What Constitutes a Community?
This week’s Torah portion is mainly about the Jubilee year. This was important in ancient times, because every 50 years …
Author Archives: SRQ Jew
We Are Defective, and We Are Holy
This week’s Torah portion, Emor, is about separation and isolation. It deliberately sets the Levitical priests aside from everyone else. …
We Are Holy Beings, Being Holy
My daughter Ellie told me that this week marks the 14th anniversary of her bat mitzvah. I can top that; …
Spiritual Pollution
It’s been a hard week. Even while federal and state governments enforce (or at least encourage) social distancing, the president …
Tragedy & Kindness
It can be odd and a little unsettling when tragic and joyous events overlap. And yet we often find that …
Facing the Unknown With Kindness
This week, as our Zoom Seders become happy memories, we will stay in our homes to help “flatten the curve” …
Lighting the Fire Within
A member of my congregation sent me this beautiful passage by Rabbi Yisrael of Chortkov, a Hasidic rebbe who lived …
Creating Community During a Pandemic
This weekend will be my congregation’s third Shabbat service using Zoom. We have learned how to pray together and be …
Entering into the Cloud
There is a beautiful Korean saying that I often return to; “No flower blooms without also being blown by the …
Changing
It’s been a totally bizarre and completely busy couple of weeks. I know that each of you is experiencing exactly …
SRQ Jew 