I am grateful for this opportunity to share with you some key aspects of our intentional security procedures to provide safety while being inclusive for marginalized identities. First, please know […]

Sixty nine years ago, in 1954, I was elected by my high school class to give the address for the class at our graduation ceremony. That was a mere nine […]

A story from the Talmud (Shabbat 127b): There once was a worker who had just completed a very large project for a certain homeowner. On the eve of Yom Kippur, […]

In the Talmud – the text of our ancient sages’ interpretation of Torah—Rabbi Gamliel tells a story: “Picture it. I am traveling on a ship. In stormy waters, from a […]

In an email, from me to Rabbi Freedman: “Hi Eli – Can you roll the Torah scroll to the correct spot for tomorrow?  Thanks—Jill” In an email response, from Rabbi […]

Ein Li Eretz Acheret/I Have No Other Country. These words were emblazoned on the side of a building as we drove up the Ayalon Freeway in Tel Aviv on our […]

Can a university and a synagogue heal the division in our city, our country, and our world? Certainly not alone. But we’re hoping a new speaker series will be a move […]

It was Saturday evening in Tel Aviv. I was sitting on my meerpeset (terrace) overlooking Ben Zion Boulevard, watching the comings and goings of walkers and bikers. I slowly realized […]

The most misquoted verse in the entire Torah appears in this week’s portion. “Let My people go!” Maybe it’s because of Charleton Heston, but when we think of Moses approaching […]

This summer, when Philadelphia welcomed the Dear Evan Hansen tour, I was struck by the enduring human question the musical poses: How can we feel understood? The show, about a […]