Thought of
the week.

  One of my favorite parts of Judaism is that it encourages us to question, to doubt, to grapple, to seek, and to find the deeper meaning. This doesn’t give us permission to not follow the rules, yet it gives us permission to question them. Judaism challenges us to not…

In the Torah portion of the week, one of the greatest miracles in the history of the world is discussed. This miracle is the splitting of the Red Sea.  Many have spent time trying to prove that this could have been an act of nature and not a miracle, which…

How do we create permanent change? How do we not only commit to doing what’s good for us and the world, yet stick to it and stay the course? My teacher once told me that any change which happens because of a world event, unfortunately typically doesn’t stick.  Remember 9/11?…

I have heard the statement, “God is everything or God is nothing” many times, and this week in reading the story of Moshe, I finally got an explanation that felt satisfying. Most of my life, I understood it as meaning God is omnipotent, all powerful, all being, and the truth.…

I have the privilege of being back in Israel, and while most people were celebrating the new year with smiles and partying, at midnight on New Year’s the city of Tel Aviv received a barrage of missiles. This is the tragic current reality for my brothers and sisters in Israel.…

How do we explain to our children what is going on in the world without causing them permanent scars? What is appropriate to share and what isn’t, and how do we strengthen them to help them see their own power? I just read a story by the great rabbi Jonathan…

I spoke about my experience in Israel last week, yet that was before the miracle I witnessed Friday night and witnessing the incredible gift that technology is. On Friday night as I was praying at the Western Wall, the sirens went off, suggesting a rocket was on the way. People…

I’m in Israel this week, and yesterday I had the privilege of going to the hospital to visit with some of the injured soldiers and their families. I’m blown away by several of the experiences I had yesterday and I will carry them in my heart forever. The first thing…

How do we forgive when the pain is so great? Is forgiveness even appropriate, and is forgiveness even ours to give when the perpetrators have hurt so many others? I have the privilege of working with people who have suffered, people who are truly innocent victims who have suffered harm…

If something is wrong, then not only must I not do it, I must—if I can—stop others from doing it. If I fail to do so, then I share in the guilt. Nowadays, we would call this the guilt of the bystanders. It is obvious to me that the perpetrators…