Democracy Resources

Purim Reminds Us Rights Shouldn’t Be Tied to the Whims of Rulers

A D’var Torah for Purim by Rabbi Micah Buck-Yael As a Queer and Trans Jew, Purim has long held a special place in my heart as a holiday that envisions a world in which oppression can be turned upside down, in which coming out can be liberatory and world-changing, and miracles come to life through...

Photo of the author, Rabbi Tova Leibovic-Douglas

Rosh Chodesh Adar: Turning Grief to Joy as Resistance

Adar is a month that invites us into an ancient, collective experience. It calls us to cultivate joy, even when we do not feel it naturally. Our ancestors knew there would be Adars when joy was hard to find, yet they committed themselves to honor the spirit of the month, to dare to seek joy even in the hardest times.

Capitol Building at sunset

“May We Create a Nation”: A New Prayer for Our Country

From Rabbi Seth Goldstein: We know that this is a nation founded by massacre, built by slavery, maintained by exclusion, defined by inequality. And we also know that this nation promises equality, exercises resilience, evolves continuously, practices teshuvah.

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Hunger for Change

by Rabbi Benjamin Altshuler
Down the line, we may trace the origin of the hunger for power contested between the tribes of Israel.
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Only Love Can Bring Teshuvah

by Rabbi Alon C Ferency
By listening to human narrative, and even re-visiting what’s challenging, chesed recognizes k’vod habriot in each soul and makes an opening for teshuvah.
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The Wisdom of Welcome

by Rabbi Steve Greenberg
Welcome, it appears, does not end at the door. It is a commitment to walk with vulnerable guests as they emerge from the protection of our homes and enter the public square.
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Walking Free: Democracy and Incarceration

by Rabbi David Dunn Bauer
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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Rabbi Megan GoldMarche

Closing the Doors of Our Ark to Immigrants

by Rabbi Megan GoldMarche
I can imagine a situation where Noah’s gut instinct was to just follow God, but I cannot fathom how he just sat there as the rain started to fall and didn’t do anything to try to save anyone. 
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Rabbi Allan Berkowitz

Being God’s Partner Is A Big To Do

by Rabbi Allan Berkowitz
Wherever there is imperfection in our world — people suffering, an ecosystem in distress, systemic injustice — there are unfinished spaces that call on us in our role as God’s partners. 
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Rabbi Avi Killip

Universal and Particular Joy

by Rabbi Avi Killip
Sukkot, as a moment of joy with God, is an essential last step of the process of divine judgment and forgiveness.
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Rabbi Lauren Tuchman

Creating Sacred Communities for the Whole of Israel

by Rabbi Lauren Tuchman
As the world has moved on, and as precautions have dropped, high-risk disabled folks are increasingly feeling an existential isolation, not just a physical one.
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Rabbi Benjamin Zober

Well-Practiced at Punishment

by Rabbi Benjamin Zober
...In our seats, we forgive ourselves for these sins, the ones we committed and those we did not. But outside of the synagogue, we continue to hold others, who actually seek teshuvah for many of those same sins, forever in chains.
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Dr. David Arnow

Facing Our Trials with Hope: Abraham and the Akedah

by Dr. David Arnow
A D’var Torah for Rosh Hashanah by David Arnow, Ph.D. From climate change and the erosion of democratic norms to the resurgence of antisemitism and the fight for human rights, one thing is clear: If despair triumphs over hope, we’ll never overcome the challenges we face. Hope enables us to envision a better future and...
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