I. Individuality: just another word for nothing left to lose I’ve never done the Hineni prayer which is only for those who lead the prayers during the Days of Awe; it always seemed arrogant to hold myself apart from our community in that way. We all stand before Truth and Eternity equally. Yet it’s alsoContinue reading “Rosh HaShanah 5783: Identity and Kehillah”
Tag Archives: Rosh HaShanah
Rosh HaShanah 5780 – The Akedah: Stop Killing the Future
Rosh HaShanah 5780 Akedah D’var Torah: Stop Killing the Future Have you seen the Greta Thunburg helpline? It’s “for adults angry at a child.” The video I saw begins with a middle-aged white man who calls the helpline and confesses that he’s been screaming at the image of Greta addressing the U.N. Climate Summit.Continue reading “Rosh HaShanah 5780 – The Akedah: Stop Killing the Future”
Shabbat Nitzavim: We Stand Together Even When Miles Apart
I’m so tired of “well this Jewish employee doesn’t do X so it can’t be a Jewish thing.” – tweeted on Thursday September 26 2019, 138 “likes” You don’t have to speak Twitter, understand “likes” or use social media at all to feel the frustration that prompted that posting. We Jews, and those whoContinue reading “Shabbat Nitzavim: We Stand Together Even When Miles Apart”
Rosh HaShanah 5778 – the Shofar’s call: Get Woke
Shanah Tovah! Tomorrow we will gather to experience one of the most important spiritual moments of this day that we call Rosh HaShanah, the New Year. That experience is the sounding of the Shofar. Although it may not seem to us to be the ultimate purpose of our sacred gathering, the sounding of theContinue reading “Rosh HaShanah 5778 – the Shofar’s call: Get Woke”
Shabbat HaHodesh: The First Month For You
“This month shall be for you the first of months”. This is the way the special Torah reading for this Shabbat begins. With Rosh Hodesh (“the head of the month”) tomorrow begins the first Jewish month, Nisan. If so, why is it that, even though the Torah clearly indicates that the High Holy Days are observedContinue reading “Shabbat HaHodesh: The First Month For You”
Shabbat Nitzavim-VaYelekh: Where Do You Stand?
Where do you stand as a Jew? On this Shabbat we are called upon to focus upon this question. Nitzavim means “to stand firm” and in these days, as we count down the final hours until Rosh HaShanah, this Shabbat is a moment of welcome quiet. Even as the students among us have just begunContinue reading “Shabbat Nitzavim-VaYelekh: Where Do You Stand?”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 