Photo of the author, Rabbi Alanna Sklover

Tzav: We Are the Stranger

by Rabbi Alanna Sklover
We know the heart of the stranger and we cannot allow ourselves to lose sight of these people, or allow statistics to blur them and their lives into a faceless “issue.”
more

Sourdough, Matzah, and the Vaccine Wait

by Sienna Lotenberg
I wonder if, this year, the lachma anya, the matzah that represents deprivation, can help us bring some meaning to the wait. While for many months our deprivation has been uncontrolled, now it is controlled, in that we can realistically hope and pray and plan for a future of abundance. 
more

The Sacrificial Artform

by Ruby Namdar
In this d'var Torah for Parshat Tzav, novelist Ruby Namdar reflects on the power of sacrifice and sacrificial imagery.
more

Dealing With Guilt, Getting Closer To Hope

by Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
“Some are guilty, all are responsible.” – Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel What are we to do about our guilt? How do we take responsibility? Opportunities to feel guilty are everywhere these days. Simply opening Facebook or turning on the television brings us face to face with terrible tragedies and injustices caused by human failures and...
more

What is THAT doing on my seder plate??

by Rabbi Jeremy Gerber
This year, I’ve found myself obsessing over the Passover Seder plate. I don’t usually do that, I promise! I like it, don’t get me wrong, I just don’t dwell on it all that much. But this year, I have been reading a fair amount of sources on new symbols that can be added to (or...
more

The Voice Trembles

by Rabbi Seth Goldstein
A few weeks ago I sat in a hearing room of the Washington State House Judiciary Committee. I was there to testify on behalf of a coalition of interfaith and Jewish groups for passage of a bill that would hopefully limit gun violence in my state. The bill would create an “extreme risk protection order,”...
more

Sign up for updates and action alerts