Rosh Hashanah Sermon 5786 - Stay Connected, Hold Simultaneous Truths, Act
09/25/2025 01:41:22 PM
I have turned to a line from Psalms this year – Psalm 27 said throughout the High Holidays this year. Chazak v’amotz libecha – Let your heart be strong and courageous. Amidst intense polarization, a hair trigger readiness to write off those who disagree with us that has created a climate of anger and contempt – coupled with unfathomable antisemitism - strength and courage can feel distant and elusive. Today, I will explore how...Read more...
Ki Teitze – The Power of Interpretation and Evolution
09/07/2025 04:09:58 PM
Ki Teitze – The Power of Interpretation and Evolution
When Phoebe and I were studying this portion, there were some laws that we came across that did not seem to be holy, meaningful or moral. Amidst a portion...Read more...
Reeh - Seeing What Might Be - The story of Henrietta Szold
08/26/2025 02:56:07 PM
Reeh - Seeing What Might Be - The story of Henrietta Szold
Today I want to tell you stories of an extraordinary woman, who may be one of the most influential people in the 20th Century – but many don’t know her...Read more...
Eikev - Power of Gratitude
08/20/2025 04:42:58 PM
Eikev - Power of Gratitude
Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel once said: “If the only prayer you say throughout your life is “Thank You,” then that will be enough.”
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Shlach - Believe in Peace
06/21/2025 09:13:07 PM
On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, I shared with our community some of my experiences being in Israel during the Gulf War. I was in Jerusalem on a post-hight-school gap year program. We were mostly Americans, and when the war began, the dorm emptied out. Something like 80-90% of the girls went home. Those of us who remained were issued gas masks, and had the experience of rushing to a sealed room several times a day in response to...Read more...
Rabbi Ilana's Goodbye Sermon
06/14/2025 03:00:28 PM
I still remember exactly what I spoke about in my first sermon for CBJ. It was short and sweet. I’ve noticed over time, as I've gotten more comfortable being a rabbi -- my sermons have been growing longer. Today, I’ve got a lot to say. Forgive me in advance for my length, and even more so for the imperfection of my words.
Prior to World War II, Jews were the driving force of Germany’s intelligentsia. To give you...Read more...
Nasso - Never Let Them Make You Small
06/07/2025 09:13:49 PM
Take your fist, and hold up your thumb for a second so it covers my face.
It’s kind of amazing, I’m only ~20 feet away from you, but that’s enough that the half inch or so of your thumb can completely hide my face.
Please put your thumbs down, I want to see your faces.
I want to talk to you today about the ways in which...Read more...
Behar – God Owns the Land
05/24/2025 02:12:21 PM
Behar – God Owns the Land
This has been a very painful week for the Jewish community. To learn that two beautiful young people, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, who worked at the Israeli embassy, were murdered in cold blood after attending a Jewish communal event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC – has left us shaken and upset.
We grieve. Let’s allow ourselves to grieve and...Read more...
Change is Hard
05/10/2025 02:06:42 PM
Someone at my first night seder offered an astute observation. I’m abashed to say, we had a full table, and I can’t remember who said this, as I would have liked to give them credit. They pointed out that Judaism often asks us to “remember”. The Purim-Passover season begins with Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat on which we are command
Change is hard. Even when a change is overall positive, there is still a...Read more...
Their Stories are Part of Ours
04/30/2025 06:08:04 PM
Someone at my first night seder offered an astute observation. I’m abashed to say, we had a full table, and I can’t remember who said this, as I would have liked to give them credit. They pointed out that Judaism often asks us to “remember”. The Purim-Passover season begins with Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat on which we are commanded to remember Amalek. In the kiddush every Friday night, we make a declaration: זכר...Read more...
Grieving with Israel and Bibas and Lifshitz Families
02/22/2025 10:52:55 AM
Israel President Isaac Herzog captured our emotions this week, when he said: “The hearts of an entire nation lie in tatters.”
Every loss is wrenching and devastating. This year has brought all kinds of anguish to our heats and our souls – but the loss of children hits in an even deeper place. Kfir was 9 months and Ariel was 4 when they were kidnapped. In many ways, we felt like they were our children. Their red hair and smiles...Read more...
Yitro - Can We Talk to Each Other?
02/19/2025 11:01:01 AM
Soon after the election and before the inauguration, I listened to a class taught by Rabbi Jan Urbach for the Jewish Theological Seminary entitled Speaking Across the Divide. She is wondering about the question that I have lifted up for many years that has grown even more difficult and painful in the past month: Can we as a country, a Jewish community or synagogue or even across national borders continue to stay connected despite our...Read more...