How Beautiful Our Heritage  Jewish continuity has long been a phrase that has buzzed throughout the American Jewish community. Our lived heritage, as it continues to grow and evolve, exhibits that continuity. Our Tradition is the framework for constructing our modern Jewish world, for helping us create our Jewish identities,...

Expressions of Peace: A Journey and Prayer through Jewish Texts (A Contemporary Piyyut,[1] first recited on March 13, 2022[2]) Rabbi J.B. Sacks   Our tradition teaches: “The sword comes to the world because of a delay of justice and through perversion of justice.”[3]   God cries out: “Oh, my suffering,...

From the Rabbi’s Study   Let’s Place Our Bets Carefully The man sitting on the park bench facing the synagogue was a picture of dejection. His shabby clothes looked as if he had slept in them, and his tired face was covered by a heavy growth. Overcome by pity for...

From the Rabbi’s Study The Narrow Bridge We’re On, and the Courage of Hanukkah Rav Nachman of Bratzlav taught that, “The world is a very narrow bridge. What’s essential, however, is to fear not.” Artist Michael Morgenstern was inspired by Rav Nachman to create this work of art:  We are...

The word faith is widely used as a synonym for “religion,” just as “spiritual” has become, for some, a replacement for “religious.” Thus we might refer to a Christian as a “member of the Christian faith.” A Jew is often described as belonging “to the Jewish faith.” Thus, “faith” and...