Displaying 1 - 10 of 22
Wholly Jewish: Max Antman: The Queerness and Politics of Torah
How can we embrace Judaism from not only a queer perspective, but also a “political” one? Max Antman (he/him), a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, discusses how being a gay man influences his reading of Torah, how his Reform synagogue empowered his gay identity, and the sacred relationship between activism and studying Jewish text.
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Wholly Jewish: Laura: Creating Peace Out of Wholeness
This week’s guest, Cantor Laura Stein, shares her perspectives on how we can best care for those around us, the (lack of) tension between being Jewish and being a lesbian, and how her spiritual leadership inspires her social work at Mount Sinai Hospital's Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery.
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Va-et'chanan: Why We Should Bring Politics to the Pulpit
Everybody has an opinion on whether politics should be brought to the pulpit, but according to Rabbi Jacobs, this debate was settled centuries ago.
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Eikev: A Seat at the Table
A chapter in Parashat Eikev reads, “when you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless.” What does it mean to be satisfied, and what kind of power does a good meal have?
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - R'eih: Eating With Compassion
Parashat R’eih includes that infamous line: “you shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.” Jewish tradition categorizes the mitzvah of not mixing milk with meat as one without specific reasoning, but many scholars think th
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Stories We Tell: What Did You Leave on The Tables?
If somebody left something important at your house, would you give it to anyone else? That’s the question Mrs. Gold asks her daughter to encourage her to learn a life-long lesson. Find out what was left, and why this question contains such a crucial message, in this story retold by Cantor Ellen Dreskin.
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: Two Jews, Three Opinions, One Heart -Parashat Chayei Sarah
Sometimes, what isn't said is more provoking than what is said.
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Stories We Tell: The Greatest Gift
It’s time for the princess to get married, and the king and queen want to make sure that she marries her best match. There are three brothers in the running, and in order to decide which one will marry the princess, the king and queen set up a contest: the brother who gives the princess the greatest gift will become her husband. The brothers travel far and wide, and the oldest finds a magic carpet, the middle brother finds a magic mirror, and the youngest finds a special apple. Which gift is best? Rabbi Matt Gewirtz retells the story, which is adapted from The Magic Pomegranate: A Jewish Folktale by Peninnah Schram.
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Stories We Tell: The Scholar and the Merchant
When a scholar boards a ship with a group of merchants, the merchants are confused. What does a scholar have to sell that could compete with their radiant perfume and beautiful scarves? When pirates storm the ship, they find out in this story retold by Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism. You can find a written version of this story, titled “The Sefer Torah,” in the book Three Times Chai: 54 Rabbis Tell Their Favorite Stories by Laney Katz Becker.
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Stories We Tell: Happiness
Once upon a time a king fell seriously ill, and nobody could figure out how to cure his ailment. Finally, a healer suggested a remedy: if the king could wear the shirt of a person who was absolutely happy, he would be healed. So, a team set out to find a person who was absolutely happy. Did they succeed? Shira Kline, performance and ritual artist and director of worship at Lab/Shul retells the story.
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