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Will the Real Balaam Please Stand Up?
This week's Torah portion introduces a new character, Balaam, son of Beor. Balaam is presented as a prophet-for-hire who is called upon by rulers to curse their enemies and help them prevail in military battles. This method of battle preparation may seem far removed from current times, yet Balaam has a lot to teach us about how we view others.
Transitions of Leadership: A ‘How to’ Guide from Parashat Pinchas
Global news seems to be filled with stories related to the transition of power and very different models of what that can look like. In the last month alone, we read that the Israeli coalition government was dissolved, the prime minister of the United Kingdom resigned, and the president of Sri Lanka fled the country.
On the Other Side of the Jordan
We read in Parashat Matot of the Israelites defeating the Midianites, and in Parashat Masei, the Israelites' movement since the Exodus are recounted. It seems that we are approaching the climactic scene where the Israelites enter the land that God promised to Abraham and his descendants.
Correcting is Respecting
This week's Torah portion asks us to consider respect. Is it more respectful to allow someone to say something inaccurate, or is it more respectful to correct them?
Wholly Jewish: Robin: Driven by Curiosity and Joy
In this episode: Teacher, Disney Alum, father, Black man, and husband are only some of the many identities belonging to our guest this week! Meet Robin, a gentleman, a scholar and a delight to all who know him.
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Wholly Jewish: Destiny: Jews Like Us are Out Here
What do we all have in common? We all live - and balance - complex and nuanced identities, that, when braided together, make us wholly ourselves - and “Wholly Jewish.” Join April Baskin, the Union for Reform Judaism’s former vice president for Audacious Hospitality, as she speaks with Jews of Color who share their experiences, insights, and how their identities enrich and create a more vibrant Jewish community.
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Wholly Jewish: Erika: Check Your Assumptions at the Door
What do we all have in common? We all live - and balance - complex and nuanced identities, that, when braided together, make us wholly ourselves - and “Wholly Jewish.” Join April Baskin, the Union for Reform Judaism’s former vice president for Audacious Hospitality, as she speaks with Jews of Color who share their experiences, insights, and how their identities enrich and create a more vibrant Jewish community.
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Wholly Jewish: Becky: Kimchi and Latkes
What do we all have in common? We all live - and balance - complex and nuanced identities, that, when braided together, make us wholly ourselves - and “Wholly Jewish.” Join April Baskin, the Union for Reform Judaism’s former vice president for Audacious Hospitality, as she speaks with Jews of Color who share their experiences, insights, and how their identities enrich and create a more vibrant Jewish community.
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: Bridging The Divide - Parashat Pinchas
What happens when zealotry is mistaken for passion? How do we measure our responses and find the humanity in each other during tense times? Rabbi Rick Jacobs delves into the unexpected lessons found in this week’s Parashah, Pinchas, through a Torah lens as well as how that applies to modern-day Israeli politics.
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: Our Moral Compass - Parashat Matot-Mas'ei
We all face difficult decisions, but how do we reconcile our obligations and the repercussions of our actions? We should always ask ourselves – what is the better or kinder way to speak, to listen and to act? This week, as we learn about Matot-Mas'ei, Rabbi Rick Jacobs discusses the complications of ethics and war, hard choices, and the necessity of incorporating our moral compasses in the most challenging of times.
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