Shabbat Shuvah
Turn us unto You, Adonai, that we may be turned. Renew our days as of old. -Lamentations 5:21 This Shabbat is Shabbat Shuvah – The Shabbat that falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, in the midst of our High…
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Rabbi Adrian Michael Schell
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
RabbiAdrian
Parashat Nitzavim and Rosh HaShanah
„I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, so that you may live, you and your children.” – Deuteronomy 30:19…
The Edge of Everything
We gathered, all of us, having walked this long road Before. There is so much I don’t remember of it: Cold and dust and heat-cracked pavement And noise! God, the noise– It could tear you apart and get inside your…
Appearing before a rabbinical court
One of the best rewards that I could receive as a Rabbi, teacher and a friend is the following letter that Neebashnee sent to me. Especially during this month of Elul, let’s strive to be more positive thinkers, be grateful…
Parashat KiTavo: Embedding in the past
In Ki Tavo the Israelites are commanded to bring their first fruits as an offering: “When you come into the land that the Eternal your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live…
Parashat Re’eh: Freedom and Responsibilities
Our weekly Torah portion is “Re’eh”: “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse. The blessing; if ye shall hearken unto the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day – And…
Parashat Ki Teitzei: A fall back upon for wisdom and guidance.
Our parashah this week, “Ki Teitzei”, offers us yet another opportunity to be inspired by Moses’ review of what God demands of our ancestors in order that they fulfil their national destiny to become a holy people, a Godly people.…
The month of Elul
The month of Elul is a time of repentance in preparation for the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The word “Elul” means “search,” which is appropriate, because this is a time of year when we search our…
The pursuit of justice is critical and of central concern for any society
The pursuit of justice is one of the most frequently repeated concerns, and not only of the Torah, but of Jewish tradition. Any society, so the teaching, is to pursue justice in dealing with social, political, and international matters. In…
The High Holidays are around the corner…
Although the month of Elul–the sixth month of the year, which immediately precedes Rosh HaShana has no special importance in the Bible or in early rabbinical writings various customs arose sometime during the first millennium that designated Elul as the…