I submitted this letter to the Oregonian but I can’t even find the responses they published to the “hot button” question regarding whether the police were too harsh on May Day at the rally and march downtown. I don’t think they published my response – so here it is. The actions of the Portland PoliceContinue reading “May Day: Short Sighted Police Leadership”
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Shabbat Emor: Why Bother?
“You shall not cause My holy Name to be hollowed out and meaningless.” (Lev.22.32) This mitzvah from the parashat hashavua may seem obscure, especially when it is translated in the traditional way: “profaned.” But it’s actually a very relevant concept. A Jew causes the Name to be “profaned,” i.e. meaningless, when that Jew who is knownContinue reading “Shabbat Emor: Why Bother?”
Shabbat Akharei Mot-Kedoshim: Choices Don’t Free You, They Distract You
On any given day, we are confronted with choices, and have to make a decision regarding how best to choose; that is, how best to live. In some ways we imagine that our lives are so much better than our ancestors, who, we presume, made their choices from a much narrower range of options, andContinue reading “Shabbat Akharei Mot-Kedoshim: Choices Don’t Free You, They Distract You”
May Day Portland 2017
On Monday, some of us gathered at the Park Blocks at 1pm. We witnessed an hour of dancing – skilled indigenous dancers and drummers in beautiful costumes demonstrating their art in honor of the international workers’ day. Then at about 2pm we heard an hour’s worth of speakers: leaders and activists in communities such asContinue reading “May Day Portland 2017”
Shabbat Shemini: What’s Kosher and What’s Treyf
This week in parashat Shemini the Torah sets out the law of kashrut, the ancient Israelite guide to good eating. At first glance, you may assume that you will be given a list of what’s kosher and what’s treyf. What’s fascinating is that in all of chapter 11 of the book of Leviticus the word kasher,Continue reading “Shabbat Shemini: What’s Kosher and What’s Treyf”
The Last Days of Pesakh 5777: The Plagues Today
Pesakh 5777 is drawing to a close, but the struggle for freedom continues, even as our struggle to stay mindful of the pain of others, caused sometimes by our own struggle, continues. “The pain of others diminishes our own joys,” and as long as anyone is suffering from the labor pains of the freedom forContinue reading “The Last Days of Pesakh 5777: The Plagues Today”
Shabbat HaGadol: Being Commanded isn’t Enough, and Neither is Being Free
The days before and after Shabbat haGadol, “the Great Shabbat,” are meant to be a time of excitement and joy, of running around to find the best ingredients and the nicest symbolic foods for our Seder. It’s a time to clean house, to bring out the Pesakh plates and the “good” utensils in honor ofContinue reading “Shabbat HaGadol: Being Commanded isn’t Enough, and Neither is Being Free”
PRESS RELEASE: The Killing of Quanice Hayes by officer Andrew Hearst
Press Statement For Immediate Release March 22, 2017 Contact: Rev. Dr. LeRoy Haynes, Jr. Rev. Dr. T. Allen Bethel Albina Ministerial Alliance Coalition For Justice and Police Reform Subject: The Killing of Quanice Hayes by officer Andrew Hearst The Grand Jury decision not to indict Portland Police Officer Andrew Hearst for the killing ofContinue reading “PRESS RELEASE: The Killing of Quanice Hayes by officer Andrew Hearst”
Shabbat HaHodesh: Say His Name
This Shabbat carries so much significance – it is Shabbat HaHodesh, the Shabbat of The Month, that is, the first month of the Jewish year, the month in which we will commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. That escape occurred on the 14th day of the month we now call Nisan, and every year we gatherContinue reading “Shabbat HaHodesh: Say His Name”
The Most Important Mitzvah
It’s a Portland kind of question: What do you do for Passover when you’re gluten free? In order to answer this question it’s best to first consider a more fundamental question: What is the Most Important Mitzvah of Pesakh? There are several mitzvot that all might be considered primary: 1. have a Seder and tellContinue reading “The Most Important Mitzvah”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 