Displaying 21 - 30 of 53
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.
Audio file
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.
Audio file
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: Raising Our Voices - Parashat D'varim
Often, we think about what actions we might've taken during trying moments in history -- but what are we doing right now? It’s not always easy to step forward. As Moses teaches us in this week’s Parashat, D'varim, and Rabbi Rick Jacobs reminds us by relating his experience at the Texas/Mexico border last week, learning to be a strong, yet fair leader may be challenging and even alienating at times, but it’s always worth it.
Audio file
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: It Only Takes One - Parashat Va-et'chanan
What was the most inspirational advice or speech or quote you ever heard? Who is the person that changed your life for the better? This week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs discusses Parashat Va-et'chanan, sharing words from Rabbi Harold Schulweis, where we learn that it only takes one - one moment, one person, one God - to inspire us, and to move us.
Audio file
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: The Heart Of The Matter - Parashat Eikev
Rabbi Rick Jacob’s reflection on Parashah Eikev, teaches about how imperative it is that as we encounter the natural ups and downs of life, we really try to remove the layers and get to the heart of the matter.
Audio file
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: On The Road Again - Parashat R'eih
When are the times that you knew you needed to show up and be present?
Audio file
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: The Pursuit of Justice - Parashat Shof'tim
In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Shof’tim, Moses tells the people of Israel to select judges for every city.
Audio file
Stories We Tell: The Grandfather, the Granddaughter and the Donkey
An old grandfather and his young granddaughter go for a walk, leading a donkey by its reins. All is well, until they meet a stranger who wonders why they walk in the manner that they do. What happens next, in this story retold by Cantor Ellen Dreskin, teaches the grandfather and granddaughter a valuable lesson about what it means to take advice and please the people around them.
Audio file
Stories We Tell: The Prince Who Thought he was a Rooster
When a prince wakes up one morning and decides that he is actually a rooster, his father, the king, does not know what to do. Nothing that the king does can make the prince stop behaving like a rooster, until he seeks out the rabbi who has an interesting solution. This story, retold by Rabbi Marc Katz, explores themes of empathy, and what it means to meet people where they are.
Audio file
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Sh’lach L’cha: Judaism on the Fringes
What does it mean to be on the fringes of Judaism? Does Judaism allow for creativity, allowing those on the fringe who want, to be brought toward the center? Is Judaism open to different forms of expression?
Audio file