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Rabbi Bonnie Koppell is the Associate Rabbi of Temple Chai in Phoenix, AZ, where she also directs the Deutsch Family Shalom Center.

Rabbi Koppell was one of the first female Rabbis in the United States and holds the distinct honor of having been the first female Rabbi in the U.S. Military.  She served in the US Army Reserve for 38 years and retired in 2016 with the rank of Colonel.

Rabbi Koppell’s writings have been published in numerous books and journals. She is a frequent newspaper columnist and a much sought after speaker.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Opposite of Thanksgiving

      Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving, the quintessential American holiday focused on gratitude and based on the Biblical holiday of Sukkot. What destroys gratitude more than anything else? Envy. There’s a good reason that the 10 commandments prohibit coveting, that is, desiring, that which belongs to others. It destroys our souls and defeats happiness. Gratitude is …

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Two Inspiring Stories

SAM AND DEDE/LAURAL AND ARNIE This is the story of Laural and Arnie Sigal and Dede and Sam Harris- how they became friends, how that friendship grew, and how we can all be inspired by their story. Making guests feel welcome is a fundamental Jewish value. In Hebrew we call it, “hachnassat orchim.” We see …

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Mussar and Mindfulness

           Rosh HaShanah- what a gift! What a luxury! What a joy! Looking around this room, we are each so grateful for the blessing of our physical well-being that enables us to be here, and for the blessing of community- sharing the start of this holy season with friends and loved ones. Tonight we begin …

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Remember Me Like This

            We could all die tomorrow, or, in fact tonight. The reality is that we don’t know and so it is easy to avoid thinking about. On this holiest of nights, we peel back the façade and take a peek at our lives as they will appear in the rear-view mirror. What is it we …

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