Archives

Awe is Awesome Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   As we come together for Kabbalat Shabbat, I want to talk about something really awesome.  That is- the sense of awe itself.  In Hebrew we use the term [...]

Al Ha-Nissim:  The Miracle of Survival Rabbi Bonnie Koppell I wanted to call to your attention a special feature of our prayers during Chanukkah – the addition of “Al Ha-Nissim” to the [...]

Eliezer has a tough job in this week’s Torah portion. How would you like to be responsible for choosing a partner for your boss’s child? Talk about pressure! Yet, he comes up with a unique way to [...]

Noah and Nakedness Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   We all know the story of this week’s Torah portion, how Noah is identified as the only righteous person in his generation, and delegated to build an [...]

Bereyshit- Let There Be Light Rabbi Bonnie Koppell I recently read that “Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” (Carl [...]

What Unenforceable Rule is Driving Your Grievance Story? Rabbi Bonnie Koppell Kol Nidre, Temple Chai, 2022     Tonight we begin our Yom Kippur journey.  This time is a gift we give [...]

No Regrets in the Year Ahead Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   Listen to the words of Frank Sinatra’s memorable tune, “My Way.” And now the end is here And so I face that final curtain My friend [...]

I remember seeing an Army wall calendar that had a sign next to it, “Dates on the calendar are closer than they may appear.”  Isn’t that the truth? It feels like someone pushed “fast forward” on [...]

Emor:   Good Enough is the New Perfect Rabbi Bonnie Koppell The word “Emor,” the name of this week’s Torah portion, means “speak.”  In the Torah, God gives instruction to Moses to pass along to [...]

As we come together on this Shabbat, I want to speak for a moment about the controversy that erupted this week regarding a possible Supreme Court decision overturning Roe vs. Wade which made [...]