Purim has come and gone, but its lessons linger. As we return to our routines, I find myself still thinking about Esther—not just the queen who saved the Jewish people but the young woman who had to hide who she …
Dear Friends,
People at services suggested that I publish the following remarks I delivered last Friday night marking the return of the bones of Kfir and Ariel Bibas, and of Oded Lipshitz. The title for this essay comes from our …
Rabbi Hillel often said: If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?
These famous words from one of our greatest sages continue …
How much can I hold
In my hotel room wrestling
With my suitcase
And all the experiences I’ve accumulated in 4 days
Can they all fit?
Israeli, Educator, American, and Immigrant perspectives, can I hold space for each lens in …
Dear Friends,
Judaism is a religion that is based on deeds, not doctrines. Unlike other faith traditions, it has no creeds. Although the Sh’ma comes close to it, the Sh’ma is more a statement of fact than a statement of …
As we approach Shabbat Shira – the annual musical commemoration of the Song the Israelites sang after crossing The Sea, we’ve invited longtime member and Shabbat Band regular Dennis Klainberg to share his thoughts on making music at RSNS. I …
My sixth-grade class was exploring Lech’L’cha-the Torah portion in which God instructs Abraham to leave his home and take his family to a new land, Canaan, as the journey of the Jewish People begins. And in my typical fashion, without …
Dear RSNS members and Gan Shalom families,
As we all struggle to comprehend the magnitude of devastation caused by the ongoing fires in California, our hearts go out to all who have experienced loss or dislocation, and to our members
Dear Friends,
There are two declarations hanging on the south wall across from Shahrzad’s desk in the main office, one commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversary of our congregation’s founding, the other our fiftieth anniversary, each signed by members who were present …
Sometimes we forget what miraculous times we live in. Recently, I was reminded of this when I saw an image of four people wearing Santa hats, building a snowman, and decorating a Christmas tree. What made it miraculous was that …
