Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Silence enables evil
IN JUDAISM, THE most important principle is not what we believe, or how much we study the Bible,…
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Priestly blessings for everyone’s children
WHEN OUR CHILDREN were young, we welcomed Shabbat (the Sabbath) into our home on Friday nights and incorporated…
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: People of all faiths show compassion
THERE CAN BE great inspiration found in people’s responses to tragedy.
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Sometimes one must leave their narrow places
DURING PASSOVER WE celebrate the redemption of our people from slavery and their escape from Egypt.
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Short answers to frequent Judaism questions
EVERY YEAR, FOR the past 30 years, as part of their World Religions unit, I have spoken to…
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Finding our light through service to needy
THIS WEEK’S TORAH portion continues telling the story of the Jews’ journey through the wilderness.
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Bring back the light within us all
THE DAYS HAVE been growing shorter, and even when the sun does shine, it generates so little heat…
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Chase the hate from our hearts
THE JEWISH MYSTICAL tradition of Kabbalah teaches us that every word, even every thought has a ripple effect…
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Celebrate renewing relationship with God
“THE DAY HAS come to take an accounting of my life.
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Beware of theocracy
WHEN THE U.S. Constitution was ratified, Jews looked to this new country as a place where they would…
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Use words, actions to help heal the broken world
“A GENTLE ANSWER turns away wrath, but hard words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Learn from the past or risk repeating it
IN NUMBERS 11: 1-29, a recent Torah portion read in Jewish communities, the Israelites are wandering the desert…
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Use prayer to find strength to act
“THE HOLY ONE says to Israel: I bade you pray in the synagogue of your city, but if…
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Where is the holiness in today’s culture?
“YOU SHALL BE holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2).
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: To coexist, see ‘only the good in all religions’
THE TALMUD TEACHES that the righteous of all nations have a share in the world to come.
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Be vigilant in protecting religious freedom
JEWS BEGAN YOM Kippur recently with the haunting chant of Kol Nidre (“all vows”).
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Never forget, because history is watching
NEVER FORGET. HAVE these words about the Holocaust become a cliche? There seems to be a weariness about…
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Gratitude crucial to a well-lived, -balanced life
IN JEWISH TRADITION when celebrating a special occasion or showing gratitude for a new and unusual experience, we…
Life
ISSUES OF FAITH: Be careful not to let fear guide your actions; instead, trust in God
A RECENT TORAH portion tells the story of Moses sending scouts from each of the 12 tribes into…