Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Chaverim, Repentance is acceptable, the Rabbis teach, at any time, but the special time for repentance is the season from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, the Ten Days of Penitence, our High Holy Days. In all the rabbinic sources, repentance…
by Rabbi Robert A. Jacobs The sixth Hebrew month, Elul, begins this coming Shabbat as the last month of 5778, a little anomaly resulting from the setting of the first day of the seventh month, Tishrei, as Rosh Hashanah. If…
Chaverim, At no other time of the year are we more exposed to the vulnerability of our own existence in this world as we are during in this season of the High Holy Days. It seems that our holy texts…
Chaverim, In our journey of the High Holy Days, our tradition invites us not only to find our inner selves, but also to deepen our conection with those who lived before us and prepared this path for us. Our forebears…
Chaverim, Tisha B‘Av marked a turning point in our preparations towards the High Holy Days. The days of rebuke and warning are replaced by those of comfort and love. God is not only the judge, assessing our short comings, but…
This week, South Africa celebrated Mandela Day in honour of a man who undoubtly was a light for this nation, and also a light to the nations. Our Jewish tradition teaches us that striving for justice and equality is the…
We loved. And we wept. We were kind— and spoke thoughtfully. We were faithful and trusting. We put forth effort. We were mindful. We embraced. We took delight in the holy books. We were creative. And we yearned. We fought…
YOUR BOOK OF LIFE doesn’t begin … on Rosh HaShanah. It began when you were born. Some of the chapters were written by other people: your parents, siblings, and teachers. Parts of your book were crafted out of experiences you had…
This Torah portion records Miriam’s death in one simple verse, “Miriam died there and was buried there.” Unlike the 30-day mourning period for her brother Aaron, who dies later in the same Torah portion, neither her brothers nor the community…
The revolt in the Israelite camp reached its climax at a mass meeting of the rebels. The majority of the speakers were from the tribe of Reuben. In their so-far sharpest attack, the rebels questioned Moses and Aaron and held…