Rabbi David Kosak created this video and letter as a message for our Portland community students who are ready to say enough is enough to gun violence. He offers ways that he will support this movement with energy, help to amplify their voices and provide resources as appropriate. Please help spread this message of support to our students. Rabbi Kosak can be contacted at: thirdway@nevehshalom.org.

What I wanted to do was send out a blank message this week. I wanted people to open the Oasis Songs link and see nothing but white, and know that like you, I’m speechless once again. Maybe just two words in large font at the top: Parkland, Florida.

Parshat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1-24:18) is arguably the most glorious legal section of the entire Torah. It features rich material that addresses legal and religious matters even while providing a welcome dose of wisdom. Almost any single law from this section of the Pentateuch has generated enough material to occupy a student for long months, if not years.

It’s been one of those on and off again things, but I am pleased to announce that the Israeli Deputy Counsel for the Pacific Northwest region will be speaking at Congregation Neveh Shalom on Tuesday night, February 27th at 7 pm. While she and I are still hammering out details of her presentation, this is an important opportunity to interact with a rising star within the diplomatic community.

In its earliest iteration, as recorded in the Talmud, this was tree tax day. Tree tax day? Yes. When most human wealth flowed out of our agricultural endeavors, our ancestors understood that they had to share the bounty quite literally. The Torah itself commands us about the need to tithe our harvested wealth, but does not always specify the mechanism for doing so.