Taking Sides

February 24, 2022

My Testimony on “Divisive Concepts”

I testified at two committees of the New Hampshire legislature on bills to change or repeal our new "divisive concepts" law — Senate Judiciary and House Education. I said essentially the same things at both hearings. Here it is, video and my written statement (they are the same). Mr. Chairman and Honored Representatives: Thank… Continue reading

#integratingamerica, 9/11, Antisemitism, Books, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Education, Equality, Ethics, Freedom, History, Holocaust, Hope, Immigration, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Jewish Education, Justice, Leadership, Study, Taking Sides, Teacher-Student Relationship, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA, Youth
July 20, 2021

Ahavat Yisrael or Sin’at Chinam — Learning From the Destruction of the Temple

This is the D'var Torah I gave on Saturday, July 17, Shabbat Chazon — the Shabbat preceding the fast of Tisha B'Av, which commemorates the destruction of the two Temples in Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the Romans. I want to tell you a story from the Talmud often taught at this time of year, around… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Current Affairs, High Holidays, Holidays, Israel, Jerusalem, Justice, Lashon Hara, Leadership, Middot, Peace, Taking Sides, Talmud, Tisha B’Av, USA, Yamim Noraim
December 10, 2020

Thinking Out Loud — COVID Curfews

I'd like to be using my blog more to model and invite some ethical deliberation more of the time. This is something I dashed off to post on Facebook the other night. Particular references are to my locale of Nashua, NH, but it's relevant for elsewhere. Wondering about the curfew debate. This isn’t an argument in favor… Continue reading

Bioethics, Coronavirus, Current Affairs, Ethics, Freedom, Health Care, Leadership, Patience, Science, Taking Sides, USA
January 23, 2017

Crowdsourcing a Sermon on Integrity and Community

After the inauguration of President Trump and the nationwide protest marches, I am planning what I think will be a series of Shabbat morning sermons. I want to attack from various directions the question of how to weigh or integrate pursuing one's convictions with creating and sustaining a broad political community where there is fundamental… Continue reading

Community Relations, Current Affairs, Election, Ethics, Freedom, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Leadership, Patience, Peace, Taking Sides, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA
January 20, 2017

Inauguration Day Thoughts

I did a lot of my thinking about today even before Election Day, so attached is what I said in our synagogue on Yom Kippur. The theme was "repairers of the breach", after the words of the prophet Isaiah. I was pretty sure then that the division that we felt then and feel today would… Continue reading

Community Relations, Current Affairs, Election, Ethics, Inclusion, Justice, Lashon Hara, Leadership, Patience, Peace, Taking Sides, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA
October 14, 2016

Yom Kippur Sermon and Sukkot

I've posted my Yom Kippur sermon, a reflection related to the election year and my previous post. Also I have some material on the site here related to Sukkot, the festival that begins Sunday night. Chag Sameach! Continue reading

Calendar, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Election, Freedom, Health Care, High Holidays, Holidays, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Islam, Justice, Leadership, Rabbi, Sukkot, Taking Sides, Temple Beth Abraham, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Yamim Noraim, Yom Kippur
October 7, 2016

Making an Impact on the Election Conversation Through Big Questions

It feels good to know that a thoughtful question during a presidential election makes a difference. When I had the chance to ask a question on a televised town hall to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in February, I went for what my colleague Rabbi Josh Feigelson calls a "Big Question." Josh differentiates between "Hard Questions"… Continue reading

Community Relations, Current Affairs, Election, Ethics, Freedom, High Holidays, Islam, Justice, Leadership, Taking Sides, Television, Terrorism, Tikkun Olam, USA, Yamim Noraim, Yom Kippur