Rabbi Jon 's Website and Blog

New web host, new look! Bear with me while I set things up and make sure the content and links I had before are updated in the coming weeks.

Simchat Torah

July 17, 2026

Four Takes on the Book of Deuteronomy (Shabbat Chazon, Devarim 5782/2022)

This was my D’var Torah on August 26, 2022 for Parashat Devarim, the beginning of the book of Deuteronomy. When you look at the Torah in the scroll or even in a book, it all looks the same – the stories, the laws, the recipes for meals at the altar, the census lists and travelogues,… Continue reading

Books, Brit, Calendar, Devarim, High Holidays, History, Holidays, Jewish Education, Leadership, Moshe, Parashat Hashavua, Prophets, Simchat Torah, Study, Synagogue, Teshuvah, Torah
October 3, 2025

My Annual Ode to Another Time Through the Whole Torah

From the intensity of Yom Kippur — I hope it was meaningful for those who observe it — this Shabbat is the final time we read the regular weekly Torah portion without a festival. Here is what I’ll say about that in services tomorrow, a version of my annual ode to this incredible syndicated serial… Continue reading

Calendar, Haazinu, Parashat Hashavua, Simchat Torah, Torah, Yamim Noraim
October 13, 2023

Two Kinds of Darkness, Two Kinds of Light, Two Kinds of Torah

This is (I think) the D'var Torah I have for services this Shabbat tomorrow. The Torah reading begins with the very beginning of the Torah. It's one week since the Hamas atrocities began. Thank you to Rabbi Rebecca Rosenthal and Rabbi Aryeh Klapper for helping me unlock this, though if anything is off it's on… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Bereshit, Calendar, Current Affairs, Eight, Gaza, High Holidays, History, Holidays, Hope, Israel, Midrash, Noach, Parashat Hashavua, Patience, Prayer, Simchat Torah, Terrorism, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Yamim Noraim
September 30, 2021

So What Exactly Is The Torah?

We start the annual cycle of reading and studying Torah once again this week! So, what is the Torah when you zoom out and think about it as a whole, and not just story by story or teaching by teaching? Continue reading

Bereshit, Books, Calendar, Education, Parashat Hashavua, Simchat Torah, Study, Theology, Torah
July 29, 2020

Pitchers and Catchers, Candles and Circles, Rivers and Apples: How Rituals Will Really Help Us Approach This New Year

This is almost too good to be true: the beginning of the month of Av in the Jewish calendar this year coincided with opening day for Major League Baseball. Usually around this time of year I show you this T-shirt based on an observation by Rabbi Morris Allen at my parents’ shul about the absolute… Continue reading

Calendar, Coronavirus, Current Affairs, Devarim, Elul, High Holidays, Holidays, Parashat Hashavua, Prayer, Ritual, Rosh Hashanah, Simchat Torah, Spirituality, Sukkot, Teshuvah, Torah, USA, Yamim Noraim, Yom Kippur
October 6, 2009

Simchat Torah

A short (three minute) podcast about celebrating Simchat Torah, with one small traditional melody that you can learn. Also on the melodies page are some links to songs of the Hallel service, which we will do on both mornings this weekend, courtesy of the web page for Cantor Ken Richmond of Temple Israel in Natick,… Continue reading

Holidays, Simchat Torah

Simchat Torah

Four Takes on the Book of Deuteronomy (Shabbat Chazon, Devarim 5782/2022)

My Annual Ode to Another Time Through the Whole Torah

Two Kinds of Darkness, Two Kinds of Light, Two Kinds of Torah

So What Exactly Is The Torah?

Pitchers and Catchers, Candles and Circles, Rivers and Apples: How Rituals Will Really Help Us Approach This New Year

Simchat Torah