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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.

“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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Look, and Find Compassion

by Rabbi Debra Kassoff

Rabbi Debra Kassoff encourages us to look at things a little differently in this week's drash on Parshat Re'eh.

The Drought Down the Street

by Rabbi Jonah Rank

Rabbi Jonah Rank examines unequal distribution of resources and the impact it has on kids in this reading of Parshat Ekev.

“Act Like You’ve Been There”

by Rabbi Joshua Strom

Rabbi Joshua Strom advises us to "act like we've been there" when we read VaEt'chanan.

A Trauma-Informed Reading of Parshat Devarim: Advice to Activists on Building Resiliency

by Rabbi Francine Roston

In this week's commentary on Devarim, Rabbi Francine Roston reflects on the need to understand and process trauma before moving forward.

Human Rights In Progress (Slowly)

by Rabbi J. Fred Schwalb

Rabbi J. Fred Schwalb traces the history of women's rights in the Torah and offers a prayer for the continued evolution of our ideas.

Prayer for the Protection of Immigrants and Refugees

by Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub

Written by Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub, recipient of the 2019 T’ruah Founders’ Award, this prayer asks for the safety of immigrants and refugees, as well as their families and communities. Find more resources for your Tisha B’Av #CloseTheCamps vigil here.

The Sound of Longing

by Rabbi Maya Glasser

Rabbi Maya Glasser points to the importance of recognition, whether with Zelophehad's daughters in Parshat Pinchas, or those in solitary confinement in our own day.

Prayer for Tisha B’Av Actions: Jews Say #CloseTheCamps

by Rabbi Mónica Gomery

Our tradition teaches us that our individual laments form a collective lament, gathering the disparate parts of ourselves into a unified sorrow. It comes from the bones, from breath. The city weeps, and we weep with her, her wails are our breath, her voice in our mouths.