There are three nights a year Jews pull all-nighters: Slichot, the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, and the Passover Seder. The late night element adds a measure of danger and fun to traditional rituals. On…
Torah Thoughts Pekudei Exodus.38.21-40.38 “Limiting What We Pay Attention To”
On any given day, there are so many things happening around us that it is difficult to tell what is most important. If you are like me, you scroll through your newsfeeds and social media to try to get a…
Torah Thoughts – Vayakhel – Exodus 35:1-38:20 = “On to the Next Thing”
As soon as the curtains went down on our wickedly funny Purim spiel last Thursday night, a transformation began to occur in our CSS sanctuary. The amazing sets put together by Julia and crew, the exquisite costumes sewn by hand…
Torah Thoughts – Ki Tisa – Exodus 30:11-34:35 – “Propaganda as Old as the Torah”
For our Biblical ancestors there was no greater political divide than the one between the Northern and the Southern Kingdoms. After the death of King Solomon, ancient Israel split into two parts: Judea to the South, and Israel up North. …
Torah Thoughts – Teztaveh – Exodus.27.20-30.10 – “Esther Defying Gravity”
There is a moment at the beginning of the movie Wicked where Glinda, played by Ariana Grande, is confronted by a resident of Oz about her relationship with Elphaba. “Glinda, is it true you were her friend?” she is asked…
Torah Thoughts – Terumah – Exodus.25.1-27.19 – “Perform Your Jewish Duty: Vote in the World Zionist Organization Election”
Crossing over the sea was never going to be enough. Community isn’t solely formed by escaping from our tormentors. Freedom requires substance, not such following the leader. Here, as we enter the next phase of the Jewish future, immersing ourselves…
Torah Thoughts – Mishpatim – Exodus.21.1-24.18 – “What 4000 Years of Law Teach us About Today”
One of the oldest known code of laws is the Code of Ur-Nammu. Composed in Sumeria in the time of Abraham and Sarah, sometime in the early 2000s BCE, over four thousand years ago, this precious artifact of the ancient…
Torah Thoughts – Yitro – Exodus 18:1-20:23 – “How to Be a Good Neighbor”
I have rarely been prouder of our Western New York Community than I was last Friday. Gathered in a small room on the first floor of the Tri-Main Center were a collection of over two hundred community members who came…
Torah Thoughts Bo Exodus 10:1-13:16 “Time to Come Home”
Welcome home – Romi, Emily, and Doron! Welcome home – Karina, Naama, Daniella, and Lira! Celebrations have erupted across Israel over the past week, as hostages return to their families and communities. After over 470 days in captivity, finally, finally,…
Torah Thoughts – Vaera – Exodus 6:2-9:35 – “How We Are Known in the World”
At the Martin Luther King Jr. Award Ceremony at City Hall last week, long time civil servant Otis T. Barker received one of the high honors. Surrounded by his three living children, he stood proudly in front of friends, family…