Stories,photos

194 results total, viewing 31 - 40

A holy puppy

My wife, our two daughters and I acquired a new family member in January: we finally took the reentry plunge into dog ownership by welcoming Rilla, an Australian labradoodle, into our home. The … more

d'Var Torah | 5/6/22

Are we now free?

Two years ago, a couple hours before Passover started, I cried for the first time about the pandemic. My husband and I had planned to have our families come in from out of state, to share food and … more

d'Var Torah | 4/1/22

Shemitah: A biblical response to languishing and burnout

In her recent book “Burnout – The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle,” researcher Emily Nagoski focuses on the physiological manifestations of chronic stress in the body and the … more

d'Var Torah | 3/6/22

Camps have never been more crucial as a joyous sanctuary for our kids

Our sages teach MiSheNichnas Adar Marbin B’Simcha (Ta’anit 29a), “when the month of Adar begins, one increases rejoicing.” It may seem counterintuitive to say this when, … more

d'Var Torah | 2/6/22

The lessons of Egypt

As a young teen, I remember asking my teachers why the Jewish people needed to be enslaved in Egypt for hundreds of years. Now, as our cycle of Torah readings has us once again focusing on Egypt, the … more

d'Var Torah | 1/10/22

What’s in a name? In the case of Hanukkah, a lot

During religious school a few Sundays ago, I challenged my sixth- and seventh-grade students to identify the central idea of Hanukkah in as few words as possible. As you can imagine, some … more

d'Var Torah | 12/4/21

A courageous query in difficult times

In this week’s Torah portion, Rebecca innovates a familiar mode of communication. Pregnant with twins who will come to personify sibling rivalry, Rebecca moans as they struggle in her … more

d'Var Torah | 11/7/21

Filling in the gaps in the Torah

The Torah portion Bereshit is jam-packed, to say the least. It includes the creation of the world in six days, the creation of man and woman, the commandment to not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge … more

d'Var Torah | 10/9/21

A powerful proposition

Many years ago, long before I became a rabbi, I was invited to High Holy Days services at Beth Chayim Chadashim (BCC) in Los Angeles. As I walked into the sanctuary on Erev Rosh Hashanah, I remember … more

d'Var Torah | 9/6/21

‘Justice, justice thou shall pursue’

Near the beginning of next week’s Torah portion, Shoftim (Hebrew for Judges, Deut. 16:17-21:9), we find a verse that begins: “Justice, justice (Tzedek, tzedek) thou shall pursue” … more

d'Var Torah | 8/5/21