

This Saturday night and Sunday is Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the month of Av, the saddest day in the Jewish calendar.  On Tisha B’Av we mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temples, as well as countless other tragedies throughout Jewish history, reflecting on times when our community was fractured by exile, hatred, and division. The central lesson that emerges is the dangers of sinat hinam—baseless hatred—that...Read more...

Dear TBS Family,

Shortly after the war with Iran began, my rabbinic leadership program at the Hartman Institute in Jerusalem was canceled.  My disappointment at not being able to be in Israel with my colleagues seemed minor compared with the missile attacks from Iran that Israelis endured.  I canceled our Airbnb, but held on to our El Al tickets, hoping for a refund instead of a credit.  The war progressed quickly, the...Read more...

Though my Hartman Rabbinic Learning program was cancelled, Rachel and I decided to use our tickets to give what hizuk (strength) and support we could to friends and family during this difficult time.  I say “during” because, though there is a deep sense of relief after the Israeli and US strikes on the Iranian nuclear program, the war in Gaza continues, and 50 hostages remain in captivity.  Hopefully, there will be a ceasefire...Read more...

Our parashah this week has an ironic resonance with our world.  It begins, “Shelah Lekha” – God tells Moshe to send people to scout out the land of Israel.  Though we haven’t left our homes, many of us have been scouts this past week, watching with pride and trepidation the war between Israel and Iran unfold.  As we shared yesterday, we have resources to help you follow what is happening, advocate for Israel, and give...Read more...

Dear TBS Family,

Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with our loved ones in Israel. We have spent much of the night and this morning texting with family and friends, including members of our congregation, who spent the last many hours in safe rooms and bomb shelters. While there is clearly concern, there is also a deep sense of determination. 

Most of the external challenges that Israel faces have their source in Iran....Read more...

On Sunday evening, just before I headed into the celebration for our Confirmation Class, I saw the breaking news—a peaceful march for the hostages in Boulder, CO.  People injured, burned.  An attacker who yelled “Free Palestine.”  Another violent antisemitic attack.  This was about all I knew as I shut off my computer for Shavuot and went to join our Confirmation class.  

By now, we all know the terrible...Read more...

We awoke this morning to the devastating news of the murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim at the Capital Jewish Museum. Yaron and Sarah were to be engaged next week in Jerusalem. Our hearts go out to...Read more...

Gratitude is a foundational value of our tradition. Prayers of gratitude fill our liturgy and encompass our day. In his book Thanks a Thousand, A.J. Jacobs coined the term “gratitude trail.” In doing so, he suggests that for each blessing in our life, we should trace the manifestation of that blessing from its origin to its reception and express gratitude for each step along the way. His example is his morning coffee, reflecting on...Read more...

Moadim L’Simha!  Happy Passover! The other night, my daughter looked at my watch and said: “the time is moving.”  How right she is; time always keeps moving.  There is a past, a present, and a future.  Time is linear; moving from the present moment to the next. 

However, many ancient cultures did not understand time as moving in a single direction. Instead, time was cyclical to them; that is to say, it...Read more...