Civil Rights – Rabbi Jon 's Website and Blog

January 6, 2026

Brotherhood, Evolving (Parashat Shmot, MLK Weekend 5783/2023)

This is excerpted and adapted from a D’var Torah I gave in January 2023, when MLK Weekend began on Shabbat with Parashat Shmot, the opening reading in the book of Exodus. Here I’ve omitted the (long) opening, which is very similar to most of the other words I have posted about those opening chapters of… Continue reading

Civil Rights, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Equality, Ethics, Exodus, History, Inclusion, Justice, MLK Day, Moshe, Parashat Hashavua, Shmot, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Tzedek, USA, Young Jewish Adult, Youth

January 1, 2026

Carrying on After the Golden Age (Parashat Vayechi)

I wrote this D’var Torah in the early 2000s originally for a Jewish website called socialaction.com, whose weekly Torah teachings I helped edit and sometimes wrote. All of that content including this teaching is now at myjewishlearning.com, which you should make sure to have bookmarked for all things Jewish. This is about Parashat Vayechi, the… Continue reading

Civil Rights, Current Affairs, Parashat Hashavua, Tzedek, Vayechi, 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