Women are under attack. Yes, there is a rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan and President Obama is convinced that we must send more troops to defeat them. The Taliban treat woman as sub-human. Requiring their complete covering in the burkha from head to foot. They have no rights and are treated as chattel by…Read more »

Today is World AIDS Day. For me the faces of so many friends are vivid in my mind’s eye. Friends who I buried. Young men who died during the 80’s and 90’s. I buried so many of them. In the early years I remember when people got diagnosed and died within days and weeks. Even…Read more »

Parshat Vayishlach Genesis 32:4-36:43 Rabbi Denise L. Eger Bob Dylan sang “the times they are a’changin’”. But it isn’t time that is changed or really even society. The changes reflected in time and societies are those changes that are made in each one of us. Collectively when we learn, grow or even if we give…Read more »

Parshat Vayetze Genesis 28:10- 32:3 Rabbi Denise L. Eger This week’s Thanksgiving holiday is a time to open our eyes. As Americans we think of the Pilgrims and Native Americans of the Wampanoag tribe that sat down to a meal to celebrate the bounty of the first white man’s harvest in the New World. One…Read more »

So many people are already off to visit family and friends for their Thanksgiving feasts. Wednesday is the busiest travel day and my hat is off to those of you who will fly, drive, train or bus it to be part of a Thanksgiving meal. For me, Thanksgiving is the ultimate stay at home meal.…Read more »

Just came from the hospital. My son’s father is in CCU and we are praying for him to heal quickly and that God’s strength surround him. We are praying for a complete recovery and that God grant him the courage and calm to face the healing process. We are praying for all of his caretakers…Read more »

Today is Transgender Day of Rememberance. November 20, 2009 is the eleventh international day of remembering transgender individuals world-wide who have been murdered because of their way of being in the world. It was founded to commemorate San Franciscan, Rita Hester, whose murder in 1998 launched a web project “Remembering Our Dead.” This oberservance grows…Read more »

Parshat Toledot Genesis 25:19-28:9 Rabbi Denise L. Eger This week’s Torah portion begins with prayer; the prayer of Isaac and the prayer of Rebecca. Isaac and Rebecca had been childless. Isaac pleads with God on behalf of his wife (Gen. 25:21). We do not know the content of his prayer to God. We only know…Read more »

My congregant and friend Howard Jacobs died on Wednesdsay. He was a congregant at Congregation Kol Ami but he was truly a hardworking, intelligent, and dedicated AIDS activist. He worked tirelessly to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and the plight of those affected by HIV/AIDS. He used his knowledge, force of personality and humor to change…Read more »

A blogger/journalist was with my group of rabbis in Israel recently. You can find the video here.