Pinchas: If the Law Is Wrong, Change It
The daughters of Zelophehad had previously been disenfranchised by the system but were able to advocate for themselves and not only did God heed their request, God changed the law entirely. We must act as the daughters of Zelophehad and reconcile the injustices we find.
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Vayikra: A Model for Transparent Leadership
I yearn to live in a generation where everyone, including our leaders, recognizes that leaders sin; where our leaders admit their mistakes, are held accountable, and where they actively make amends.
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Mishpatim: Mishpatim in Montana
Mishpatim teaches that formal justice must be free of influence from bribes or wealth status, and that even the stranger deserves protection. In my home state of Montana, regressive laws recently passed in our 2023 state legislature have revoked rights and freedoms from Montana residents under the guise of “protection” and “freedom of speech."
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Emor: Sacred Times: A Moment to Reflect on AAPI Allyship
This month, we have overlapping “sacred times”: the counting of the Omer and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.
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“Act Like You’ve Been There”
Rabbi Joshua Strom advises us to "act like we've been there" when we read VaEt'chanan.
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Argue for the Sake of Holiness
Rabbi Sharyn Henry reflects on what it means to argue for the sake of heaven in Parshat Korach.
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Hunger: Edom or Israel?
There were three hundred and sixty five thoroughfares in the great city of Rome, and in each there were three hundred and sixty five palaces; and in each palace, there were three hundred and sixty five stories and each story contained sufficient to provide the whole world with food. (Talmud Bavli Pesachim 118b) With less...
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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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