Posted by in Uncategorized Parshat Behar-Behukotai Leviticus 25:1 –Leviticus 27:34 This double portion ends the book of Leviticus. With 36 blessings and 49 curses contained in this portion, the third book of the Torah ends. The double portion takes place at Mt. Sinai—behar—at the mountain. And the closing verse of Behukotai tells us (Lev. 27:34) “These are the commandments…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized My classmate and colleague Rabbi Thomas Loucheim is the Rabbi in Tuscon, Arizona. Below are his remarks concerning SB 1070, the Arizona law on immigrants and the police. I am reprinting them here. It is not just those of us outside of Arizona that are alarmed at what is happening there and the attitude towards…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Okay now they have gone off the edge in Arizona. The latest report from the state is that teachers with “thick” accents will be let go. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Arizona Department of Education should remove teachers with “thick accents” or who are “ungrammatical” if they teach English. Is this more of…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized The disaster grows in the Gulf. The oil leak at the BP rig that exploded on April 20 has the potential to be an environmental disaster that far exceeds the Exxon Valdez disaster. It could be of monumental proportions destroying the Gulf of Mexico as we know it. Already the Federal government has closed the…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized What is with Arizona these days? I have to admit I like going every year to spring training with my son. It is one of our family rituals. But the news from there is frightening. First Jan Brewer the governor signed into law a terrible immigration “reform” bill. As I have written about previously it…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Jewish traditions teach us that on Shabbat we remove all the petitionary prayers from the Amida. In other words we don’t ask God to work on Shabbat either. And yet we make a Mishabeyrach-a prayer for healing. We ask for healing for our loved ones and pray that they recover with a healing of body and…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Parshat Emor Leviticus 21:1 -24:23 In the midst of this week’s Torah portion, Emor, is the calendar of the Jewish people. The holy days and festivals are outlined beginning with the most important, the weekly observance of Shabbat. We might not often think of this as a holy day related to Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur,…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Okay I am already on a plane back to Los Angeles that is the truth! But tonight at Kol Ami we are honored to welcome Ruth Messinger, president of American Jewish World Service. She will be speaking about LGBT rights in Africa and the great work of American Jewish world service. This is a co-sponsored event…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Tonight is the National History Panel here in Philadelphia. It is at 8:30 at the Arts Bank Theatre. This year the History Panel is dedicated to Religion and the GLBT movement. One of the earliest foundations of the organized movement was the founding of Metropolitan Community Church by the Rev. Troy Perry in 1968 even before…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized While here in Philadelphia I am meeting with young Jewish glbt activists at Penn Hillel. This group is called JBaGeL-Jewish bi gay and lesbian group. In February I met an amazing young man at the NUJILS conference. NUJILS is the National Union of Jewish LGBTIQQ Students. They meet annually over Martin Luther King weekend at a different college campus.…Read more »
Walking Humbly. Seeking Justice. Living with Hope. 