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December 12, 2011

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Rosh Hashanah Day 1 Sermon - 2023/5784

Rosh Hashanah Day 1 - 2023-5784 Loneliness It never ceases to amaze me, that as I celebrate my 30th high holiday services with you, that there are always new topics to share with you. I have found that there are always Jewish topics that are related to the news and that our sacred literature is so deeply textured, that there is plenty upon which to reflect and on which to comment. Such is the case today. But rather than focus on the news of the world around us, I want to look inward. The high holiday season - even though it is celebrated in great numbers in this sanctuary - is a deeply introspective time. Therefore, over the course of these High Holiday services - today, tomorrow and next week - I will be commenting on several aspects of our emotional and spiritual well being. These past few years, as we have continued to confront COVID 19 and its variants and effects on our community, our lives have changed. The way we interact with each other - with our friends, with our colleag

Rosh Hashanah Day 2 Sermon - 2023/5784

Rosh Hashana Day 2 - 2023-5784 Chesed Almost every year I use this morning’s Torah reading as a source for the message I share with you. The story of Abraham and Isaac on Mt Moriah is a pivotal one not only in our tradition but also in the Christian and Muslim traditions. It is a story of faith. It is a story of God’s harsh demands but also of God’s saving powers. It is a story of morality. In just 19 sentences, the Torah packs in all these foundational messages of our tradition and so it is no wonder that it was chosen to be read on one of the holiest days of the year. Because the story is in our machzor we have to confront it honestly and intelligently. We have to not only appreciate the words we recite today but the liturgy has to feel relevant to us. The story has to respond to our personal lives and has to move us. And yet, rather than be moved or inspired, I always end up, if not scratching my head, then deeply saddened by the Torah's portrayal of God’s relationship wit

Kol Nidre - 2023-5784 - Antisemitism

Kol Nidre - 2023/5784 Antisemitism Last week, in my 1st Day Rosh Hashanah sermon, I said that I wanted to turn our focus inward on these High Holidays. This past year, there have been many events in the world around us and in our personal lives that have affected our emotional well being. Last week I spoke about how the after effects of COVID, climate change and the lack of civil discourse in society to name only a few, may be taking a toll on our physical and mental well-being. I also spoke about illness and caregiving and feelings of despair and loneliness. I shared that one antidote to these negative circumstances and events could be compassion. Most Issues that are negatively impacting our lives are universal. Everyone in the world, no matter their ethnicity or religion, is confronting those very challenges. But there is one serious issue that is unique to the Jewish community - antisemitism. We as a Jewish community not only have to deal with issues in our personal lives, and w

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