Enjoy some of our holiday photos!
FULL VIDEO
Modeling the Jewish Learning and Humanity of Our Late Teacher Rabbi Michael A. Signer.
Being Mindful in the Transient World
Reflection on Sukkot 5785
You’re probably familiar with the expression “a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” That was told to young women of bygone generations to encourage them to learn how to cook well so that they could “catch” a man. Well, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches, the same is true of coming close to God – The way to your neshamah (soul) is through your stomach as well, through the feeling you feel in both, your soul and your stomach.
On Genuine Teshuvah
Erev Yom Kippur 5785 Sermon
First, let me start with a little introduction. We live in times of war, terrible war. Our brothers and sisters in our homeland, Israel, experience it and are scared everyday. I will think of them and pray for them today, which I encourage or don’t actually need to encourage you. But the topic of this drasha won’t be related to the situation in Israel. Yom Kippur is a holiday of introspection. We look inside us, to do the final analysis of our transgressions, our wrongdoings, our moral condition and generally the time of self-assessment. It’s not about what’s going on in the world, it’s about what’s going on inside us. For this exact reason we fast – we don’t eat, we don’t drink, we don’t have marital relations, we don’t even wash (except for health and some rabbinic authorities allow – for hygienic reasons). It is all meant to strengthen our spiritual, internal self against our physical self, to weaken the physical self, which is often stronger than the spiritual one[…]
Things Hidden by Divine Loving Kindness
Thoughts on Parashat Nitzavim-Vayelech 5784
The Torah is actually not metaphysical. Yes, She mentions God very often but does not elaborate much about the Divine nature (except a few passages here and there). Metaphysics is not something the Torah is focused on. Her main focus is practical – to give us a moral and ritual code that will guide us on the path of righteousness and holiness. All of what I just said has a clear expression in our Torah portion for this week:[…]
Writing from Warsaw
I am writing from Warsaw. In a few hours, I will return to Walnut Creek. Still, my emotions are raw from being a fellow mourner but lifted somewhat by meeting the newer Step by Step students, seeing old friends, and visiting familiar places in Warsaw at this time before the fall holidays. It is a warm fall, and people are still outside in the cafes.
The Golden Age of Progressive Jewish life
Remembering Rabbi Burt Schuman (1947-2024)
Rabbi Burt Schuman (1947-2024) was the first full-time rabbi in Warsaw’s Progressive congregation, Beit Warszawa, later Beit Polska. Schuman passed on Shabbat morning, Kee Tavo. His brilliant late career was marked by a surprisingly quick grasp of Polish and Yiddish.
He was a gifted teacher and shared musical and vocal talents that inspired a city to emerge into a spiritual awakening.
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