Antisemitism

July 10, 2026

Preserving Our Soul in Wartime (Mattot 5774/2014)

This was my D’var Torah on Saturday morning, July 19, 2014, Parashat Mattot. I am uploading this online this 2026, as wars involving Israel, the U.S., Hamas, Hizbollah, and Iran continue in the aftermath of October 7, 2023. The specific references from 2014 are important and the message is still germane. This week is another… Continue reading

Antisemitism, B’midbar, Current Affairs, Ethics, Gaza, Israel, Jerusalem, Mattot, Middot, Numbers, Parashat Hashavua, Peace, Torah

Rav Kook
July 2, 2026

Partners, Not Guests: Jews Building America, America Building Us (Yom Kippur 5780/2019)

This was my Yom Kippur morning sermon for 5780 (2019). As I generally do, I was jumping off from the spirit of the Haftarah of that day, which is mostly from Isaiah 58, and I conclude quoting the end of those prophetic words. One evening last fall I sat in the auditorium at Nashua High… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Equality, Freedom, High Holidays, Holidays, Holocaust, Inclusion, Terrorism, Tzedek, USA, Yamim Noraim, Yom Kippur, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
May 27, 2026

After Tel Aviv and Orlando (Parashat Naso 5776/2016)

These is a slightly edited version of the words I delivered these words as an introduction to the Torah reading at Shabbat morning services for Parashat Naso on June 18, 2016, on a day we celebrated a Bar Mitzvah in the congregation. Shabbat Shalom. It is so good today — הנה מה טוב ומה נעים… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Community Relations, Current Affairs, GLBT, Interfaith Dialogue, Justice, LGBTQ+, Love, Naso, Parashat Hashavua, Terrorism, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
May 27, 2026

Three Takes on the Nazirite During a Hard Time (Parashat Naso 5781/2021)

This was the D’var Torah I gave for Parashat Naso, May 22, 2021. The references here are to the Covid-19 pandemic at that time, as well as the attacks by Hamas of that year and the fighting between Jews and Arabs within Israel proper that flared up in some places. I am leaving as they… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Gaza, Israel, Maimonides, Naso, Parashat Hashavua, Peace, Talmud, Torah
January 14, 2026

Exodus Is the Foundation of Everything (Parashat Shmot 5786)

This was my D’var Torah on Shabbat for Parashat Shmot, January 10, 2026. It has been a week, from Iran to Venezuela to my hometown the Twin Cities. And it has also been the week of Parashat Shmot, the opening of the book of Exodus, the most important book in human history. If you have… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Books, Current Affairs, Equality, Exodus, Freedom, Holidays, Parashat Hashavua, Pesach, Shmot, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
December 25, 2025

The Ice Bucket Challenge and the Menorah: Sustaining Light (Shabbat Chanukkah 5786-Parashat Mketz)

This was my D’var Torah for Shabbat Chanukkah coinciding with Parashat Miketz in 5786 (December 20, 2025). Do you remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? In the summer of 2014, people began sharing videos of themselves getting ice cold water poured over their heads and asking people to donate money to support people with ALS, amyotrophic… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Civil Rights, Current Affairs, Holidays, Miketz, Parashat Hashavua, Torah, Tzedakah, Tzedek
December 10, 2025

Who is Courageous? A Chanukkah Answer from Aristeas to Us

Here is yet another version of my take on the takeaway today from the Letter of Aristeas to Philocrates, a Jewish work from the time of the Maccabees that presents its own view of Jewish position, role, and voice in a “modern” world. The question I’ve been speaking about the past few weeks leading to… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Community Relations, Current Affairs, History, Holidays, Inclusion, Israel, USA
December 10, 2025

Speaking to the World: A Chanukkah Message from the Letter of Aristeas

This is another iteration of a Chanukkah teaching theme of mine, relating to what the era of that festival can teach us about the relation of Jews to the larger world, and the Jewish voice to the larger world. I shared this particular version around Chanukkah 5785 (2024). Alexandria in Egypt was kind of the… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Community Relations, Current Affairs, History, Holidays, USA
October 12, 2025

Why Our Jewish Community Should Be at the CROP Hunger Walk

If you’re in our area, I hope you will be part of next Sunday’s interfaith CROP Hunger Walk. Here is why I think that’s important always, and especially for all of us thinking about the place of Jews in America right now. Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Equality, Ethics, Food, Gaza, Interfaith Dialogue, Israel, Jewish Education, Justice, Peace, Synagogue, Tikkun Olam, Tzedakah, Tzedek, USA, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
September 26, 2025

Rosh Hashanah D’var Torah Day 2: The Power of Kindness in a Brutal World

This was my D’var Torah for the second day of Rosh Hashanah 5786 (2025). In a piece in Slate about the TV show Ted Lasso, Amanda Prahl wrote: Kindness is the vanilla of emotional concepts. It has the reputation of being safe, two-dimensional, passive, and utterly bland. Ask any culinary expert, though, and they’ll tell… Continue reading

Anger, Antisemitism, Current Affairs, Gaza, Gratitude, High Holidays, Holidays, Immigration, Inclusion, Israel, Justice, Leadership, Middot, Rosh Hashanah, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Tzedek, USA, Vayera, Yamim Noraim
March 17, 2025

Another Week Back in College

I'm catching up on the whole week, after preparing for and celebrating Purim…. The week's notes in Lit and Arts were a lot about the successors of Charlemagne, and the disjuncture between the disintegration of their authority and their realm, and their self-representation in Christian books and architecture as Christ's designated earthly power. As I… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Art, Equality, Freedom, History, Inclusion, Israel, Jewish Education, Justice, Power, Study, Tzedek, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
March 12, 2025

Recommended Links of Mine for Purim This Year

Here in one place are links to the pieces I've done related to Purim and our contemporary world that I think are particularly worth a look or listen this year. For reading, listening, or watching. Introducing Adar Conversations: Esther-Informed Spiritual Therapy (read and video) Getting to Mi Yode'a ("Who Knows") — Moral Clarity in a Topsy-Turvy World… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Current Affairs, Esther, Holidays, Inclusion, Israel, Jewish Education, Joy, Justice, Leadership, Middot, Midrash, Power, Purim, Shabbat Zachor, Simcha, Terrorism, Tikkun Olam, Tov! Podcast, Tzedakah, Tzedek, USA, Young Jewish Adult, Youth