All posts in "Israel"
Will American Jews Self-Combust?
September 16, 2015[callout]What follows is the sermon delivered the first night of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. click here [/callout] A couple of years ago I was asked to deliver a lecture over at Common Ground in Deerfield. It’s an interfaith learning center founded in the early 1970s. Some of it earliest supporters were members of our […]
What Harry Potter Taught Me About Antisemitism
February 26, 2015I have been reading the Harry Potter books alongside my seven-year-old daughter. By far the most intriguing character is Voldemort, otherwise known as “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.” [featured-image single_newwindow=”false”] When I first hear that description, I thought of the ways Jews reference God. When referring to God outside of prayer, many traditional Jews say “Hashem” which means “the […]
Can the Bible Explain the Violence in Israel?
August 3, 2014I just finished writing a book on Passover and the Exodus from Egypt. One of the parts I struggled most with is Pharaoh’s violence and God’s hardening of his heart. [featured-image single_newwindow=”false”] Recall the setting: It is Exodus chapter nine, and Moses and Aaron have urged Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Thus far, Pharaoh […]
When Lies Become Truth: Why You Should Care About Antisemitism
July 24, 2014It feels like a bad dream. Last week, while hundreds of Jews prayed in two synagogues In Paris, rioters surrounded the buildings and trapped them inside. It took the arrival of battalions of French police to secure a safe exit. The story triggered my heart and mind. See, while I have never experienced overt antisemitism, […]
Can We Listen to Anyone Other Than Ourselves? Remarks to a group of Israeli and Palestinian Students
July 17, 2014This week and next, 40 high school students from Israel and the Palestinian territories are gathering in Chicago for serious dialogue. I will be addressing the group this Friday evening. Here is the gist of my remarks. As you gather here this evening, your homeland is engulfed in war. Your families live in fear. A rocket […]
God Never Gives Up Hope: A Prayer for Israel
July 13, 2014I remember my first visit to Israel in 1994. The Oslo Accords had just been signed. Hope reigned. My group was greeted warmly in the Arab market in Jerusalem. The opposite feelings prevail today. We witness bombings, indiscriminate hatred, vitriol. Dozens of my friends who are there now share words of sadness and despair. Can […]
Why Do Jews Care So Much about Israel?
June 22, 2014Last year I attended the Irish Fest in my hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The music and ambience make it one of most unforgettable days of the year. Listening to a concert, I struck up a conversation with someone standing next to me. I told him I was a rabbi, and once we got past the […]
You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right
May 2, 2014As a parent I have to teach my children they do not always get their way. It’s not only important. It’s hard. Our culture reinforces the idea that with enough money or looks or connections, we can get anything we want. Life experience proves otherwise. None of us get our way all the time. We have […]
The Blessings of an Imperfect World
March 12, 2014The most charming character in Disney’s hit movie Frozen is the snowman Olaf. He is goofy and wise at the same time. His wisdom is a gift for each of us. Why Olaf? Olaf is a snowman who dreams of summer. For him it is perfect in every way. It is the time , as he […]
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