There is a Yiddish song called “Oyfn Pripetchok,” and in the refrain it says that we must practice the Hebrew letters over and over again to learn. “Remember children, what you learn, repeat it again and again-kometz aleph o.” Repeating words, prayers, and teachings out loud is essential to learning...
As we look forward to our Gala Weekend, I have been reflecting on my own “Lessons from Lance.” As your cantor, I have had the great honor of working side by side with Lance for the last 19 years. You would think I would be much smarter than I am...
This past Shabbat, our congregation celebrated the Bat Mitzvah of Sophie Sussman. Sophie is the daughter of Kelly and Benji Sussman. Sophie is also the granddaughter of Rabbi Lance and Liz Sussman. At the Bat Mitzvah, (stream here-around 45 min) Rabbi Sussman reflected about his own Bar Mitzvah, and the...
We are all a little broken. Going through health challenges can remind us just how fragile we all are. Recently I had a health challenge of my own, and while I am coming out the other side of it, I am greatly aware of the amount of support it takes...
The need for humanitarian support for displaced people is increasing, and our moral obligation is to care for them. Lev. 19:33-34 states: When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your...
In this week’s Torah portion Vayekhel, Moses invites all whose heart moves them to help with the building of the sanctuary. “and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them, came and brought an offering to the Eternal for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its...
There is a verse in this week’s Torah portion that resonates with our community and me. This week’s Torah portion is really the instruction manual for the building of our sanctuary, and in the middle of all of these details is this spiritual line: And let them make me a...
This week’s Torah portion, Beshalach often corresponds so appropriately with Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend. In this week’s Torah portion, we go free from Egypt, and we celebrate our freedom from slavery. At the shores of the sea, we sing our “Song of the Sea,” dancing and singing Mi Chamocha....
In this week’s Torah portion, Shemot, upon gazing on the burning bush, Moses said, “I must turn aside to look at this marvelous sight; why doesn’t’t the bush burn up?” (Ex. 3:3) This precious verse is one of the few times we can hear the inner dialogue of Moses. If...
In this week’s Torah portion, Lech L’cha, God tells a young Abraham “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and it shall be blessing.” (Gen. 12:2) Throughout the portion, an emphasis is on how “great” of a nation...
