December 24, 2024

“When is the Jewish Christmas this year?”  How many times have all of us heard that question or some variant over the course of our lifetimes?  Sometimes I begin to explain the differences between Christmas and Chanukah; other times I simply respond, “This year Chanukah begins on the night of December 25.”  To the casual observer the observance of the two holidays seems similar.  They’re both solstice celebrations that have been adapted to fit different historical circumstances:  the birth of... Read more

December 19, 2024

  We all know a Joseph.  Not a person named Joseph, I’m sure most of us know one of those.  I mean someone like the biblical Joseph.  I don’t mean the older, powerful, second-in-command of Egypt, Joseph.  I mean the younger, spoiled, obnoxious, completely lacking in self-awareness and humility Joseph.  The one whose very existence inspires thoughts and dreams of homicide or at least of a dark and disturbing fate. We’ve had to suffer through at least one Joseph in... Read more

December 12, 2024

‘Tis the season for parties, gifts, bonuses, and vacations.  And it’s also the season for comparisons.  Who threw the most lavish party?  Who got the largest bonus?  Who got the most gifts?  The best gifts?  Who visited the most exclusive resorts?  It’s our annual yardstick for determining who has more and who is the most successful. Jacob’s Journey Home If we flash back a few thousand years, this week’s Torah portion is remarkably similar.  In Parashat Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4-36:43), Jacob... Read more

December 5, 2024

New beginnings are fraught with uncertainty and usually at least a little fear.  Think back to anticipating the first day of school, unsure of who your teachers or classmates would be, made even worse in a new school.   When you began a new job, were you certain you had everything you needed to succeed?  When you lost a job and felt yourself staring into the abyss of unemployment, how frightened were you of not finding a new position or at... Read more

November 28, 2024

Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and families traveling across town and across country to get together.  It’s our recipe for Thanksgiving.  Although there’s no mention of turkey or pumpkin pie, this week’s Torah portion, Toldot (Genesis 25:18-28:9) does feature food and family and unfortunately some of the same family dynamics many of us will encounter this week.  Instead of arguing about politics or football, or complaining about the dryness of the turkey, our biblical progenitors prepared meals and fought over birthright... Read more

November 22, 2024

  I recently read The Dance of the Demons by Esther Kreitman, the older sister of Israel Joshua and Isaac Bashevis Singer, originally published in 1936.   Perusing this week’s Torah portion, Chayei Sarah (Genesis 23:1-25:18), I was struck by similarities between the two.  On the surface there is little to connect the two.  Kreitman’s novel tells a veiled autobiographical tale of a rabbi’s daughter in Poland who feels alienated from her family, the greater community, and the role that she... Read more

November 13, 2024

This week’s Torah portion, Vayera (Genesis 18:1-22:24) contains at least one story with which we’re all familiar, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah: fire, brimstone, and Lot’s wife being turned into a pillar of salt.  But why were these cities destroyed?  What’s the sin of Sodom?  It’s probably not the answer you expect.  The sin of Sodom is not sexual in nature, but both personal and social.  Sodom was destroyed because of all-consuming selfishness and greed. Rabbinic sources, primarily the... Read more

November 8, 2024

In the weeks leading up to the election, the only thing about which I was absolutely certain was that about half the country would be disappointed in the results.  Disappointment is something with which I am very familiar.  As a fan of the Oakland/Los Angeles/Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders for more than 50 years, I have witnessed more than my fair share of head-scratching draft choices, inexplicable trades, and a dizzying coaching carousel without seeing positive results.  I think I can talk... Read more

November 1, 2024

Noah is one of the most familiar characters in the Hebrew Bible.  We all know his story; countless children’s books have been written about Noah’s ark.  Noah’s story is not for children.  Most of us don’t really know the full story of Noah.  And Noah, more than most, is the Biblical character who best exemplifies life today for millions of people around the world. Noah is the first to endure cataclysmic trauma, survive, and then struggle to deal with its... Read more


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