Inclusion – Page 4 – Rabbi Jon 's Website and Blog

September 23, 2021

Integrating America: What I Hope To Get From This Year

Assignment: Complete this thought — "I am about to begin a year of study about America…" This is the final bit of preliminaries, before delving into history and literature. I wanted to put down a few of my own goals in taking a sustained, hopefully deep survey of American history since colonial times.… Continue reading

#integratingamerica, Books, Current Affairs, Education, Equality, Freedom, History, Hope, Immigration, Inclusion, Jewish Education, Justice, Study, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA, Youth

September 20, 2021

Integrating America: Lame Deer and the Native American Critic

Summer reading assignment: Lame Deer, Seeker of Visions: by John (Fire) Lame Deer and Richard Erdoes Before year 1 of the course, Leslie thought this book would pair well with my Michael Walzer, “connected critic” idea, since Lame Deer was a Native American, an outside observer. I was skeptical but now I’m glad… Continue reading

#integratingamerica, Antisemitism, Books, Current Affairs, Education, Foregiveness, History, Hope, Inclusion, Peace, Study, Teens, Tzedek, USA, Youth

September 10, 2021

Integrating America: The Connected Critic

Leslie and I experimented with the readings for a short opening unit on how to study America. I advocated the first year for excerpts from the political philosopher Michael Walzer's Interpretation and Social Criticism. Walzer articulated the idea of the "connected critic", someone who was inside a society enough to be committed to its people and its… Continue reading

#integratingamerica, Books, Current Affairs, Education, Equality, Ethics, Freedom, History, Inclusion, Jewish Education, Justice, Study, Teens, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA, Youth

September 9, 2021

“Integrating America” Revisited

#integratingamericaOops, I posted two items out of order! Two months ago I posted an almost-vow, and in the Jewish year we're headed into the season when we think about our vows… In reflecting on my state's new law around teaching about controversial topics, I suggested in July I might go back this year and… Continue reading

#integratingamerica, Current Affairs, Education, Equality, Freedom, History, Inclusion, Justice, Study, Teens, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA, Youth

September 9, 2021

Integrating America: An Artifact That Represents America

#integratingamerica Assignment: Choose an artifact that to you represents America, American society, or American culture. Feel free to share an image and/or explanation in the comments here or in your own post. ————— When I began co-teaching the course, the artifact I chose was the book and album “Free to Be You and Me.” It’s… Continue reading

#integratingamerica, Books, Current Affairs, Education, Equality, Feminism, Freedom, Gender, Inclusion, Justice, Study, Teens, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA, Youth

July 27, 2021

Chatting Up the Local Proud Boys

That's me right after a conversation of about half an hour last night with a few members of the Proud Boys, who have become an unfortunate fixture around meetings of Nashua's Board of Education. Knowing they would be there I could not stay home. This is my family's school, and my community, and people I… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Education, Freedom, History, Holocaust, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Justice, Leadership, Tzedek, USA, Youth

July 7, 2021

Getting Up Close — Advocacy, Daughters of Tzelophechad-Style

This was my Dvar Torah on Parashat Pinchas from July 3, 2021. ותקרבנה בנות צלפחד — Vatikravna Bnot Tzelophechad, they came up close, the daughters of Tzelophechad son of Chefer son of Gilad son of Machir son of Menashe of the families of Menashe son of Yaakov, and these are the names of his daughters:… Continue reading

Community Relations, Current Affairs, Ethics, Feminism, Housing, Immigration, Inclusion, Leadership, Numbers, Parashat Hashavua, Pinchas, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Tzedek, USA

January 28, 2021

Remembering Debbie Friedman on Her 10th Yahrzeit

I gave this D'var Torah on Saturday morning, January 23, on the Shabbat before Debbie Friedman's 10th yahrzeit. On a Sunday night in early January 25 years ago, Laurie and I were living in Queens and there was a big Nor’easter brewing. Some of you may remember, it came all the way up here –… Continue reading

Education, Feminism, Holidays, Inclusion, Jewish Education, Music, Prayer, Soul, Spirituality, Study, Synagogue, Theology, Torah, Young Jewish Adult, Youth

January 13, 2021

Sukkat Shalom — What a Temporary Peace Is (And Is Not)

I am posting this just after seeing that the U.S. House has voted to impeach President Trump for his actions leading to the violence at the Capitol one week ago. This is from the D'var Torah I gave on the Shabbat of Shmini Atzeret, the end of the festival of Sukkot, Saturday, October 10, 2020.… Continue reading

Calendar, Current Affairs, Election, Ethics, Freedom, Holidays, Inclusion, Justice, Leadership, Middot, Peace, Sukkot, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA

January 13, 2021

A New Page — USA

I just finished the first version of a new page on my site, which I'm calling simply "USA". It has sources and mostly my own reflections about American politics, racial justice, anti-Semitism, and political leadership. I will be updating it with the best links I want people to know about, and anything good I generate… Continue reading

Community Relations, Current Affairs, Election, Freedom, Hope, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Justice, Leadership, MLK Day, Peace, Rabbi, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Tzedek, USA

January 13, 2021

Rolling Waters, Mighty Stream — Exploring MLK’s Metaphor

This was my opening invocation for the annual Southern NH Outreach for Black Unity Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast on January 21, 2019. I am so honored to be invited to join you for some opening words today. My name is Jon Spira-Savett, and I serve as rabbi for the Jewish community in… Continue reading

Calendar, Community Relations, Conservative Judaism, Current Affairs, History, Holidays, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Justice, Leadership, MLK Day, Prophets, Shoftim, Theology, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Tzedek, USA

December 7, 2020

Chanukkah — An Adult Festival About Today

You’ve probably heard over and over that Chanukkah is a “minor” holy day. Something we make a big deal about especially in modern America – something especially for Jewish children in a Christmas-saturated environment. It’s true, Chanukkah is no Passover. But in fact, it’s not a new thing, this question about how significant Chanukkah really… Continue reading

Calendar, Chanuka, Current Affairs, Freedom, History, Holidays, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Talmud, USA