Midrashic Monologue: Did you ever wonder what Abraham thought about in the years following his “almost-sacrifice” of his son Isaac? Based on Parashat Vayeira and the Akeidah, we imagine Abraham’s inner struggles.
Category: High Holy Days
To Be a Jew Today
To be a Jew today
Rabbi Paul Kipnes offers a definition for today's world.
2 Stories and a Blessing for the New Year
2 stories and a blessing for the new year. How will you make the next 365 days matter?
Lifting the Veil of Silence about Mental Illness
It is time for us to lift the veil of silence around mental illness, talking about it and our mental health journeys. Especially in the Jewish community.
How My Synagogue Helped My Child Save Herself (in her Battle with Depression)
A mother speaks about her appreciation that the Congregation Or Ami and its rabbis offered deep support for their daughter on her battle with depression.
Confessions from the Edge of a Cliff: My Teen Mental Health Journey
Teen Dani, an 11th grader, shared her mental health journey (through depression) to an overflowing synagogue on Yom Kippur.
That Time I had it Out with God
The mother died four days after her daughter became Bat Mitzvah. And then I had it out with God.
Isaac’s Story in the Akedah: The Two Walked on Together
What are Isaac's thoughts on the Akedah, when his dad almost sacrificed him? A first person perspective about sons and fathers.
Embracing Nuance and Complexity on the River of Life
Embracing complexity and nuance: Talking to your family friends whose opinions you hate.
Sara S. Lee: The Jewish Educator who Saved my Soul
Sara Lee's wisdom and truth-telling transformed what once was an anxiety-filled season of frenetic High Holiday scrambling into a more introspective period of thoughtful High Holy Day preplanning and ultimately deeper meaning.
High Holy Day Lessons from an Alaskan Glacier
As a house-sized iceberg was calved from the Alaskan glacier, we discovered poignant lessons for the Jewish High Holy Days.
Holding Torah During Kol Nidre
Brad Halpern of Congregation Or Ami, Calabasas, CA reflects on the meaning of holding Torah on Kol Nidre.
Teens Take Over High Holy Day Children’s Services
Wouldn’t your heart soar too, if children left the High Holy Day children’s program and services kvelling? When older teens lead and mentor younger teen leaders, they felt energized as they passed on the responsibility of Jewish educational leadership to their younger peers?
Preparing to Breathe Your Last Breath: Lessons Learned While Sitting with Jerry and David
Lessons learned while taking their last breaths. Reflections on bikkur cholim (visiting the sick) with David and Jerry. A Yom Kippur sermon.
Heal from this Election Cycle… Be Chesed
Be Chesed. In the midst of this election, choose unlimited overflowing love as your response. My Rosh Hashanah sermon