The peace of Shabbat invites us to love, to care for others. While the rest of the week opens our eyes to the material world, Shabbat opens our eyes to what is priceless. Being in community, loving and caring for others, opens our eyes to see the face of God (however we understand that). I see God’s face in the joy of young adults creating space, eating, praying, talking, and learning at Makom.
On my first trip to the State Fair I had my first taste of state politics, not just fried pickles on a stick. Candidates mingled with fair-goers at the great […]
The Twin Cities based law firm of Fredrikson & Byron numbers just south of 300 attorneys and professionals globally (though the truth be told, I think they are mostly here in town). Of this total, somewhere in the vicinity of 20-30 are Jewish, or one way or another, or leaning that direction.
The world loves to remember JFK. Schools and streets have been named for him; parks, buildings, and an airport bear his name. Children are named after him. He is quoted in speeches. His words rest on plaques and refrigerator magnets and bumper stickers. Images of his face adorn book covers, posters, and the walls of college dorm rooms, offices, and people’s homes. He is one of only a few figures in American history known simply by his initials—no further identifying factors are needed.
To use Tevye’s method of dissecting a problem, on the one hand, Judaism is an ancient religion. We, as Jews, define ourselves by our ability to act within a unified community where our practices bind us to each other and God. By bending Judaism to the aesthetics of a modern world, it loses its identity and ceases to be the community-defining force it has traditionally been.
I grew up in a silent spiritual world, the seed of what was yet to come, planted so deeply, it took years to sprout. But when it did I discovered healing, wholeness, a sense of belonging—to my synagogue, Shir Tikvah, and Judaism. But it took a long time, and required a lot of help, to get there, to get to this moment.
Sefer Bereshit starts out with the Hebrew letter “bet”. The first Midrash Rabba (and echoed in Yerushalmi Chagiga 2:2) notes that the reason this is not an “alef” is because […]
Is it possible to give something our full attention and find meaning in that moment, as well as everything else we do in life? How is this possible when we […]
Everyone knows someone who is affected by mental illness. Even if it’s not you personally, trust me, it hits much closer to home than you may think. In the Jewish community we assume those things don’t happen to us and therefore we don’t talk about it. This is a huge mistake. I think Jews, especially, take on the feelings of shame and guilt when we’re forced to keep secrets about loved ones and issues of mental health. That shame and guilt can eat away at you and make your quality of life miserable.
“A Rabbi and a dozen Jews hop onto a bar… and start pedaling…” It’s not the start to the weirdest clergy joke you’ve heard lately. Instead it’s a fun new way of taking Torah study out of the temple and onto the streets.