Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Proudly Jewish - Proudly Progressive
Imagine the scene. Moses calls to the entire Israelite community, not long after leaving Egypt and receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai, to offer gifts for the construction of God’s first sanctuary, the mishkan. The people bring a remarkable array…
The story is told of 2 men in a boat when one suddenly decides to start drilling a hole underneath his seat, the other man protests – “what are you doing, we’re all going to drown”. But the man drilling…
You may know by now about my great excitement, and our celebration with the “Women of the Wall at their victory” this past Sunday, Rabbi Denise Eger, the current president of the Reform movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis (the…
As Moses is about to climb Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, the Israelites gather at the base of the mountain, and affirm their commitment to fulfilling God’s commandments. Interestingly enough, they have not yet heard what those commandments…
This week marks the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In 2005 the United Nations General Assembly designated the 27 January as a day of commemoration for six million Jews brutally killed by Nazis. Many of us know and participate in the Holocaust Remembrance day at the…
Torah Sparks: Tu BiShvat – celebrating the birthday of all trees “Then the Eternal One said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. And you lift up your rod and hold out…
In Israel and Jewish communities around the world Tu B’shvat (the birthday of trees) is often thought of as the Jewish environmental awareness day. The holiday is a celebration of land, plants, and the seasons of Israel. Like on Pesach…
Good news from Israel! The High Court in Jerusalem ruled that women can apply to be director of rabbinical courts. In what has been hailed as a groundbreaking decision, the High Court of Justice in Israel ruled on Thursday that…
Torah Sparks on Parashat Bo Imagine living in a world in which violating the laws of morality leads unavoidably to consequences in the world of nature. When we read Parshat Bo, with Pharaoh refusing to let Israel go and with…
This is one of the more profound theological questions. To be able to name something or someone is to have a specific relationship to it or them, even a form of control. One can call out not just “Hey, You!”…