Please join me for six weeks of meaningful study on the themes of the High Holidays
In the bestselling novel, Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides, a character named Desdemona, begins to plan for her own death. The narrator describes her preparations: From her bed she directed my mother to clean out the closets … you can give (them) to Goodwill. My nice dresses, too. Now I only need something (to be buried in)…’
Yom Kippur 5787: Rehearsing the Day of our Death Read More »
A Sermon Especially for Am Shalom Every year, around Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish world holds a version of the same debate – what should we use for tashlich? Traditionalists throw bread crumbs. Environmentalists throw pebbles or fish food or birdseed. I know people who throw flower petals, and people who throw pieces of paper with
Kol Nidrei 5787: Who Do We Want To Be? Read More »
Picture this: The rabbi sits down to begin writing her sermon. The topic is: “Israel: Is there hope even now?” She types out the question. She stares at the screen. She doesn’t know how to answer. She doesn’t even know where to begin. Ok, I know you get it. The rabbi is me. The question
Hope Even Now (Revised for Yom Kippur 5786) Read More »
A few months ago, my mother called me to report that she had been the target of hate-speach. She and her friend have a regular table at a vintage market, and along with the funky clothing, jewelry, dishes, and knick-knacks that they sell, are items of vintage judaica. Menorahs and candle-sticks, kiddush cups and seder
“The No Good, Dirty Z Word” (Rosh HaShanah 5787) Read More »
On September 11th 2001, I was in my second year as a Religious Studies Major at Queen’s University. At 8:46 that morning, as American Airlines flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, I was walking to class. And so I first heard about what was happening from my TA, who
Moments of Choosing (Erev Rosh Hashanah 5787) Read More »
Elul 1: What is the call that I need to hear?You have been quiet lately, God.Not that I have felt An Absence, exactlyWhen I reach for You, You are there,and I feel You shifting and nudging the pieces of my lifeon Your cosmic chessboardAnd yet, I also feel blind and bound, at timesInching forward at Your
For the Sin We Have Commited Against You Through …. Zionism? Al Cheit Shechatanu L’fanecha For the sin we have committed against You …Each Yom Kippur we recite these words over and over again, listing the sins we have committed. I always find it powerful to remember what I was taught about this section of
The Sermon I Am Always Giving (i.e. Why Be Jewish): This time in the context of a world that would rather we go into hiding Last night, I spoke about antisemitism, a sermon I thought I would never have to give. I spoke about how it feels like we have come to the end of
Rosh Hashanah Morning 5786 Read More »
A Sermon I Never Thought I Would Give, But Here We Are
Erev Rosh Hashanah 5786 Read More »
Elul 5785 With thanks once again to Jewish Studio Project and Rabbi Jordan Braunig for the beautiful & inspirational daily writing prompts that revitalised my sacred writing practice Elul I: Meiatz’mo Elul 3: Shanah Elul 4: I Am Not Done Elul 5: Return Us Back to This Elul 9: High on Love