Where is Hope?
(I wrote this at 9:00am this morning (Feb. 20, 2025). And at 3:27pm, we just learned that the body we thought was Shiri’s is not. Words are escaping me…) Tikvah, hope. This is what we all held on to for 503 days. We watched on October 7, 2023, the atrocities of Hamas murdering over 1200 […]
What We Can Learn and Do to Show Mercy and Love the Stranger
Show Mercy and Compassion This week, Bishop Mariann Edger Budde’s sermon at the post-inauguration service on Tuesday, drew the attention of the country. Religious or not, her message has many talking and many clergy enamored. She spoke directly to President Trump saying: “I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who […]
Acheinu – Our Brothers and Sisters, Can You Finally Be Coming Home?
As we all heard, an agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas. We are elated because it means some hostages can start coming home. Families may have closure and hopefully, there can be some peace in the region. Yet, it still seems so far away. We hold our breath because, as we saw this morning, […]
Remembering President Carter, z’l
President Jimmy Carter was remembered today during a service at the Washington National Cathedral. Eulogizing someone and trying to encapsulate their whole life in just a few minutes is challenging. And to do so for someone who was 100 years old and contributed so much to our country and our world seems even more daunting. […]
Expanding the Table of Thanksgiving Traditions
Thanksgiving is a day that celebrates gratitude, togetherness, and—of course—traditions. Every family has its own way of marking the holiday, whether it’s watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – what happens with those balloons when it rains or is windy?; the precise method of cooking the turkey (to brine or not to brine?); or the […]
Holding Onto Hope and Doing the Work
Has it only been a week? It feels longer. Honestly, some days, it’s tempting to just stay in bed, pull the covers up, and wait for a better moment. Anyone else feel like that? This week has been heavy, and the news keeps coming at us, each headline more overwhelming than the last. We’ve had […]
Feelings of Uncertainty and Fear
The past 36 hours have been filled with many intense emotions. Yes, democracy worked, and the election results show that a majority of those who voted chose Donald Trump as the next President. However, that does not mean I will sit quietly over the next two or four years (including midterm elections). I am deeply […]
What is the Torah? We Each Have Our Own Answer.
Last night, we celebrated Simchat Torah, a time not only to conclude another year of reading the Torah but also to begin the journey anew. And on this journey we ask, what is the Torah? The story “When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street” tells of a Zaydeh (grandfather) who wasn’t the easiest to get along […]
HaNefesh Songs of Gratitude Event: A Successful Celebration of Four Years of Jewish Life
Music brings people together and our Songs of Gratitude event was successful in bringing HaNefesh together to celebrate four years of doing and living Jewish. Thanks to everyone who joined us on Friday, HaNefesh Shabbat services with Sue Horowitz and then Saturday’s concert, Songs of Gratitude. The event was everything we hoped it would be […]
Take Two Minutes to Remember
This weekend we observe Memorial Day. This is a time that we are to remember the people who gave their lives in service to our country and defended our country so that we can live as a free nation. Memorial Day has become a time of sales and the start of the summer barbecue season. […]
