I learned that the four questions are optional.  They were meant to be an if-all-else-fails to get the children’s attention, then break glass (so to speak) and use this emergency device.  Yet not one of us could imagine a Seder … Continue reading →

To: Jews by Choice From: Israel Subject: Welcome Home, Kind Of On Monday, March 1, per the Times of Israel (3/1/21): the Israeli Supreme Court voted to allow for Conservative and Reform conversions to be accepted regarding the Law of … Continue reading →

We used to schmooze. And we were good at it. Perhaps even experts. As much as many of us see one another via Zoom, we don’t schmooze before or after a class or service, while standing at the oneg table, … Continue reading →

Do you like pudding? And when you think of pudding, do you think more of bread pudding or of the gelatinous dessert that goes well with whipped cream or in a pie? I never ate much pudding. But when I … Continue reading →

Parashat Noach 5781 I am sorry to say, but I have a problem with the rainbow in the Noah’s Ark story. And I love rainbows. After every rain when the sky begins to clear, I go outside seeking rainbows. I … Continue reading →

Kol Nidre 5781 Most services don’t have names. Last night, Kol Nidre “All Vows,” is named for the words and accompanying haunting tune which pleads with God: “if after honest effort we fail to keep our vows, promises and oaths, … Continue reading →

Rosh HaShanah Morning 5781 The cracks were showing before but we could ignore them more easily. We knew that when people said “that is a good neighborhood” it meant that people of color didn’t live there. We knew that people … Continue reading →

Sukkot Morning 5781 Did you hear it? The Book of Life was just sealed. 5 days ago as dark descended on Yom Kippur, our Yizkor candle went out. Once again already, our frailty stands before us, challenging, inviting. What is … Continue reading →

Mask. Pandemic. Synchronous. Asynchronous. Insurrection. Fake news. Suppression. Zoom. Tweet. Uprising. This is just a portion of the new vocabulary that swirls around us in print, on our devices, through the news and in conversation 24/7. These are words that … Continue reading →

As we celebrate the new year and get accustomed to writing “2021” on letters and checks, we realize that while the clocks and calendars move forward, time as we know it has changed. For many of us, we cannot remember … Continue reading →