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April 15th, 2016/7 Nisan 5776 In our Torah portion last week we read the description of people who have the mysterious skin rash tzara’at, and learned what the priest should do to diagnose and care for those who are infected. This week, we move from skin rashes to the even more mysterious house rashes: “When you […]

April 8th, 2016/29 Adar II 5776  In most cultures and for much of human history, there was no concept of sickness and disease as primarily a “medical” issue, as a problem with our physical bodies. A person did not get sick from bacteria, an infection or a disease. Instead it was often believed that sickness was […]

Oy, is it nice to have Purim! March 18th, 2016/8 Adar II 5776 Like so many other texts of our tradition, the Purim tale is one of survival and victory over oppression. We have our heros, Mordechai and Esther (and some would argue Vashti), who through creativity and strength manage to save their people and […]

March 4, 2016 Next week we celebrate International Women’s Day, a day which acknowledges the role that women have played in our society and recognizes the need for continued growth and change as we create a more just and equal world. In our community, this can be a time to reflect not only on women’s […]

February 19th, 2016/10 Adar I 5776 As I have explored synagogues around the world, it has been fascinating to observe the different customs of how people dress for services. In some communities, it is common for worshipers to attend Shabbat services in jeans, and in others, a suit or dress is the most appropriate and respectable […]

February 5, 2016/26 szwat 5776  This week, a new chapter of the story of the Jewish people begins. We have made our way from the family stories of Genesis, to Moses and the escape from Egypt. The Jewish people begin their years of wandering through the desert, they have crossed the Sea of Reeds, and they […]