November 5, 2021 The Eile Ezkerah, or the “Martyrology” that is recited on Yom Kippur tells, in poetic form, the horrific torture and execution by the Romans of 10 great rabbinic sages. Though the account is quasi-historical, it does reflect the genocidal treatment of the Jews of Judaea at the … READ MORE

October 22, 2021 In this message: Message from the rabbi NEW FRIDAY NIGHT SERVICE TIMES!! 5:45 pm Thursday morning parasha class Steven Drachman’s book talk and recommendations I stumbled upon a story this week (from a dubious source, admittedly) about a photo that went viral of an Israeli soldier who … READ MORE

In this email: A message from Rabbi Sam Levine Two messages from Hannah Senesh Community Day School Acosta Molina update, PHOTOS October 15, 2021 I had an interesting experience two shabbatot ago. I took a weekend off from EMJC and was able to attend the bat mitzvah of the daughter … READ MORE

In a d’var Torah on this week’s parasha, my teacher Rabbi Jeff Segelman, Rabbi Emeritus of the Westchester Jewish Center, introduced me to the idea of “ah tzaddik in peltz,” a “righteous person in a fur coat.” The term was coined by the great Chassidic master, the Kotzker Rebbe, who … READ MORE

September 3, 2021   Dear friends,   A few last-minute points before we go into High Holy Day mode. This letter will contain: A letter from Sally Hipscher and me regarding our annual food drive (Sally and Audrey mastermind this great effort every year). A public-service announcement about the preliminary … READ MORE

August 27, 2021 Friends, In our Wednesday night Elul sessions, we have been compiling a tool-box of strategies for making the High Holy Day season and the coming year more meaningful. Last week, we looked at one of the Torah portions for Rosh Hashanah and discussed the idea of “seeing … READ MORE

August 20, 2021 Friends, We had an illuminating discussion this past Wednesday night in our Elul session about the human yearning to “be seen.” Being seen means that someone recognizes you for who you are, in your essence, in your humanity. We looked at the complex passages from Genesis 16 … READ MORE

Aug 13, 2021 Friends, The long, languid days of August are in full force. The summer is winding down. The city feels a little emptier and a lot steamier. The COVID “vacation” that I wrote about a couple of months ago seems, like the summer, to be on its way … READ MORE

June 25, 2021 Many in our country are deeply concerned about the “post-truth” age that we are living in. In an era of Q-Anon conspiracy theories that have gained astonishingly wide traction, of broadly disseminated election-fraud frauds, and a general rejection of demonstrable fact, certain fundamental values are being tested … READ MORE

June 18, 2021 There is a palpable change in the air. These last couple of weeks, many of us have been shedding our masks, letting our hair down, relaxing – at least a little bit! – into summer. The pandemic is not over, and there are reasons to be concerned … READ MORE