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A few weeks ago, we read in the Torah the story of Jacob. He was on his way to reunite with his brother, Esau, with whom he parted under terrible circumstances. Jacob feared Esau and the possible retribution awaiting him. Jacob laid down to sleep using a rock as a pillow. That night he had a fantastic dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder. One interpretation of that dream is that angels begin here on earth. In Hebrew, the word for...Read more...

Our Torah begins with our ancestor, Jacob, on the run, an outlaw from his family and his people. Exhausted, he came to a certain place and rested there for the night, dreaming a vivid dream of a ladder reaching to heaven. As he awakened from his dream, he exclaimed, “Surely god is present in this place, and I did not know it!” (Genesis 28:11-16).

The ancient text speaks to us today as it surely did to our ancestors, and it compels...Read more...

While many of us might have relished in getting that extra hour of sleep when we rolled the clocks back a couple of weeks ago, there are many (or more) of us who are quite averse to spending more of our waking time in the dark. Without the stimulation of daylight that nourished us through the summer months and with nighttime closing in often before the work of our days is done, it is easy to feel cut off from the world. Where outdoor...Read more...

In our Torah portion this week, we encounter Noah and the ark that he built to preserve life. It’s a great story that resonates with kids who imagine large boats with smiling animals of all shapes and sizes. It is a story that should resonate with adults as well, for in the words of the portion comes a challenge to us all. Though the rainbow comes along to symbolize that God will never again destroy the world with a flood, I believe...Read more...

As I watch the devastating pictures from North Carolina and Florida, I am reminded again of the power and fury of nature. Amidst the destruction and the heartbreak, there is an understanding that begins to emerge when considering as well the rhythm of Jewish time. Having completed the towering days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we find ourselves presently celebrating the festival of Sukkot with all of its informality and...Read more...

This week is the last Shabbat of 5784. This past year has been such a difficult one for us as a people. I remember when I first put the dog tag around my neck with prayers for the hostages in captivity, it felt like I was wearing a bowling ball around my neck. Heavy and inescapable, the weight of the plight of the hostages and all Jewish people pressed on my heart. While we have spent this month of Elul looking in the rearview mirror of...Read more...

Here are a handful of the countless expressions with the word “two”:

Rightfully, you’ve likely called me on that last expression, which, of course, concludes with “tango,” not Torah. After...Read more...

I love to confuddle adults in Torah study and our Confirmation students. It is exciting when a question is posed that causes disagreement and dialogue, and it’s fantastic when one of the participants inevitably says, with laughter to follow, “I agree with every contradictory thing that has been said! How can that be?”

I’ll give you an example so that you can play along if you wish. Moses Maimonides, the great medieval...Read more...

From beginning through middle to the end, Judaism is about words and people that inspire. We find ourselves most taken by the words of tradition that we inherit – whether stories passed through the generations or the prayers that we witness the elders in our community and in our lives recite. And we look to those masterful individuals who seem to possess a passion for people to transmit that text to us in ways that cause us to notice new...Read more...

There are still a few things I am not yet used to as a Georgia resident. One of them is that school starts before Labor Day....well, way before Labor Day. There is just something so weird to me about school in August. August is SUMMER.

Alas, with school starting for many as I write this, it feels like an end to the cherished summer days. So many of us use this time to plan for the year ahead, to get organized, and to...Read more...

Last week I returned from the Cantor’s Conference held in Israel. While we typically meet in cities around the U.S., every 7 years the conference takes place in Israel. As you might imagine, this conference was very much about October 7th – both the event itself and the aftermath of where Israel is today. While our rabbis have all been to Israel since that ominous day, this was my first opportunity to go.

The trip had many highs...Read more...

To the chagrin of dogs, toddlers, and any others who are sensitive to loud booms, pops and sizzles, July 4th has arrived once again, and with it, the annual spectacle of fireworks displays. To the chagrin of the National Fire Protection Association and other fire safety organizations, though, the individuals who are purchasing and shooting off fireworks are just as likely to be local amateurs as they are trained...Read more...

Prayers for healing are often considered among the more evocative in the Jewish canon. While customary to offer such prayers for centuries, often the language was in Hebrew and was rather formulaic. Thus, while used in progressive congregations, it never gained traction as a piece of text with spiritual resonance. It was the introduction of Debbie Freidman’s Mi Sheberach that spoke to the hopes of a generation of Jews who suddenly found...Read more...

For as long as I can remember, my childhood rabbi, Rabbi Phil Schechter, never referred to God as “He.” “God is not a ‘him’,” he explained. God is God. I grew up hearing God referred to as God, the Eternal One, Adonai, Sovereign, and a host of other euphemisms that removed gender from God’s name and avoided pronouns altogether. In today’s parlance, my rabbi would’ve said that our prayerbook misgendered God. When...Read more...

Sinai is hosting a special event for caregivers called Caring for Caregivers on Thursday, June 13 from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm at Temple Sinai. Sinai’s Hineini (Accessibility and Inclusivity) and Nefesh (Mental Health) Committees partnered together in this effort, motivated by the idea that at some point we are all caregivers, and ourselves, in need of care. And while caring for others can be rewarding, it might...Read more...