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Baruch HaBa! Welcome to my personal website. In addition to my blog, here you will find reflections on the weekly Torah portion, and information on who I am as a rabbi. I am excited to share my thoughts, experiences and love for Judaism with you and invite you to join in conversation with me.
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I am pleased to announce that after close to a year of transition from Buffalo to my new appointment at Temple Beth Ami, I am now able to begin writing again. While my blog and sermons pages will only occassionaly be active, I will update new Torah commentaries each week, starting in 2017, Enjoy!
February News: |
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Israeli Cabinet Approves Full Egalitarian Section at Kotel!
After years of intense negotiations, there will finally be a place for non-Orthodox Jews to pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. To read more about this extraordinary decision by the Israeli Cabinet, click on the photo above.
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Celebrating the One Year Anniversary of our Collaborative Interfaith Food Pantry
One year after our quiet opening last Winter, we are now feeding nearly 175 families each month through our Town Square Food Pantry. You can learn why this pantry is so special by clicking on the picture of members of our volunteer team.
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January Notes:
Fighting Poverty in Buffalo
With hope for real movement to help alleviate poverty in Buffalo, I am proud to be one of four local religious leaders backing HIRE Buffalo - a plan by Assemblyman Sean Ryan to establish a local government-run jobs bank. If successful, this initiative will require business who receive subsidies as part of the "Buffalo Billion" to hire qualified workers from within Buffalo before outsourcing jobs to private headhunting firms. This would effectively guarantee that at least some of the funds being delivered by the state for economic development here will be used to lower unemployment and therefore poverty. To read our January 14 letter published in the Buffalo News please click on the photo. |
Tu B'Shvat Under the Snow
On the evening of January 24th, we begin our celebration ofTu B'Shvat, the New Year of the Trees. If you are cold and tired of the all the snow, here is a little Tu B'Shvat warmth. Just click on the photo below: 
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Warm Wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2016
Chag Uriam Sameach!
Happy Hanukkah!
May this Festival of Lights
bring light into our homes,
our communities and
throughout the world.
bring light into our homes,
our communities and
throughout the world.
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November Note:
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Why Wait Until Thanksgiving?
Jewish Tradition Teaches Us To Cultivate
Gratitude
Daily
According to Jewish Law, we are supposed to offer 100 blessings each and every day - and in effect - create 100 moments for which we can say, "Thank God!" For the month of November, I have also decided to keep a gratitude journal, and I challenge you to do the same. Each night I will list three people/things for whom/what I am grateful (and sometimes even why). However, to make the most of the exercise, I will also follow the following simple rules (and if you take the challenge with me, I hope you will do the same):
Rule #1 - No Repetitions - each entry must be unique, so that by the end of the month, our lists will be LONG!
Rule # 2 - Appreciate Our Bounty - I will take a few moments each day to look for and appreciate the blessings in my life - and then do it again as I write each entry in my journal
Rule #3 - Offer Spontaneous Thanks to God - for each entry I will take a few moments to direct my gratitude towards Heaven, and you can do the same, no matter how you frame your Higher Power.
Rule #4 - Express Our Gratitude to People - when it comes to people, it's not enough to just feel grateful, we need to express it - expressing our gratitude is wonderful for both the giver and the receiver.
Rule #5 (Optional) - Share Our Gratitude Lists - if you want to share then why not, and if not, then that's fine too - please feel free to share here on this site or through your favorite social media outlets
Rule # 2 - Appreciate Our Bounty - I will take a few moments each day to look for and appreciate the blessings in my life - and then do it again as I write each entry in my journal
Rule #3 - Offer Spontaneous Thanks to God - for each entry I will take a few moments to direct my gratitude towards Heaven, and you can do the same, no matter how you frame your Higher Power.
Rule #4 - Express Our Gratitude to People - when it comes to people, it's not enough to just feel grateful, we need to express it - expressing our gratitude is wonderful for both the giver and the receiver.
