Blogging

Dress for Success

וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ בִגְדֵי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֑יךָ לְכָב֖וֹד וּלְתִפְאָֽרֶת׃ Make sacral vestments for your brother Aaron, for dignity and distinction. Exodus 28:2 How you dress…

Where Were You?

“There I will meet with you, and I will impart to you . . .” Exodus 25:22 וְנוֹעַדְתִּ֣י לְךָ֮ שָׁם֒ וְדִבַּרְתִּ֨י אִתְּךָ֜ מֵעַ֣ל הַכַּפֹּ֗רֶת מִבֵּין֙ שְׁנֵ֣י…

Not Our Crowd

"Do not follow the majority to do wrong"  לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּ֖ים לְרָעֹ֑ת ׃  Exodus 23:2 Perhaps you remember hearing a parent warn you about the dangers of following the crowd. Children ask…

Heavy Heavy

נָבֹ֣ל תִּבֹּ֔ל גַּם־אַתָּ֕ה גַּם־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמָּ֑ךְ כִּֽי־כָבֵ֤ד מִמְּךָ֙ הַדָּבָ֔ר לֹא־תוּכַ֥ל עֲשֹׂ֖הוּ לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃ You…

I am a Rock

וִידֵ֤י מֹשֶׁה֙ כְּבֵדִ֔ים וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶ֛בֶן וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ תַחְתָּ֖יו וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב עָלֶ֑יהָ וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן וְח֜וּר תָּֽמְכ֣וּ בְיָדָ֗יו…

One Law

תּוֹרָ֣ה אַחַ֔ת יִהְיֶ֖ה לָֽאֶזְרָ֑ח וְלַגֵּ֖ר הַגָּ֥ר בְּתוֹכְכֶֽם׃ “There shall be one law for the citizen and for the stranger who dwells among you.”  Exodus 12:29 On the…

The Moaning is Unbearable

I can no longer bear to watch the news. MSNBC was once my morning companion and my evening lament, my spirit and my sorrow. But now, the constant moaning is unbearable. It is the moaning of those who love democracy and those who fear persecution.…

A New King

וַיָּ֥קׇם מֶֽלֶךְ־חָדָ֖שׁ עַל־מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע אֶת־יוֹסֵֽף׃ A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. Shabbat, January 18, falls just two days before…

Care and Long Distance Connection

I grew up watching my parents’ unwavering devotion to my grandparents, especially as they aged. Their dedication became the gold standard for care in my mind. When Grandma Sarah was hospitalized at Lenox Hill for two months, my mother commuted…

Christmas Presence

Christmas coinciding with the first night of Hanukkah might suggest a joyous day. Yet, for me, it unfolded differently. I spent hours with my mother in her rehab room and another hour guiding a friend whose father had entered hospice care after…