Justice, Justice You Shall Pursue

It has been a sad and tough week for our congregation. At least two of our own have lost their jobs. Three have lost their lives, a number of people are critically ill. I know our hearts and prayers are directed to these families. It seems that in communities, deaths tend to cluster together.

Gifts Please – Parshat Vayakhel 5776

Maimonides, our great Jewish legal expert from the 12th century, created a hierarchy of giving. It’s a series of eight levels, the order of which is based on the relationship between giver and recipient, with level one being the purest form of gift from one human to another.

Masks that Conceal, Masks that Reveal

This past week, we rented Jim Carrey's 1994 odd-ball superhero movie, The Mask, for Amitai to watch. Listening to your kid belly laugh in fits of hysterics is surely one of the most joyous sounds any parent can hear. Thank you, Jim Carrey. Your sense of physical comedy was unique.