Body of Water – Yom Kippur 5778

I’ve been staring at the edge of the water, Long as I can remember, never really knowing why, I wish I could be the perfect daughter, But I come back to the water, no matter how hard I try

Loud Action, Not Silent Prayer

4:30 a.m. My 13-month-old cries out. Because of pain? A bad dream? I’ll never know for sure, but his cries pierced the air and I was jolted awake. I jumped up to comfort him, held him in my arms, kissed his soft cheek, and nursed.

Fidgety – Rosh Hashanah 5778

I don’t know if you were aware, but there was a major ruling in Jewish law in May of this year. This may have significant implications regarding your Jewish observance, so I urge you to take note and give serious consideration to the gravity of this decision.

Meaning to the Mundane – Parshat Ha’azinu 5778

Are certain moments objectively meaningful, or are we responsible for assigning all meaning? There are plenty of events we call “life changing,” the ones that rock you to your core. Moments like the birth a child, the loss of a loved one, a great success in life – these are typically the ones that leave us forever changed in some way.

A New Year’s Letter

This will be my last Oasis Songs before the New Year. The following several weeks, our holiday cycle also means that I’ll be communicating with you primarily in services, and will look forward to returning to our shared space here after Simchat Torah.

New Year’s Reinventions

Susan Nanus entered rabbinical school when she was 54 years old. Now 67, Rabbi Nanus is a member of the clergy team at Wilshire Boulevard Temple, a thriving center of Jewish life (and of historical note, the first synagogue in Los Angeles). You might not have heard the name Susan Nanus before, but you might be familiar with the work she did in her previous career.