What is Our Song?
(Reposting of my sermon from three years ago) Of all the countries in Europe, Estonia is not the largest, and clearly not the most well known. A small country ...
Category: Dorshei Emet
Why Revenge? Dvar Torah Vayechi
Playgrounds sometimes can be unfortunate models for how the world functions. A few weeks ago, I was at our favorite park with my kids and they were having...
Every Person Matters
One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something. – Henry David Thoreau Sometimes in the Torah, the smallest and most seemingly insignificant...
I Submit to This Truth
Whenever tragedy strikes in the world, we start asking the toughest of questions, and we often become unsure of what should be done to bring us back to a place ...
Parshat Toldot-Digging the Wells of Tradition
The story of this week’s Parsha is a familiar one-the story of Jacob and Esau, the loss of a birthright and the trickery of a son who desires to get the blessin...
The Same Paths
Elul Message: Week Two In a few weeks I will be running a marathon. While not my first, spending these final few weeks training in the month of Elul has been es...
Entering Elul
Just a few days ago, we entered the month of Elul, the holy month before the High Holidays. As we are often told, this month is one of deep introspection ...
From Purim to Pesach
Now that we have recovered from the joy of Purim, we can begin the slow but steady journey into Pesach, the holiday of freedom. The two holidays are always one...
Quebec’s Bill 21 and Religious Freedom
I wrote this dvar Torah a few months ago when the CAQ came into power, and were considering a ban on religious symbols for provincial workers. Last week t...
When We Need Joy
Oy, do we need Purim this year! Like so many other texts of our tradition, the Purim tale is one of survival and victory over oppression. ...