What Makes Us Whole?

In Parashat Emor, we find one of the Torah’s more difficult passages — a section that limits which kohanim, which priests, can serve at the altar. A priest with a visible difference — blind, lame, injured, or with a disfigurement — is instructed not to offer the sacred sacrifices.

To modern ears, this can feel jarring. It brushes up against our values of equality, inclusion, and dignity. But maybe we can approach this not as a closed door but as a doorway into deeper conversation.

Planting Hope in Fragile Soil

This Shabbat, we find ourselves at a crossroads of deep reflection and joyful celebration. The Torah portions of Tazria and Metzora speak about illness, healing, isolation, and return. They tell…

The Shoreline of Memory

On the Seventh Day of Pesach, when the festival meets Shabbat and memory meets hope, Rabbi Adrian M. Schell offers a tender reflection from the edge of the sea—both literal…

Omer Counting 2025

The Omer marks our journey from freedom to purpose — day by day, step by step. Download your free counting sheet now from my website and join the tradition of sacred time.

Bak, Buk, and the Great Purim Heist

Wasn’t that a great Purim weekend? Such fun. Thank you to all who attended and contributed to a great celebration. By the way, did you notice this year’s most ambitious,…

In the Shadow of Beauty

Shabbat Ki Tissa brings us face to face with a rare figure in our tradition—Bezalel, an artist whose name itself means “in the shadow of God.” Bezalel’s job was special:…