Blog

Last night, as I sat next to a firepit, I felt a heavy sense of lacking, of missing something. And yet, as I gazed at the glowing fire, I became more and more transfixed and mystified by the beauty of it all. In that moment, I no longer felt underwhelmed, but rather amazed by the beauty of the flames and the trees and the crisp winter air. For the first time in a long while, I felt a long-forgotten emotion; excitement. 

As the...Read more...

Whether eating with family, a few friends, or alone; whether (over) indulging with favorite Thanksgiving dishes or heating up a frozen pizza; whether celebrating joyous news or grieving the absence of a loved one, Thanksgiving provides each one of us with an essential pause – a pause to recall the blessings, be they few or many, for which to be grateful.  And as illness, dissention, and societal anxiety continue to swirl around us,...Read more...

I recall sitting with our congregant Larry Weiner in a room at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church, when we heard what at the time were rather staggering figures about the rise of homelessness in our area. The speaker was a representative from Family Promise, a national organization with a rather interesting response to homelessness that was looking to open a local chapter. Larry and I and others were inspired by the presentation and urged on by...Read more...

In case you somehow missed the memo, we are in the midst of a national election. Between now and next week’s Shabbat to Shabbat email message, voting will have concluded and we will hopefully have a clear understanding of who prevailed in each race. And, as is undoubtedly true in the wake of every contested election, some will be pleased, others not, with the results. However, in our politically volatile climate, one that sadly engenders...Read more...

Bereshit. Genesis. In the Beginning. No matter how you say it, here we are again - reading the FIRST chapter in the first Book of Torah.

This rich and beautiful Torah portion contains two separate stories that illustrate the creation of the world.  Each story is different and explains our world in subtle and distinct ways.

Chapter 1 focuses on God’s creation and organization of the entire world. 

Chapter 2,...Read more...

Do we remember all of the personal, introspective work we did during this year’s Holy Days, the commitments we made to ourselves, to one another, and to God just four days ago - to be more patient, more accepting of difference, and more appreciative of the good in our lives throughout the year unfolding before us? I sincerely hope we do recall our vows for personal improvement and hope as well, that they were more than nice, fleeting...Read more...

Here we are on the dawn of the New Year. There have been many messages over the last few weeks reflecting on our isolation from one another as it pertains to the holidays. As I stood and sang in our empty sanctuary for Selichot, I imagined you in your homes occupying rooms where you watch TV, cook or sleep, or sit outside to sip wine and entertain. You have turned your homes into sanctuaries.

So many of you have stories about how our...Read more...

As the desert journey draws to a close, God, through Moses, commits the final word of teaching to our collective memory as Israelites that we are to remember that it was God who brought us out of Egypt and that we should live according to God’s plan, the system of commandments given in Torah.

This Divine blueprint is constructed with blessings and curses, carefully choreographed so that we would see, to one side, six tribal elders...Read more...

I am truly not quite sure where the summer has gone. It is hard to believe that August 21 begins the Hebrew month of Elul. The Hebrew month of Elul is the last month of the Jewish year. As such, it is considered a month of spiritual preparation for the High Holy Days. During this sacred time on the Jewish calendar, we take stock of the many blessings in our lives and offer our thanks to God. 

All the more...Read more...

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, the great eighteenth century Hasidic rebbe, once saw a man running around in a great hurry. He asked the man, “Why are you running?” The man answered, “I am running because I have to earn a living.” Rabbi Levi Yitzhak asked him, “How do you know that this ‘earning a living’ is running away from you so that you have to race after it to catch it? Maybe it is instead behind you, in which case you...Read more...

I wonder if anyone is feeling a bit sad or out-of-sorts these days? If so, according to the Jewish calendar, you have good reason. We have begun the new month of Av, which is often referred to as the saddest month of the Jewish calendar.

It is a time period in which we mourn the destruction of Jerusalem’s Holy Temple two thousands years ago, as well as many other calamities that Jews suffered throughout history. The Mourning Period...Read more...

One of the blessings for me during this strange time in world history is the opportunity to participate virtually in diverse, learning opportunities.

During the past two weeks, I was a student in an “Educators Boot Camp,” live from The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.

I jumped at the opportunity because I know the passionate teaching that takes place at Pardes. I spent a summer of college there, and have...Read more...

For this week’s Shabbat message, I am sharing words from the clergy report delivered at our most recent Annual Meeting.

Good evening. In a timeless story that is personally compelling, we are told of a synagogue that was built to be the majestic center of a Jewish community. Great care was taken to account for every detail – the design of the Ark, the shape of the Amud, the reading table, the flooring and seating to allow for...Read more...

As we packed up and moved from NYC to Atlanta, there were a number of disagreements between my husband and me about what was going to Goodwill and what was moving along with us.

Our most notable argument was about a giant red banner with an image of Aunt Jemima. “Why do we need this?”, I proclaimed! “It’s a nice memory of my past life.”...said Natan.

Memory of a past life?! I knew that Natan spent time in...Read more...

Many have asked how Temple Sinai is responding to the demonstrations and calls for systemic change that are capturing the hearts and minds of so many in our country. There have been a number of efforts already undertaken. For those interested in opportunities moving forward, (a) see below for opportunities taking place this week, and (b) email Rabbi Brad Levenberg here to be added to the Racial Justice distribution list.

This...Read more...