“Tracing Leaves” Wish I could trace the line of the sun as it perches flat across dull green leaves making them shine Wish I could hold you in the moment of leaving as your soul lifts out flat from…
Rabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein High Holy Days Sermons 5784 / 2023
Erev Rosh Hashanah Sermon Text Rosh Hashanah Day 1 Morning Sermon Text Kol Nidre Sermon Text Yom Kippur Morning Sermon Text
Torah Thoughts – Nitzavim-Vayelech – Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30 – “Finding the Right Words to Say”
This is the time in the Jewish year of regret and apology. Between the start of the month of Elul and the closing hours of Yom Kippur, the rabbis encourage us to evaluate the past year and determine the ways…
Torah Thoughts – Ki Tavo Deuteronomy.26.1-29.8 – “Accepting our Inheritance”
If we made a list of all the things that were provided to us before we even came into the world, the list would be a long one. No matter who we are or where we were born, coming into…
Torah Thoughts – Ki Teitzei – Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19 – “Accounting for our Actions in Elul”
I recently came across the term “Natural Consequence.” These are things not imposed on you by nature, society, or another person, but occur naturally on their own because of your actions, i.e. if you spend your money on a candy…
Torah Thoughts – Shoftim – Deuteronomy.16.18-21.9 – “The Belt and Suspender Method of Justice”
I recently heard prosecutors discussing the need to build their legal cases using both “belt and suspenders.” By this they meant, making it full proof, i.e., even if one argument failed, making sure to have other mechanisms to achieve a…
Torah Thoughts – Re’eh Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17 – “How We Face Our Most Pivotal Moments”
Early this past Sunday morning Buffalo time, the two-time defending champion US Women’s National Team took on Sweden’s national team in the first-round knockout at this year’s World Cup in Australia. The match was tied 0-0 after over 120 minutes,…
Torah Thoughts – Eikev – Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25 – “Even if…”
This week’s Torah portion begins with a proposition: “if you obey these rules and observe them carefully, God will…” (and I paraphrase) be good to you. This is the essence of the covenant between the Jewish people and God: in…
Torah Thoughts – Vaetchanan – Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11 – “Destruction and Renewal”
This was a week where the world of yesterday and the world of today seemed to collide. At the same time as hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in Jerusalem to protest changes made by the Knesset…
Torah Thoughts – Devarim – Deuteronomy.1.1-3.22 – “Speaking in Many Places at Once”
Last Sunday, I led a service at the Holloway Memorial Chapel in Canada, a few miles down the road from Crystal Beach. This is something I have done once a summer for the past decade, replacing Rabbi Marty Goldberg, who…