Rabbi's Week in Review Blog

This past week, I faced a tragic loss. A dear friend of 42 years, David Matsil, died of pancreatic cancer a mere 10 days after diagnosis. This was a friend from college who ended up marrying my brother-in-law’s sister. He was actually one of my two closest friends from my undergraduate days. Sadly and ironically, I lost the other friend, Steve Levy, to pancreatic cancer as well, although he survived five years after...Read more...

This past Shabbos, we explored how our individual character traits impact the work we do in helping others, the strangers in our midst. The catalyst for this particular Kol Ami Shabbat study session encompassed three elements: (1) This past week began the Jewish month of Elul, a time in which we begin to contemplate who we are and how we act, all in anticipation of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur; (2) last week’s Torah portion,...Read more...

This past week, those of us who are regulars for weekday-morning prayer and study held a celebration. We, along with a significant portion of the Jewish world, completed study of the second tractate of the Babylonian Talmud — Tractate Shabbat. We have been engaged in what is known as Daf Yomi, a page [of Talmud] per day. Through Daf Yomi, in about seven years and a little over five months we will have studied from each page of...Read more...

Among the Jewish values of which I am particularly proud is the idea of Machloket L’Sheim Shamayim — argument for the sake of heaven (found in our MIshnah in Pirkei Avot 5:17).  The idea that we need disagreement in order to learn leads us to not just tolerate dissent but welcome dissent.  

In order to understand what is expected of us as Jews and to act in accordance with G-d’s will, we study...Read more...

While my blog has generally focused on what we can and should do to support other people and other communities — and/or what we can and should do for our own community — I want us to catch our breath and not forget about our individual selves. At the risk of stating the obvious, the COVID-19 pandemic is wearing people out.

Another way to put it is, if you are feeling beleaguered, you are not alone. This is as...Read more...