The Aloha Spirit Rabbi Bonnie Koppell Shalom Aleichem. How would you translate that? Peace be upon you. We know the word Shalom as we pray so often for that elusive sense of peace. [...]
Mishpatim: Trust, But Verify Rabbi Bonnie Koppell A Temple Chai member approached me at the nosh a couple of weeks ago with the words, “Rabbi, can I ask you to do me a favor?” I replied, [...]
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 [...]
