This is a complex episode that blends my experiences on Yom Kippur, a wedding I officiated the day after, and the final parsha of the year. I hope you enjoy it!

What is it we're really doing on Yom Kippur? Because if we don't believe in sin, and maybe especially don't believe in God, then what is it? It's actually pretty deep. Take a listen.

How do we know when to trust our intuition? How do we get to a place where we can trust others? That's what I explore today. Dare I ask that we have a sweet new year?

Last week, I found myself in very different worlds, closing off the outside world, as I did two funerals and a wedding. I closed off my feelings for what was happening in the wider world, aware that I could not handle all at once. And then I returned to "real life" and the news. It wasn't easy...a part of life we all have to navigate as we come in and out of different places.

A beautiful poem that I tend to read for funerals...by Mark Nepo

Have you seen A Discovery of Witches, or read the book? Such incredible lessons among the bloodthirsty vampires, powerthirsty witches, and...I'm not sure what to say about the demons, they seem so tame in comparison. There are lessons about racism, but most of all about hidden powers, powers we don't even know we have...Take a listen, take a watch, leave a comment...

If we can face the things we most fear in life, maybe we can turn the fears--what feel like curses--into blessings. Shabbat Shalom!

This week, I take inspiration from those who came before me, including Mary Oliver. Short and sweet. Shabbat Shalom

Between Tisha B'Av, the saddest day (but also conflicted day for me) in the Jewish calendar, and the two Torah portions that bookmark this holy day, not to mention Mr. Sleazy from last week, I have a lot of things to say about personal responsibility this week. To understand what the hell I'm talking about, take a listen! And Shabbat Shalom.

As we enter a more hopeful and exciting period in U.S. history at this moment, with a new presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Waltz ,we face the myths of "childless cat ladies" running our country coming from the Trump/Vance campaign. As we begin the book of Deuteronomy, Moses also seems to be showing signs of trauma, as our country is traumatized in so many ways. I, too, had to deal with a somewhat traumatic situation last week with a funeral I did, which I'll tell...

Between war and vows, misogyny and tribalism, the Torah is again relevant this week. And between the excitement of Kamala Harris' campaign, her willingness to fight, her lack of fear to confront Trump, to confront misogyny and tribalism--and her heart--there is hope.

It's kind of scary--or relevant--when the news corresponds to something in the Torah in the same week. It's about anointing, but it's relevant who is being anointed. How do we know when something is ordained by God? Take a listen and leave a comment!

Here's what I'm drawing hope from this week when everything feels so dire: Dr. Ruth. Have a listen, and leave a comment--and a blessing! Visit my website, https://realrabbinyc.com to see the latest!

With the mess of the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, our aging and feeble president who refuses (so far) to step out of the race, our lack of good choices in what is supposed to be a democracy, the war in Gaza, Climate Disaster...what courage can we take from the lessons of Torah and this week's Parsha? There are actually some good ones. Including some surprises in the news that can help us build our own faith for our future.

Tomorrow is July 4th, potentially and supposedly a time of celebration and fireworks. What is there to celebrate in this difficult political moment? And what about those fireworks???? And what about that Korakh???

I saw a shocking thing today when a little boy grabbed his mother's phone and threw it into the lake. This led to a very long conversation with a friend about our phones, parenting, putting people in boxes, and the panic that has gripped us all in different ways. We told a whole story about this mother and her son, and then came the story of the spies in this week's Parsha. Take a listen and leave a comment! Shabbat Shalom.

I have so much on my mind this week. Things I wanted to say about last week's Parsha that I didn't get to, things I want to say about the recently rescued hostages, among other things. Listen and let me know your thoughts!

It's early in the week to have to be inspired, yet, Shavuos is coming tonight, and I need it now! So I found an interesting little anecdote to share. I hope you enjoy--and find inspiration in them as I did. Gut Yontif, Chag Sameach, and good Shabbos!

There was a lot to celebrate this week in my family; a wedding, and then a graduation. So much love, so much joy, so much pride. The graduation was especially impactful in its diversity, its connection to our roots, and that students walked out in protest of the war in Gaza--and the university president ignored them completely, as if they weren't there! In this week's parsha, as we begin the Book of Numbers, everyone is counted. So this all got me thinking about how we all count--or don't....

When do we whisper, and for what purposes. That's what I explore in this episode based on this week's Torah portion and all its horrible, horrible curses, and what's happening in the world.

This week is about living in harmony with the Earth, and what Torah tells us about that. But I tell a personal story of going to stay with a good friend who has a farm. What a needed time. I hope you get your fix too.

Do you ever start out thinking you have nothing to say and then you realize you have so MUCH to say? That's how it was today. There's such interesting meat in the Netflix movie You People and the Parsha this week. So listen and find out! Leave a comment please, as well, with any thoughts you might have pertaining to the questions I leave you with. It will help others find me! Thanks ahead of time! Shabbat Shalom.

I'm late getting this out, but the ideas expressed here are relevant for any time. The challenge we are given by our Bible to "love our fellow as ourselves," and also not to "hate our fellow in our hearts" are both difficult tenets to live by. Humans are very judgy people, and when we don't agree with others and how they live their lives, or they challenge our sense of identity, we can become angry and hateful. I come to this with more questions than answers, and challenge us all to approach...

It’s hard to live expansively these days, with an open heart and an open mind. But is it possible?