Purim

March 14, 2025

Yasher Koach

Here is the draft of my D'var Torah for tomorrow, when we read Parashat Ki Tisa and the story of the Golden Calf. When someone has an honor to the Torah, we say to them: Yasher koach. This is a Yiddish-y inflection for yishar kochacha. Koach is strength and there are two views of what… Continue reading

Current Affairs, Ki Tissa, Parashat Hashavua, Purim, Torah, USA
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
March 12, 2025

Antisemitism, Our Security and Our Souls — Wisdom From the Book of Esther

This was Dvar Torah for Shabbat Zachor last weekend, March 8, 2025. Last year at this time, I coined a term for a brand-new approach to wellbeing. I called it EIST, for “Esther-Informed Spiritual Therapy.” The big idea is that the Purim story is the best mirror in entire Tanakh, the whole Bible, for Jews… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Esther, Holidays, Jewish Education, Leadership, Parashat Hashavua, Patience, Power, Purim, Shabbat Zachor, USA, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
March 22, 2024

Being Jewish Is More Than Anti-Anti-Semitism

This was my D’var Torah for Shabbat morning, March 23, 2024. This is my closing address for our six-week conference of the Society for the Advancement of Esther-Informed Spiritual Therapy. Today is Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat that comes before Purim. Shabbat Zachor is the dark set-up for a zany festival. Zachor means “remember.” We are… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Esther, Ethics, Gaza, Holidays, Holocaust, Israel, Leadership, Middot, Purim, Torah, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
March 21, 2024

Adar Conversation — Getting to Mi Yode’a (Who Knows): Moral Clarity in a Topsy-Turvy World

Here is a session I did picking up on another of the themes I laid out in my talk a couple weeks ago. Grateful to Valley Beit Midrash for hosting it. You can watch or listen. Follow the texts I refer to here on this source sheet at Sefaria. Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Current Affairs, Esther, Gaza, Holidays, Midrash, Purim, Talmud, Tzedek, Yom Kippur, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
March 21, 2024

Purim: The Buddy Film

This was my D’var Torah for Shabbat morning, March 16, 2024, Parashat Pekudei. which fell this year about a week before Purim. It’s already after the Oscars, but I have a pitch for a new movie — it could even be a franchise! It’s about a pair of young friends who travel the world together.… Continue reading

Books, Calendar, Current Affairs, Esther, Film, Friendship, Harry Potter, Holidays, Immigration, Inclusion, Joy, Leadership, Midrash, Movies, Parashat Hashavua, Pekudei, Purim, Shabbat, Synagogue, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
March 11, 2024

Conversations Toward Purim: Esther-Informed Spiritual Therapy for 5784 (And Beyond?)

To listen to this as a podcast recording, click here. You can watch, or read the same thing just below the video thumbnail. This is an introduction to a few conversations about the festival of Purim and the months of Adar in the Jewish calendar. I am releasing this on March 7, 2024, the 27th… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Esther, Ethics, Feminism, Gaza, Holidays, Israel, Joy, Power, Purim, Talmud, Terrorism, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
March 17, 2022

The Power of Purim (Reflecting Just in the Moment)

The power of Purim: On Tuesday and yesterday, I spent several hours in total shopping for and making my do-it-yourself costume. There was the regular work I do, which I did; and the world to attend to with its craziness, which I check in on regularly. And I learned of a sudden death in… Continue reading

Calendar, Coronavirus, Current Affairs, Esther, Ethics, Holidays, Purim, Rabbi
March 16, 2022

Tov! Special Purim Episode Is Out!

I haven't posted a Tov! update for a while, but a few new episodes are out the past month and one of them is keyed to Purim which begins tonight. Listen right here or on YouTube (it's just audio), or check out the episode page with the audio and full show notes. Or just subscribe… Continue reading

Calendar, Esther, Ethics, Feminism, Gender, Holidays, Leadership, Middot, Midrash, Purim, Tov! Podcast
February 25, 2021

Purim Playlist!

I've had fun making these, and hopefully you'll enjoy learning a bit about Purim and the month of Adar, one short bit at a time. A couple more are coming in the next few days. "Hamentashen for thought"! You can click on the video and watch it here, expand it, or click on the three… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Community Relations, Coronavirus, Current Affairs, Esther, Food, History, Holidays, Leadership, Middot, Pesach, Purim, Tikkun Olam, Tzedakah, Tzedek, USA
March 10, 2019

The Megillah, Rep. Omar, and Where We Go From Here

This post is based on the D'var Torah I gave at services on Saturday, March 9, 2019. I also plan another post with some thoughtful articles on the topic from other sources. I always set out extra books for services in addition to the Siddurim (prayerbooks), on the cart outside the Sanctuary and in the… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Esther, History, Holidays, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Islam, Israel, Justice, Leadership, MLK Day, Peace, Pekudei, Purim, Rabbi, Temple Beth Abraham, Terrorism, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA
February 28, 2018

Purim — Getting Out of Our Masks

This was my D'var Torah last Shabbat, the Shabbat preceding Purim. Max Friedman is a young member of our congregation. He recently graduated from George Washington University, but even before graduation Max was a digital entrepreneur. What makes me proud that he is part of our community is the way Max has channelled so much… Continue reading

Calendar, Esther, Holidays, Leadership, Purim, Young Jewish Adult, Youth