I write this message coming off of the excitement of a 4-day educator’s conference that I just returned from, which took place in Evanston. I joined 300 Reform Jewish educators and early childhood educators for an opportunity to network, learn, and of course, have some fun as well! It

Shabbat Shalom and Happy New Year, Temple Jeremiah Family! As we stand at the crossroads of one year ending and another beginning, this week’s Torah portion, Vayigash, offers a beautiful reminder of the power of reconciliation and new beginnings. In Vayigash, we witness the emotional reunion of Joseph and

It is truly an honor to have the opportunity to write this week’s article. I want to start by wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving on behalf of my personal family and the Temple Jeremiah staff. During any given week throughout the year, you allow us to be an integral

This past year, I started pursuing a second master's degree in Jewish education from Hebrew Union College (HUC). As I write this article, I am looking forward to spending Sunday-Thursday in Los Angeles at one of our intensives. Aside from the incredible colleagues who have become like family to

You may not know it, but this Sunday almost 200 Jewish educators from 14 different synagogues across the Northwest Suburbs are coming to Temple Jeremiah! With the generosity of a grant from JUF, we are flying in an educational consultant, Dr. Nancy Parkes. Dr. Parkes specializes in Social, Emotional,

One of my favorite parts of being on Senior Staff is when my turn comes up to write the weekly Shabbat Shalom message. It is always fun trying to connect things going on in our world to our weekly portion. Sometimes this serves as a challenge, having to stretch

The theme of this week’s article is learning! As I write this article, the holiday of Shavuot is about to begin. I am also two days removed from a week of learning at the Hebrew Union College New York campus, as I begin my studies toward an MA in

Unless you are living under a rock, it’s “Behar” d to miss the fact that the cicada apocalypse is entering its beginning phase. I noticed it just the other day, when the normal five-minute walk down the street with my dog Reese suddenly became a 15-minute hunting and feeding

“Next year in Jerusalem!” Like so many of you, I found that phrase and the entire Seder both more meaningful and more challenging this year. After all, our hearts and minds are with Israel, with the hostages, with our family members, and friends who have been affected since October

Shalom!  With Purim behind us and the end of the month of March quickly approaching, I find it particularly relevant that this week’s Torah portion Tzav discusses sacrifices, more specifically, personal sacrifice and commitment.   Every year, as soon as Purim is completed, my mind shifts to Passover preparations.