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Connectivity: God or the Internet?
In the pandemic years, we witnessed significant changes in how Jews gather to pray. It has been most evident in how we utilize television and live streaming to pray from the comfort of our homes. One notable example is the Central Synagogue's services, featuring the esteemed Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, a top-rated Jewish "program." The impact…
Forgive Yourself Too
Today, as we gather on this sacred day of Yom Kippur, we come together to reflect on the profound theme of forgiveness. It is a day when we focus on seeking forgiveness from God and from those we may have wronged. We examine our actions and ask for pardon with a sense of urgency in…
Your Sacrifice
The key concept of Rosh Hashanah may be the willingness to sacrifice. What do you have that you would sacrifice? What are you willing to sacrifice? Money, Time, Individualism? For whom are you ready to sacrifice? For your family, your community, the Jewish people? Abraham is the focus of the Torah reading for Rosh Hashanah.…
Zion
Dear fellow clergy, distinguished guests, my neighbors, Today, I want to reflect on how we, as a community, Christian and Jewish and Muslim, Black and White, all cherish the place called Zion. In our traditions, Zion is a mountain in Jerusalem. Zion is where we built a structure worthy of God. Zion's rocky edges and…
Seder Topic: the Undemocratic Promised Land
The promise of freedom is at the heart of the Passover seder. Freedom is not merely the liberation from slavery but goes to the quality of our lives. This year, challenges to freedom plague our world and our people. Will your seder stick only to the 3,500-year-old story or fast forward to the present-day reality?…
A Very Narrow Bridge
The morning in Selma, Alabama was extremely foggy. It was hard to see the Alabama river below the bridge into town. We turned off the bridge onto Water Street. Stepping down from the bus, we entered one of the old brick buildings along the waterfront. And then the day slowly began to clear. Selma had…
Southern Jews and Jewish Values
The American South hosted Jewish immigrants hoping to live the American Dream. German Jews, Ashkenazi Jews, and Sephardic Jews all found refuge below the Mason-Dixon line. Yet, their American dream included the dual terrors of discrimination and segregation. Jewish communities thrived throughout the South during times of Jim Crow segregation. They had cordial relationships with…
Entering Alabama
Crossing from Georgia into Alabama on I-75, our group of rabbis entered the first rest stop. A large carved stone reads: “Alabama We Dare Defend Our Rights.” Alabaman’s defense of rights? Whose rights are these Alabamans daring to defend? Is it the rights of its African American citizens? Or the state’s right to make laws…
Reconciliation to Save US
Yom Kippur teaches us the process of teshuvah. One element of our repentance is reconciliation. More than making amends for past wrongs, reconciliation demands education, understanding, and caring in the formation of a relationship based upon shared values. In 5782, I began a journey of discovering how we need reconciliation on a national level and…
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