Rule #5 (Optional) - Share Our Gratitude Lists - if you want to share then why not, and if not, then that's fine too - please feel free to share here on this site or through your favorite social media outlets
October Happenings:
With (from left to right) NFJC Chair John Horn, NFJC President Lana Benatovich, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and TBZ congregants Howard and Valerie Rosenhoch
The NFJC Dash for Diversity
Buffalo was blessed with beautiful weather for the NFJC (National Federation for Just Communities) Dash for Diversity on October 11th. It was a real honor to participate not only in the mutli-faith kickoff service, but also (after the serious runners began their race) by walking the route through the greenery of Delaware Park. The Dash for Diversity supports the NFJC's mission to overcome racism, bias and discrimination by building understanding, respect and trust through education, advocacy and community involvement. |
Hoping and Praying for Peace in Israel
The past several weeks have witnessed an increase of violent attacks by Palestinians against Israelis, and both Israelis and Palestinians have been killed. I share my own thoughts and prayers on my blog page, along with a refreshing and powerful article by Palestinian peace activist Bassem Eid,
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Celebrating In September:
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An Inspiring Community Selichot
Members of Congregation Shir Shalom, Temple Beth Tzedek and Temple Beth Zion gathered in our Broder Center for Education on September 5 to observe Selichot in preparation for the High Holy Days. We started with sweets and Havdallah, before beginning our evening of introspection and worship together. This year our rabbinic panel discussed "the Sound of the Shofar" and for the first time, we were honored to have Orthodox Rabbi Netaniel Cadle, join Conservative Rabbi Perry Netter and myself on the bimah. I was very much impressed by the wisdom my colleagues offered. and how our very different answers resonated with each other. Our conversation lasted about one hour, and was followed by a lovely worship service led by our amazing community cantors. What a blessing it was to begin this season together! If you would like to read my musings about the shofar, please click on the button below. |
How the Year Began
This year Rosh HaShanah was not only the birthday of the world, but the birthday of my life-partner and soulmate Shauna. So it's already a great year! Our worship services left me tired but joyful, and ready to embrace and/or tackle whatever the year brings. I have now posted my Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur sermons in two written formats: one in blog format, and one as a downloadable PDF (which you can find at the bottom of each sermon blog entry under the 'sermons' tab). However, these were written not to be read, but rather to be heard. I believe that both my evening and morning sermons were recorded, and will upload mp3 versions as soon as they become available. Just click on the 'sermons' tab above if you would like to hear or read them - and may this year be filled with blessing for us all. |
Understanding Sukkot in New Ways
In many ways, the festival of Sukkot has taken on new meaning for me this year, possibly because of my experiences this summer with our community trip to Israel and also marching with NAACP in South Carolina. It is as if my soul has been opened up to a whole new vista of spiritual possibility. What are these "new flasks" for the "old wine" of Sukkot? Please click on the link below to find out! (Also, please note that I have written two different blog entries, each with it's own separate teaching).
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An August to Remember:
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A Covenant between Presbyterians and Jews in Pursuit of a More Just World
I feel truly blessed to help lead two synagogues and two Presbyterian churches in a year long conversation about Israelis, Palestinians and Peace in the Middle East. The real conversation began at an interfaith picnic on August 23rd as we explored our differences and began to develop a greater sense of mutual understanding and respect. Please click on the button below for more information. |
America's Journey for Justice
Along with nine rabbinic colleagues, I proudly participated in the NAACP sponsored 'Journey For Justice' on August 27th. The 40-day 860-mile walk from Selma to Washington D.C.will, we pray, bring greater attention to the racial discrimination that continues to plague our nation. Along the way almost 200 Reform rabbis will participate, between us making sure to cover every mile of the route. TBZ member Dr. Philip Glick and my daughter Stephanie joined us as we 'prayed with our feet' in the tradition of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. If you would like to join the march just click on photo below. 
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel marches in Selma with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
If you would like to read about our experience please click on the button below. |
Mussar at Canyon Ranch
I returned as a presenter to Canyon Ranch for a few days, a health spa nestled in the Berkshires, to teach three sessions on Mussar (a beautiful form of Jewish Ethical Spirituality). If you would like to taste a little Mussar, please click on the button below. |