Ki Tisa The Golden Calf Sasha Tulgan Ki Tisa is a commentary about idol worship, faith and trust, community organizing, leadership, fracture, and repair. I want to focus in particular on fracture and repair, and the importance of strong leadership at a time of brokenness. A basic overview of Ki Tisa is as follows. Moses Continue Reading »
This past weekend we showed our children the movie the Wizard of Oz for the first time. We had been a little concerned about how they might react to a wicked witch and evil flying monkeys. But, we shouldn’t have been worried. First of all, they loved the movie; the songs, story, and performances definitely Continue Reading »
I’ve just returned from a quick 3-day Solidarity Mission in Israel with Rabbi Marc Baker (close friend and head of our Boston Jewish Federation, Combined Jewish Philanthropies), his amazing son Maor, and many wonderful friends who joined us along the way (being needed for Kaddish minions for Zev’s father was one of many special moments). Continue Reading »
When a swastika is drawn in our town, in our community, we have to decide how we are going to respond. And there really are two choices: you either ignore it, or you act. And when we think about and study the history of antisemitism and racism, we know how often people choose to ignore Continue Reading »
I honestly don’t know where to begin this evening. In trying to think about the right words to share, the right remarks, what we need to hear – I have struggled. I have struggled more than on any other occasion during my rabbinate. Like you, I woke up to the news yesterday morning and I Continue Reading »
(This is an abridged version of the letter shared with our TST families on October 7th) Dear TST Families, As the tragic events in Israel continue to unfold, I am writing with an update, an offer of support, and some resources. Whatever you are feeling right now is valid. Please know that the clergy team Continue Reading »
In a country on the other side of the globe, two terrorists walked into a building and murdered 11 people. It was a hateful crime, which was immediately universally condemned. As a show of solidarity people began posting the country’s flag on their social media accounts, and there was even a slogan of camaraderie that Continue Reading »
Tonight, we begin the commemoration of Tisha B’Av. This day is without a doubt the saddest on the Jewish calendar, as we remember the destruction of the first and second Temples. In recalling these tragic moments from Jewish history, one of the messages that we take from the day is not that our downfall came Continue Reading »
Originally published by Combined Jewish Philanthropies as a part of the Face Jewish Hate Campaign My dad’s mother was born in Berlin in 1923 and was one of the lucky ones who escaped before World War II began and the borders were closed. But she still lived through the introduction of a variety of anti-Jewish Continue Reading »