Always a Bridemaids Never a Groom

Please see my good friend Robin Tyler’s amazing and funny Show on June 19 at the Acme Theatre on La Brea. ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID, NEVER A GROOM (the love story behind Prop 8).  Performing Artists  Robin Tyler When: Sunday 06/19/11 3:00 PM Ticket Price: $25.00 for Ticket without dinner discount. $30.00 for Ticket plus 25%…Read more »

19 Years and going strong

Today is Kol Ami’s birthday.  Our congregation is 19 years old. It is the actual date on the incorporation papers of our congregation.  Wow! We have done so much in such a short amount of time.  We have engaged in incredible social action and social justice causes.  We have created amazing musical programs. We wrote…Read more »

Where did the time go

It is hard to believe two years have gone by since my installation as President of the Southern California Board of Rabbis! But tonight my good friend and colleague Rabbi Judith HaLevy of Mailbu Jewish Center will become the second woman to hold the office of President! WOW!  And tonight at her installation celebration another…Read more »

Help New York

Are you a New Yorker? Former New Yorker? Know someone who lives in New York?  You can be a part of history by pushing for Marriage Equality there. The Governor, Andrew Cuomo has been pushing hard to get a Marriage Equality bill through the New York Legislature. But there is opposition especially from upstate Republicans…Read more »

The Sanctity of the land

Parshat Behar/Yom Haatzmaut Leviticus 25:1-26:2 Parshat Behar teaches us about the cycles of the land. Specifically it teaches about the sabbatical year and the Jubilee year.  These are cycles of land rest every seventh year and every fiftieth year.  Just like Shabbat each week, the seventh day, when human beings and work animals are to…Read more »

Mazal Tov Presbyterians

Finally, justice for my Presbyterian friends. Yesterday the Presbyterian church voted to finally ordain openly gay and lesbian folks who were in relationship!  This is huge.  For years the struggle in this church has been to deny ordination first to gay folks, then only to gay folks who were single, or celibate.  A requirement not…Read more »

Number 63

It’s Israel’s Birthday.  Number 63!  Well the Modern State of Israel is 63 years old today.  It is Yom Haatzmaut, Israel Independence Day.  Of course Israel is 1000’s of years old.  It is an ancient land, the Promised Land of the Torah.  And it is 63 years since the revival of the political entity of…Read more »

Keep the cause alive

Today is Yom Hazikron -Israel’s Memorial Day. It is a day to remember all those who gave their lives to defend the State of Israel.  Throughout its more than 60 years Israel has had to defend its very existence from hostile neighbors.  In 1948 it was Egypt and Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.  And today Hamas…Read more »

Honoring Mom

Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms.  Honoring parents is such an important part of Jewish tradition.  Of course it is number 5 on God’s top ten list!  Honor your father and mother!  So I always consider Mother’s Day and Father’s Day important Jewish holidays. But Mothering Day was always a part of ancient religions.…Read more »