Here I share four stories from four funerals--people who were pearls, but definitely not saints--as we enter the Jewish holiday of Revelation. How does the uniqueness of each human being fit in with the collective? What about you?
There's this image I can't get out of my head of a woman with her two young children, all dressed up, parading them back and forth in front of a synagogue for hours, never intending to go in--because she knew that's what you did on Yom Kippur. But... At its worst, Judaism, or religion in general, can be so harmful. At its best, it can be healing...
Sometimes you just happened to find the holy in the ordinary, surprised, even shocked to find it in the seemingly most unlikely places, people, moments. This is what happened to me yesterday. Please take a listen and comment if it touches you in any way--and please be kind...
Can that be a good thing? But that's the teaching I heard this week. Also, I led a community seder this week and someone yelled at me for making it "political" instead of "sacred." But I think they're one and the same. Let me know what you think! After you listen, of course...and be kind.
With news furious and fast, we are living in times of intense chaos. Here, I talk about the Biblical Sacrificial System that feels chaotic in some ways, but also offers order in a chaotic world, where everyone knows exactly what they need to do. How does that compare to the dismantling of our governmental systems? And how do we bring calm to the chaos while also pushing back?
Now you get to find out how the Jewish Communist funeral from last week actually turned out. When I did this funeral, I was challenged to remind myself of what it was that was so powerful about Judaism that led me to become a rabbi. While my views on the world have essentially remained the same, it took me on a healing journey I never imagined was possible. Listen and find out--and leave a comment if you will.
You'll just have to listen to find out!
It's time for us to stop allowing our fears and anxieties to control us and masquerade as our Golden Calf, and put in our half-shekel to build a just and fair society. But to do that, we need to have open space within to allow the Divine to dwell, like the empty space of the Mishkan in the desert. Please leave a comment! And enjoy your Purim, if it's your thing.
I officiated at a funeral for a very "complicated" guy the other day. But a special kind of "complicated." You can judge for yourself whether he was an angel or an asshole--and let me know what you think!
Having a brush with death makes you think about things and reevaluate your attitudes. This week's Torah reading is about gifts and God dwelling amongst the Israelites. What does that even mean? Listen and share your thoughts!
We all struggle with our feelings when we witness the suffering of others. A couple of weeks ago, I met someone who was a true inspiration--someone who lives with the intention to listen and look at things that challenge her worldview, particularly around our victimhood as a people and Israel. Listen to find out what Torah has to teach us about this! And leave a comment, please.
If we truly believe (believed) that all humans are made in the image of God, all worthy of God's love, all worthy of life, then what does that mean for our world today and how we live in it. Maybe I've got some answers... Thanks for listening, and please leave a comment!
We've all been a part of a culture that teaches that Christianity is all about love, and Judaism is about stringency of the law. Yuck! Love is so much nicer, right? But it's simply not true! In fact, a central value of Judaism is love, and the teaching that we should love our enemies comes from Judaism, not Christianity! But that's a complicated question. Should we love our enemies, in fact? And how do we do that, even if we wanted to? Please leave a comment with thoughts......
As we enter a new Hebrew month, we see the Hebrew slaves in the Torah almost liberated as we reach the come to the end of the plagues. I struggle every year when I read this story. Because, how can we talk about a liberating God who is literally responsible for lengthening the suffering and enslavement of "His" people by hardening Pharaoh's heart? But this year, I had a flash of insight! Listen to find out what it was! And let me know what you think. And thank you....
Hanukkah, Christmas, and the secular new year, encapsulated as the "holiday season," essentially, have just ended. It was a hard one this year for me, full of nostalgia and longing, full of personal disappointments and unknowns, and also for what's coming. Perhaps I'm not alone in these feelings. So what did I do? I did the American thing of going shopping! In this episode, I tell the profound story that came out of it. I hope you enjoy it, and may it be a good year, different from all the doom ...
We have entered the darkest month of the year, but it's also the month of miracles. The Torah so far is full of fraught family relationships and great life challenges, easily reflected in today's world. But it's also full of angels, adventure, and taking chances. Many blessings to be found--and miracles as well, despite everything. And Torah can serve as a guide for how to get through it all. I hope you enjoy the episode!
I'm a month late in getting this on the podcast, but it's still worth a listen. It's about immediately post-elections, a funeral, and a MAGA rally at Madison Square Garden. Good blessings that are still valid, too...
This is a complex episode that blends my experiences on Yom Kippur, a wedding I officiated the day after, and the final parsha of the year. I hope you enjoy it!
What is it we're really doing on Yom Kippur? Because if we don't believe in sin, and maybe especially don't believe in God, then what is it? It's actually pretty deep. Take a listen.
How do we know when to trust our intuition? How do we get to a place where we can trust others? That's what I explore today. Dare I ask that we have a sweet new year?
Last week, I found myself in very different worlds, closing off the outside world, as I did two funerals and a wedding. I closed off my feelings for what was happening in the wider world, aware that I could not handle all at once. And then I returned to "real life" and the news. It wasn't easy...a part of life we all have to navigate as we come in and out of different places.
A beautiful poem that I tend to read for funerals...by Mark Nepo
Have you seen A Discovery of Witches, or read the book? Such incredible lessons among the bloodthirsty vampires, powerthirsty witches, and...I'm not sure what to say about the demons, they seem so tame in comparison. There are lessons about racism, but most of all about hidden powers, powers we don't even know we have...Take a listen, take a watch, leave a comment...
If we can face the things we most fear in life, maybe we can turn the fears--what feel like curses--into blessings. Shabbat Shalom!
This week, I take inspiration from those who came before me, including Mary Oliver. Short and sweet. Shabbat Shalom
Between Tisha B'Av, the saddest day (but also conflicted day for me) in the Jewish calendar, and the two Torah portions that bookmark this holy day, not to mention Mr. Sleazy from last week, I have a lot of things to say about personal responsibility this week. To understand what the hell I'm talking about, take a listen! And Shabbat Shalom.
As we enter a more hopeful and exciting period in U.S. history at this moment, with a new presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Waltz ,we face the myths of "childless cat ladies" running our country coming from the Trump/Vance campaign. As we begin the book of Deuteronomy, Moses also seems to be showing signs of trauma, as our country is traumatized in so many ways. I, too, had to deal with a somewhat traumatic situation last week with a funeral I did, which I'll tell you...
Between war and vows, misogyny and tribalism, the Torah is again relevant this week. And between the excitement of Kamala Harris' campaign, her willingness to fight, her lack of fear to confront Trump, to confront misogyny and tribalism--and her heart--there is hope.
It's kind of scary--or relevant--when the news corresponds to something in the Torah in the same week. It's about anointing, but it's relevant who is being anointed. How do we know when something is ordained by God? Take a listen and leave a comment!
Here's what I'm drawing hope from this week when everything feels so dire: Dr. Ruth. Have a listen, and leave a comment--and a blessing! Visit my website, https://realrabbinyc.com to see the latest!
