We all know how the Torah begins, right? “B’reishit bara Eloheim et ha-Shamayim v’et Ha-aretz.” Ok, you might know it better as “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1:1) It’s become a famous line. It is the source of thousands of years of inspiration and theology, as well as
I am a big fan of oxford commas. Really, I’m a fan of commas in general, but oxford commas are great. In case you’re not a punctuation-nerd like me: oxford commas are used when listing items, which is one reason they can also be called a serial comma. It
I write this Shabbat message to you from a place that I, and so many of our young congregants, have been waiting two years to visit – URJ camp OSRUI in Oconomowoc, WI. Many of you know that I am a lifelong camper, having grown up, been on staff, and
Dear Friends, This week, we are confronted with another difficult Torah portion. Chukat opens with laws regarding a ritual no longer performed, Miriam the Prophetess dies, Moses strikes the rock, the Israelites complain, Moses and Aaron are told that they will not enter the Promised Land, Aaron the Priest
This week we have yet another opportunity to start anew. We Jews know how important it is to set, evaluate, and reset our intentions- and so have created numerous opportunities to do so. We don’t need to wait for Rosh HaShanah to roll around, we only need to wait for
Leviticus is a hard book for many modern Jews to read. Not because it deals with uncomfortable subjects, which it definitely does, but because it can be difficult to apply the details to our lives and lifestyles. As Rabbi Cohen likes to summarize, Leviticus in its broadest understanding declares
How much is a dollar really worth? Or an ounce of gold? Or an acre of land? All of us, together, have inherited and become an active part of a system of values. Nearly everything in our world has some sort of value, for better or for worse. But what is value and valuable,
I love superhero movies. Marvel, DC, even Disney and Pixar – if it’s a superhero movie, I’ll watch it. I’ll watch the sequels, prequels, remakes, and I’ll read all of the articles online analyzing, hypothesizing, and adding to the storylines. I’ll rewatch my favorite movies, I’ll spend hours binging an
When quarantine is over, what is the first thing you plan to do? Over the past months, I’ve heard a lot of comments about things people miss: restaurants, sports, movies, even a work commute. But the most common comment is the people we miss. Family, friends, annual trips to
A moment of rabbi-behind-the-scenes: There are some parts of Judaism and Torah that are easier to find meaning in and connection with than others. Sometimes, I open up a Torah commentary and don’t need to read much past the first word to think of all the important connections it
