I wanted nothing more in the world than to be a mother. Our daughter Liat Odeleya’s name means “Thank God You Are Mine” in a riff on the Hebrew. Jeff and I bless the heavens that she and her older brother Gavi are ours. Their births healed the Gavi-and-Liat shaped holes in our hearts that Continue Reading »
People will often say that we Jews have a blessing or a prayer for every occasion – and they’d be right. Whatever happens there is a blessing to be said, praising and thanking God. When a person survives a near death experience, they recite Birkat Gomel. God is thanked for rewarding the undeserving with goodness, Continue Reading »
It is such a joy and a privilege to be with you this morning and especially to be alongside my dear friend and colleague Reverend J. Anthony Lloyd. I feel immensely honored and blessed to have the opportunity to deliver today’s invocation. I am ever so grateful to be here, surrounded by friends committed to Continue Reading »
As we approach the end of another calendar year, alongside holiday celebrations, we have a new tradition of celebrating individuals as heroes or people of the year. Most prominently we have the Time Magazine Person of the Year and the CNN Heroes. I want to add another hero; a group who have gone unrecognized for Continue Reading »
Click above to listen to Cantor Hollis and Rabbi Danny’s welcome at the Wayland Interfaith Leaders Association (WILA) Interfaith Communal Thanksgiving Service!
I don’t remember much about the specifics of the Shabbat service that morning, what I do remember is that my phone kept vibrating in my pocket. While this has become more normal in our Covid world, this was 3 years ago, and so while a vibration or two might have been expected, this was way Continue Reading »
Despite the limitations of COVID, our Adult Community Engagement Committee continues to plan fun activities for the adults of our community! Recently, they went on a hike up Mt. Kearsarge in New Hampshire. Thirteen TST family members joined (or fourteen if you include the dog!) and enjoyed the beauty of nature from the summit!
As a Jewish community the importance of a people’s connection to their land is at the center of our Torah, our sacred text, and so I am grateful to Andre for beginning today’s vigil with a land acknowledgement, recognizing his people’s connection to the land on which we are currently gathered. Thank you to all Continue Reading »