Parashat Ha Shavua Commentaries

It is well known that on the night before he was assassinated, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. seemed to prophecy his own death. “I might not get there with you,”  he said to the crowd of striking sanitation workers, and supporters, and ministers that came to see him. He was talking about the Promised Land. He was talking about freedom and equality. King was talking about justice. He did not get there with them, with us. Read more...

According to US News, 80% of people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by the second week of February. According to OnePoll it takes the average person 32 days or less to break their resolution. Spoiler alert: This custom of “New Year’s resolutions” to lose weight, exercise more, save money, or eat better is highly likely to fail. You are not at fault. The truth is, keeping our resolutions, changing our behavior, creating new habits is really hard. We need support, progress trackers, realistic goals, and constant reminders. Read more...

Each December, the blood pressure of the Jews of America rises.  Once a year, we feel like outsiders in our own country – bombarded by songs announcing the birth of the “king of Israel,” watching the seasonal eruption of good cheer and kindness (soon forgotten in the drunkenness of New Years,) returning home to unlit, treeless houses amidst the stirring color, smells, and lights of Christmas. December can be a depressing time to be Jewish.  Read more...

As I re-read this week's Torah portion (the first of four which narrates the story of Joseph and his brother), I was struck anew by the Torah's description of Joseph's journey into slavery. Read more...

On Veterans Day, we honor the veterans who served our nation and recognize those who have made personal sacrifices for our country and fought for our shared values. Other nations and times in history have seen mandatory conscription to the armed forces, but today the United States is blessed to have a volunteer military corps. While this reality is a blessing to those citizens for whom military service is not a personal ambition, it is also a reality that creates a divide of experience between civilians and service members, both past and present. Read more...