This Rosh Hashanah is my last as the Senior Rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami as I will retire next July 2023. Here is my sermon for Day 1 of Rosh HaShanah 5783.
Kadima: Forward
Posted by in Uncategorized Tag: Torah
Posted by in Uncategorized Let It Shine Let It Shine Let It Shine
Posted by in judaism For the second night of Chanukah we should think about the idea of “pirsum et haMitzvah” The commandment to publicize or promote the the lighting of the chanukiah. Our rabbinic ancestors thought we should place our chanukiah in the window to show and share the light of Chanukah! Of course there were times in our…Read more »
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance. Nov. 20. For the last 18 years this day has been dedicated to the memory of all those transgender men and women who have been murdered because they were hated. Many transgender people have experienced violence and hatred directly. Many are victims of society’s misunderstanding of their lives.…Read more »
Toledot: Is Isaac a Patriarch for all times?
Posted by in Torah Commentary Parshat Toledot Genesis 25:19-28:9 This week’s Torah portion Toledot is about Isaac, the second of our Patriarchs. And yet the Torah portion never really tells us much about it him as it does about the people surrounding him. We only get glimmers of who Isaac is. We learn of his marriage to Rebekkah and the…Read more »
Laugh Laugh Laugh
Posted by in Uncategorized Purim is just a couple of days away. The story of good Queen Esther, who doesn’t really know she is Jewish marries King Ashuereus who is a bit of an oaf. The Evil Haman, descendent of the arch enemies of the Israelites, manipulates the King into decreeing the death of all the Jews of the…Read more »
War and Torah
Posted by in Torah Commentary Parshat Shofetim Deuteronomy 16:18 -21:9 The United States is a nation who has been at war for nearly a decade. In the aftermath of 9/11 we are still fighting in Afghanistan and there are still troops in Iraq. We have been part of the NATO forces helping put asunder the cruel dictator, Ghaddafi in…Read more »
Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai
Posted by in Uncategorized Here is a wonderful story of redemption for Tisha B’av Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai Saves Torah Annette Labovitz The three-year Roman siege of Yerushalayim portended doom for Jewish nationalism. The inhabitants of the Holy City were divided; some were wearied from the hopelessness of the situation; others, although refusing to surrender, fought among themselves. Hunger…Read more »
Some thoughts on Shavuot
Posted by in Uncategorized Tonight we observe the holy day of Shavuot. The Feast of Weeks. For seven weeks we have counted the omer, marking off with anticipation and excitement our journey from Passover and freedom to this moment at the foot of Mt. Sinai. We are here! Soon God will reveal the Torah to us. One tradition says…Read more »
Jewish Roots of Christianity
Posted by in Uncategorized If you haven’t made plans yet for the festival of Shavuot evening-come study Torah with us at Kol Ami. This year our Scholar in Residence for our Tikkyn Leyl Shavuot- is Dr. Rabbi Joshua Garroway. Dr. Garroway is an assistant Professor at our Reform Seminary, Hebrew Union College. His specialty is early Christianity and the…Read more »
Tweeting Torah to the Top
Posted by in Uncategorized As many of you know I hope I am an avid Tweeter. I love the short form of Twitter messages and tweet daily. You can follow me @deniseeger or @egerdl. Yes I love it so much that I have two accounts! Even the temple tweets @kolamila! Sign up to follow all of these. Last year…Read more »
Walking Humbly. Seeking Justice. Living with Hope. 