A Bible verse for the shelter’s door A D’var Torah for Parshiyot Behar-Behukotai By Rabbi Robert Scheinberg Rookie rabbi mistakes, chapter 1: One week after my arrival to my first full-time congregation that I served as a rabbi, at age 27, I was invited to a meeting of our local clergy coalition, and I met the director of the local homeless shelter. My synagogue had been one of the organizations that founded the shelter several years before. The shelter’s director, a wise, courageous, and gregarious nun named Sister Norberta who had led the effort to found the shelter despite local government opposition, warmly welcomed me and quickly told me that she had a special job for me. They were doing a renovation of the shelter and wanted to commission some Read More >

A D’var Torah for Parashat Emor By Rabbi Gerry L. Ginsburg There is a paradox in the commandment to light the Menorah in the mishkan, the portable sanctuary in the wilderness which appears in Parashat Emor. The flames of the Menorah were not there to give off light. The mishkan was fully constructed and operational, the first korbanot, sacrifices, were already completed favorably, when the commandment comes to tell the Levites, specifically Aaron, to light the Menorah daily. The light of the Menorah will emanate from pure, clear olive oil, unlike that used for any other function. God talked to Moses about lighting the Menorah and specifically directed Aaron to supervise. צַ֞ו אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ שֶׁ֣מֶן זַ֥יִת זָ֛ךְ כָּתִ֖ית לַמָּא֑וֹר לְהַעֲלֹ֥ת נֵ֖ר תָּמִֽיד׃ Command the Israelite people to bring you clear oil of beaten olives Read More >

May the Force Be with You A D’var Torah for Parshiyot Aharei Mot - Kedoshim By Rabbi Enid C. Lader (AJR '10) “The Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the whole Israelite community and say to them – You shall be holy, for I, the Eternal your God, am holy.” (Lev. 19:1-2) How would you define “holy”? What does it mean to “BE holy”? These are questions I asked Gavriel as we prepared for his becoming a bar mitzvah last year. Upon hearing my questions, he looked at me with a blank expression, but I could tell that he was thinking… and thinking… and hesitantly answered, “Religious?” Years ago, I had learned about and then taught other Jewish educators and teachers about Interactive Family Homework; this seemed like Read More >

See Me A D’var Torah for Parshiyot Tazria-Mezorah By Rabbi Greg Schindler (AJR '09) “See Me Feel Me Touch Me Heal Me” “See Me, Feel Me” (The Who) There was once a fellow who was so forgetful that, when he got up in the morning, he could not remember where he had put his clothes. One evening he had a great idea: He took a pencil and paper and wrote down exactly where he placed each item of clothing. He placed the note on his nightstand and fell asleep. The next morning, he saw the note and read off each item in turn. “Pants – on chair”. And there they were. “Shirt – on bed post.” There was his shirt. “Hat – on hook behind door.” And there it was. Suddenly, a worried Read More >