September 23, 2022 Friends, As we make our final preparations for Rosh Hashanah, which begins Sunday night, I wanted to share some information about the service this year so you will know what to expect. But first, four important reminders: Your voices add greatly to the service. It is not … READ MORE

9.16.2022 Department of Corrections: If you read my piece last week about the Catholic priest who had to resign his position because of a (seemingly minor) liturgical error, you would have read an uninformed assessment of the theological implications of said error. As I noted in the piece, “I am … READ MORE

September 9, 2022   I’d like to begin by reminding everyone of our first Elul program which will take place this Sunday at noon. We’ll explore some of the themes of the High Holy Days through the music of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and others as we prepare for these … READ MORE

September 2, 2022 Explained   Elizabeth Ann Said to her Nan: “Please will you tell me how God began? Somebody must have made God. So Who could it be, ’cos I want to know?” And nurse said, “Well!” And Ann said, “Well? I know you know, and I wish you’d … READ MORE

August 26, 2022 One of the delights of where I’ve been nestled over the past year, in downtown Montpelier, VT, is the garden out back. It’s a common area, shared with two sets of neighbors, encircled by our houses and other small buildings.  There’s a secret quality to the space, oasis-like; passing by streetwise, from any … READ MORE

August 19, 2022   With Tisha b’Av in the rear-view mirror and the new month of Elul only a week away, we are firmly planted in getting-ready-for-the-High-Holy-Days mode. As I mentioned in my sermon last Shabbat, I have been there for weeks. I was given the honor of being asked … READ MORE

July 1, 2022 As we move into the July 4th holiday weekend, a time when we celebrate the founding of our country, many of us are treading lightly. Over the past couple of weeks, the revelations of Congress’ Jan 6 oversight committee and the overturning of Roe v. Wade by … READ MORE

Dear friends, This past Shabbat, my son Matan, the bar mitzvah, spoke about gratitude. Specifically, he referenced the Ramban’s (Nachmanides’) commentary on verse 11:1, in which the Israelites complain “bitterly before the Lord” and an angry and frustrated God punishes them by sending a fire to ravage the camp. Trying … READ MORE

May 13, 2022 The following is a copy of my sermon from last Shabbat. It addresses the issue of the leaked draft decision of Justice Samuel Alito that would overturn Roe vs. Wade. I had mentioned in my piece last Friday that I would follow up with these remarks. I … READ MORE

May 6, 2022 Dear friends, The inyana d’yoma – the “matter of the day,” is the news that exploded at the beginning of the week about Justice Alito’s draft decision, which, if it maintains the support of four other justices, would overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. … READ MORE