First Morning Rosh HaShanah: Managing Transitions (delivered by Rabbi Sacks on September 16, 2023) My roommate tells me: “I think it’s time we address the elephant in the room.” I respond: “Okay, where are we sending it?” I bought my friend an elephant for his room. He said, “Thanks.” I said, “Don’t mention it.” On […]
Erev Rosh HaShanah: Practice, Priorities, People (delivered by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on September 15, 2023) In 2009 archaeologists unearthed an ancient synagogue in the city of Migdal on the Sea of Galilee. It was established over 2,000 years ago. It’s fascinating. The Jewish community of ancient Migdal built a synagogue at a time when Jewish […]
Parashat Ki Tavo: Paying Attention This Coming New Year (Torah study led by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on September 2, 2023) We are all preparing for Rosh HaShanah. These preparations should include more than considerations of holiday dinner menu, getting apparel off to the dry cleaners, and making sure we return our forms from the High […]
Parashat Ki Tavo: How to Bring Bikkurim (delivered by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on September 1, 2023) Tomorrow’s Torah reading speaks of the bringing of bikkurim, first fruits, to the Temple, during which they would make a specific declaration. This declaration presents the precise wording that the farmer used when addressing G!d. Later the Mishnah[1] records […]
Parashat Shoftim: Justice, Justice Let Us Pursue (delivered by Rabbi Sacks on Friday, August 18, 2023) Over the last several millennia, humanity has developed a large and growing body of profound writings, words which encapsulate the hopes, aspirations and potential of the human soul. Across the globe, religious traditions rightly exult in the majesty and […]
The Book of Lamentations: Ten Responses to Tragedy & Grief[1] (A Torah Discussion led by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on July 22, 2023) Our primary text for Tishah B’Av is the biblical book of Eichah, named Lamentations in English. The book contains five poems (one chapter each), each written by different anonymous authors in the aftermath […]
Parashat Pinchas: “She Never Told Her Love” (D’var Torah delivered by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on July 7, 2023) Henry Peach Robinson was a nineteenth-century English photographer who was best known for pioneering the technique of joining multiple negatives or prints to form a single image. His most famous work, “Fading Away,” is a great example […]
Shabbat Naso: Samson and Toxic Masculinity (A d’var Torah delivered by Rabbi Sacks on June 2, 2023) This week our haftarah especially compels us to think about men and masculinity. So before we think about the haftarah, let’s get some Jewish views on men. Think about what each quote might be saying–and not saying–about men […]
Parashat Emor: For What Should I Compromise on Religious Observance? (A d’var Torah delivered by Rabbi J.B. Sacks on May 6, 2023) Around the corner and half way up the street was an small Orthodox synagogue, housed in a converted home. They were small and only met on Shabbat and holy days. Their president davened […]
The Conflict in Sudan: A Jewish-American Perspective (delivered by Student Rabbi Maayan Lev on May 5, 2023) I want to tell a story that should be very familiar to all of us as Jews. There was once a brutally oppressive regime, whose capital city sat on the banks of the Nile River. This country contained […]