Posted by in glbt, judaism, tikkun olam, Torah Commentary Here is my interview in the Advocate. Although they got some facts wrong. My Ordination year is wrong—it is HUC-JIR 1988. I came out publicly in 1988 What Does Judaism Say About LGBT People? | Advocate.com.
Posted by in Uncategorized Tonight we begin the Festival of Sukkot, our Fall Harvest Extravaganza! In our day and time this is a most overlooked by liberal Jews. With so much emphasis on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur the rest of the High Holy Days- Sukkot, Hoshanah Rabbah, Simchat Torah are often passed by. In the ancient days this…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized The musical piece that followed my Erev Rosh Hashanah Sermon is below. Cantor Mark Saltzman and Jeremy Gimbel with Alec Milstein on Bass http://youtu.be/XyyIcfp27PQ
Posted by in judaism, tikkun olam Shana Tovah Wow! Wasn’t this something. Thank you Cantor and Jeremy and the Kol Ami New Year’s Band for such an uplifting beginning to our Rosh Hashanah 5775! We all need awakening for the New Year. Tonight we can say goodbye to the tzoris of last year. For the last few months I just…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized The Universal and Particular Next week we will be observing Rosh Hashanah. I look forward to greeting each of you at our magnificent High Holy Day services at the Artani Theatre at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC )in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles. Our New Year’s observances are different than many other…Read more »
Posted by in judaism Friends, I am so excited to announce the publication next week of the new book “Lights in the Forest” by CCARPress. Edited by Rabbi Paul Citrin, I have contributed to this important anthology which has several essays about theological and philosophical questions. This time of year as we prepare for the Jewish High Holy Days…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Los Angeles is in a winning frenzy and it isn’t even award season! Los Angeles teams, the Kings, Ducks and the Clippers are battling in their respective sports ‘ playoffs. Even if you are not a great basketball or hockey fan you can’t escape the determination and grit that these players show during each game. …Read more »
Posted by in judaism Every year at Passover the great debate rages: to eat kitniyot or not. Kitniyot are a classification of food that Jews of Ashkenazi descent (European) do not eat and Sephardic Jews (Mediterranean) do eat them. For example, Ashkenazi Jews would not eat rice on Passover and yet, Jews from Morroco, Spain, or Turkey would absolutely…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Fred Phelps Died today at age 84. He was the founder of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. How did this former civil rights attorney become such a vicious hater of gays and lesbians, Jews and America? Ironically, his own family excommunicated him from the very Church he founded. Hate always turns in on itself.…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized This week we Jews prepare for the holiday of Purim. Perhaps you think Purim is only for the kids. If so you miss some of the most important lessons for our day and time. Purim is a holiday of merriment but it masks some very important discussions and questions! The whole notion of dressing in…Read more »
Walking Humbly. Seeking Justice. Living with Hope. 