Stories,photos

187 results total, viewing 71 - 80

Lessons from a failed rebellion in the desert

If you have been keeping up with our weekly Torah portions, you know that we are now following the adventures of the ancient Israelites as they travel the Wilderness of Sinai. Moses, as leader and … more

d'Var Torah | 7/5/19

What’s in a name? In the case of Hanukkah, a lot

During religious school a few Sundays ago, I challenged my sixth- and seventh-grade students to identify the central idea of Hanukkah in as few words as possible. As you can imagine, some … more

d'Var Torah | 12/4/21

Our legacy may lie in our actions, not our names

Our Torah portion this week is named after Pinchas, the grandson of Aaron, who is rewarded with the continued priesthood in his family for zealously upholding the high morals of the Torah. Soon … more

d'Var Torah | 7/1/21

Find joy in the valleys, not only on the peaks

Parashat NoahGenesis 6:9-11:32 You may have heard the sound as Jewish professionals everywhere breathed a sigh of relief last week with the advent of Rosh Hodesh Heshvan. That is because Heshvan, which follows Tishri, is the only Jewish … more

d'Var Torah | 10/10/13

An added measure of holiness at just the right time

As always , we ended our sedarim with the words l’shanah haba’ah birushalayim , “Next year in Jerusalem!” For my congregation, Temple Etz Chaim of Franklin, Massachusetts, … more

d'Var Torah | 5/2/19

As we age, our spiritual lives can grow

In parashah Lech Lecha, Abraham is invited by God to leave his country, his homeland, the city of his birth, to travel into the unknown and begin a new nation and religion. Not so unusual … more

d'Var Torah | 11/3/22

Torah and t’shuvah as we get ready for Days of Awe

Some people swim in the summer. Some climb mountains. I like to see plays. One summer, my family and I attended a production of “Hamlet” that was preceded by a theater … more

d'Var Torah | 9/7/18

The holiness of marriage

Parashat Vayigash Genesis 44:18-47:27 The d’var Torah for this issue would normally be on this week’s Torah portion, Yitro. However, the theme for this special issue is weddings. How might those two be combined? As we know, a rabbi … more

d'Var Torah | 1/17/14

Get lost – it may be just what you need

The Torah portion just before Shavuot is named Bamidbar , which translates to “In the Wilderness.” Our rabbis have long been fascinated that the Torah was given to Israel … more

d'Var Torah | 5/25/17

Beware the tendency to play God

There is nothing that the Hebrew Bible seems to despise more than worshipping anything that is not God. Of all the sins proscribed in our most sacred texts, the most obnoxious to God is the sin of idolatry. And there is no idolater who is more … more

d'Var Torah | 1/7/16