Contemporary Life

Creation, the beauty of the creation, is a foundation of Kabbalat Shabbat.  We begin with 6 psalms, one representing each day of the week, each day of the creation of the world, culminating in [...]

  When Jessie was pregnant with Helena, we had a baby shower for her.  Cards were passed out, and among the questions was, “I hope that you always remember, fill in the blank.”  What is it [...]

Tevye Explains It All:  Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Judaism Can Be Learned  From “Fiddler on the Roof” Rabbi Bonnier Koppell Erev Rosh HaShanah 2021, Temple Chai, [...]

Taps For Private Jason Daniel Hasenauer/Taps for Afghanistan Rabbi Bonnie Koppell Temple Chai, August 2021   At Kabbalat Shabbat we reflect on the week that is drawing to a close.  My week [...]

Shabbat Nachamu Now! Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of Comfort.  It’s an actual date ON the Jewish calendar.  It occurs every summer, in the 7 weeks of comfort and [...]

Korach, The National Week of Conversation, Antisemitism, and Us Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   This week’s parsha is named for Korach, who, in my humble opinion is one of the people in the Torah who [...]

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 [...]

Alex Trebek and Parshat Bo Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   You may have missed a sad, recent event in the news.  Overshadowed by current events, the death of Alex Trebek, long time host of [...]

New Year’s Day 2021- Chazak, Chazak. . . Rabbi Bonnie Koppell   Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek- that’s what we’ll say at the end of this week’s parsha, and it seems to be a good prayer [...]

Judaism and Christianity:  A Rabbi’s Christmas Sermon Rabbi Bonnie Koppell Temple Chai- Phoenix, Arizona Dec. 25, 2020   It’s impossible to ignore today’s date.  December 25th.  As a [...]