Blog

Just as the Torah is at the center of Judaism, the ballot is at the core of our democracy. We would not dream of returning the Torah to the Ark without first dressing it. It helps, then, to think of the outer envelope as the ark and the inner security envelope as our ballot’s Torah cover.

I suppose I’ll have to wait another five years to attend the WZC in real life, but most importantly, I hope that all Jews will continue to have a seat at the table. May this week of deliberations bring unity and, like Noah’s dove, a sign of hope, tikvah, that is enduring.

“I was in NFTY!” a stranger told me, spotting my years-old T-shirt. This feeling of knowing all of us, that we truly did meet at Sinai, or at least a camp, provides comfort during uncomfortable times.

As our students take their steps in the Old City and then head out to Masada where Herod built his getaway and where zealous Jews built a hideaway, I am deeply moved by their reaction to it all.

My wife says the Yiddish-to-English translation of her great-grandfather's diary gave her “a rare opportunity to bring a family legend into the realm of reality.”

The Reform Movement supports a COVID-19 relief bill that will alleviate economic hardship, which puts tens of millions of Americans at risk of eviction and homelessness.

Typically, Jews have an extraordinarily high voter turnout, said to be the highest of any ethnic group, in a nation in which only an estimated 1 in 2 eligible voters actually vote. But this is a year like no other.

Taking Torah into the voting booth also means that pikuach nefesh, saving human life, is Judaism’s highest mitzvah, so consider your voting options carefully.

One of most wonderful aspects of Simchat Torah is celebrating the joy of children and families dancing and singing with our Torah scrolls.  While we will be unable to dance together in person, we invite you to play the following videos or audio files and dance in your homes.