Contemporary Life
A year ago when we celebrated Pesach, I don’t think we realized that we were actually ENTERING Egypt, Mitzrayim, the narrow place, the place of confinement. A year later, we read the Haggadah through an entirely new lens. The brilliance of our tradition and rituals is that the depth of…
You may have missed a sad, recent event in the news. Overshadowed by current events, the death of Alex Trebek, long time host of “Jeopardy,” was barely noticed. No, I’m not a serious fan of the show, but I am a fan of questioning, and Alex Trebek was the man…
Updated: Dec 8 It’s impossible to ignore today’s date. December 25th. As a Jewish minority living among a Christian majority, we can’t help but be aware of the significance of this date to our friends and neighbors, who celebrate today the birth of a first century rabbi and teacher, Jesus…
September 11, 2020 It’s Sept. 11th. You just can’t ignore that date. Or maybe you can? It’s hard to believe it was 19 years ago, so there is a whole generation for whom Sept. 11th is the day after Sept. 10th and the day before Sept. 12th. But not for…
I want to invite you to take a breath. A deep breath. Let it out slowly and luxuriously. Pause now, and, at your leisure, inhale once again. The average person takes 23,000 breaths a day, virtually all of them completely unconscious. What is it like when we hold our breath?…
Talk delivered at Community Church of the Verdes, 27 January, 2020, Rabbi Bonnie Koppell Well, it is a daunting task that you have set for me. “Judaism.” Not- Jewish Ethics, the Jewish Lifecycle, Jewish Holidays, Jewish Texts, Jewish History- all of it! Five thousand years in 45 minutes. The story…
Is it kosher to interrupt someone? According to an article by Kira Bindrim, “There are times when it’s okay to interrupt someone. If they have food on their face? If their dress is tucked into their tights. If a tsunami is coming up behind them. And there are times when…
Senator John McCain “How mighty ones have fallen.” (II Samuel 1:25) John McCain served the people of Arizona as our elected representative in Washington, DC, for over 40 years. The memory of the righteous is for blessing. He will be remembered for his dedication to duty, continuing his family’s…
Light Shabbat Candles- Your Jewish calendar tells you what time candle lighting SHOULD be each week. Forget it. Candle lighting should be whenever you get home on Friday night, even if it’s super late and you’re tired. There’s a reason that Shabbat is the only ritual in the 10 commandments…
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