From the Rabbi's Desk

Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are in the rearview mirror and now it’s time to embark on the third of the High Holidays. Sukkot is often not thought of as a part of the Jewish Holiday Season but, in fact, it’s the final part. We celebrate Sukkot each year just days after we’ve completed the fast of Yom Kippur.  Sukkot will begin this year on Friday Evening (9/29/2023) and will conclude next Friday (10/6/2023) and then we’ll really...Read more...

The opening words of this week’s Parsha are “Give ear, O Heavens, let me speak; Let the earth hear the words I utter.” (Deuteronomy 32:1) I have this image in my head of a person, Moses, demanding to be heard and wondering where all the people are to listen to his words. We’re all familiar with the philosophical question: if a tree falls in the woods and nobody’s there to hear it does it make a sound? I mention this to express that,...Read more...

I believe to be a Jew means to be a learner. We all need to spend time growing and learning. I have a weekly chavruta with a fellow rabbi and we learn Talmud together. I spend a lot of time studying in my office to be ready for lessons and sermons. I love to learn with congregants too, and if you’re ever interested in learning with me, please just ask and we’ll make it happen. This week I began a course of study with Hadar in New York...Read more...