Chukkat – Rabbi Jon 's Website and Blog

July 3, 2023

My American Tale — What’s Yours? (Or, Why Is Yaz on Masada?)

This is the D'var Torah I gave for Parshiyyot Chukkat-Balak 5783, July 1, 2023. This is a picture of me at the age of 17 on top of Masada in Israel, wearing a baseball cap that says “YAZ”. I remember asking someone to take this picture, and to get me and the Yaz cap and… Continue reading

#integratingamerica, Balak, Calendar, Chukkat, Current Affairs, Equality, Ethics, Freedom, History, Holidays, Immigration, Israel, Jerusalem, Parashat Hashavua, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA, Young Jewish Adult

March 31, 2022

Don’t Strike the [R]ock — Reflections on the Oscars

Head over to my blog at the Times of Israel. Continue reading

Chukkat, Coronavirus, Current Affairs, Education, Ethics, Exodus, Jewish Education, Moshe, Movies, Pesach, Shmot, USA

June 22, 2021

Parashat Chukkat — Is Judaism More Red Heifer or #SelfCare?

This was my D’var Torah for Saturday, June 19, 2021, Parashat Chukkat. The article I reference at the start is really good, in ways that somewhat connect to my theme and also jump off in another important direction. I was in the middle of thinking about the parah adumah — the red heifer with its potpouri… Continue reading

Chukkat, Halacha, Harry Potter, Middot, Midrash, Movies, Numbers, Parah, Parashat Hashavua, Ritual, Spirituality, Torah, Young Jewish Adult

July 12, 2019

Reflections on Leadership From This Week in the Torah

This is the sermon I gave three years ago, during the dog days of the 2016 election. But there is a lot here that still resonates, about the leaders that I crave. I'm going to work on the text I refer to there from the Slonimer Rebbe and probably teach more about it this Shabbat.… Continue reading

Chukkat, Current Affairs, Election, Ethics, Leadership, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Tzedek, USA

July 20, 2016

Thirsty for Leadership

This is the sermon I gave last Shabbat, July 16. It draws in a couple places on words I wrote and delivered as a D’var Torah on the Shabbat around the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy’s assassination. There are some more specific reflections on presidential leadership in that sermon. This is the first of two Divrei Torah about leadership.… Continue reading

Chukkat, Current Affairs, Election, Leadership, Tikkun Olam, USA

June 17, 2010

Parashat Chukkat: The Edge of Reason

Parashat Chukkat begins with the mysterious ritual of the Parah Adumah, the red heifer. The ceremony is intended to remove the ritual impurity that comes from contact with death. Anyone in this impure state cannot come near the Tent or Temple for a sacrifice, and a simple immersion in a mikvah is not enough. The… Continue reading

Chukkat, Parah, Parashat Hashavua