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“Love Trumps Power”?
“Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit….” (Zechariah 4:6) Is that the way forward in 2017? Our rabbinic ancestors chose Zechariah’s important words as the prophetic message of Chanukah. In some ways, it’s an odd choice. In the Torah portion, Miketz, Joseph harnesses Pharaoh’s might and power to save the Egyptians from...
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Elevating Our Hearts and Spirits Towards Justice
The Mishkan was not just a compound our ancestors built; it is a state of mind that we can inhabit.
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Walking Free: Democracy and Incarceration
Of all the places I have served in a rabbinic capacity, the maximum-security prison where I serve now is the most religious.
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Yitro: This and That, One Year Post-Inauguration
One year later, we acknowledge that the day-to-day work of governing is unceremonious. Righting past wrongs is not a singular event but a process that requires constant attention, and the significance of this first year is unclear in the moment. Like the rabbinic connection of Shavuot to Matan Torah, it will be left to future generations to discern if this one-year mark warrants a celebration.
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My trip to Immokalee
CONGREGATION SHA’AREI KODESH 2nd Day of Passover MARCH 27, 2013 © RABBI LOUIS RIESER Hag kasher v’Sameah. I want to thank Rabbi Baum for this invitation to speak about my experience in Immokalee with T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. In January I joined 9 other rabbis to learn first-hand about the conditions...
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![Rabbi Adir Yolkut](https://truah.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Rabbi-Adir-Yolkut.png)
Yitro: The Jewish Case for Protecting Voting Rights in 2024
As inheritors of a multi-vocal Jewish tradition that welcomes dissent and minority opinions, allowing people the chance to freely, legally, and openly participate in the democratic process strikes me as very Jewish. So to look at some of these harsh policies that stifle the voices of the downtrodden contradicts so much of what we hold dear in Judaism.
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Black Lives Matter: A Prayer
Inspired by Yehudah Amichai z”l and Rabbi Rachel Barenblat In memory of Mike Brown z”l, Eric Garner z”l, and many, many others Recited as part of a Pilgrimage of Lament Berkeley, CA 12/14/14 Dearest God, We stand before you because we must. We stand before You because truths that should...
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The Power of Bearing Witness
Balaam models being an independent and critical thinker... He refuses to stoke the hot coals of fear that demonize the other.
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Balak: Bilam’s Donkey: Judaism’s First Emotional Support Animal
As we draw nearer to the November elections, we see constant reminders that our democracy is a work-in-progress. By practicing democracy — working to get out the vote, engaging in conversation, writing letters to the editor — we will make democracy a reality.
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