From the Rabbi's Desk

I’m on a plane flying back to Atlanta from NYC. I was blessed to spend the past four days learning with colleagues at the Hadar Rabbinic Intensive Yeshivah. The learning was deep and incredible. I look forward to telling you about the classes I took and the learning I did, but for now, I want to stay focused on the weekly פרשה/parsha/portion, or more importantly, the special שבת/Shabbat, שבת זכור/Shabbat Zachor.

Each...Read more...

The world is founded on certain principles. Some of them are scientific laws of nature and others are fundamental values all of humanity needs to live by. We expect that, in the end, the good will prevail and the evil will fall. We expect when people do good, the world is made better, and when people do bad, the world is made worse and that those who did the bad will suffer. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t work like a well scripted movie....Read more...

“Great warrior. Hmmm. Wars not make one great.” (Master Yoda) These words spoken in The Empire Strikes Back sum up the feelings of Yoda and what wars are about. They are not about making a name for oneself. Wars are not fought out of choice. Wars are not good. Wars are a necessary evil in the world because we have yet to figure out how to solve problems without violence. Wars continue to exist because we, as a species, want power and that...Read more...