A Monentous Discovery — Parasha Vayigash and Vayechi
A Momentous Discovery Do you remember the first time you heard about email? For me it was through the television show, Seinfeld. Jerry was sitting at a counter table with…
Parasha VaYishlakh
Is prayer a waste of time? According to Reverend Tim Keller, many people do not pray because they feel that they are not being “productive”. I heard Reverend Keller as…
Shabbat Parasha Toldot
A Tale of Two CitiesIt happened in Jerusalem this week, in a religious neighborhood called Har Nof. It could easily have happened here – but did not. What happened at…
Parasha Chayei Sarah
To Choose to Be JewishThis evening I am going to talk about two people. One of these people chose Judaism. The other person did not choose Judaism, but wished he…
Parasha Va-Yera
“For I have chosen him so that he will instruct his children and his household after him that they may keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right…
Parasha Lech Lecha
We Are All ImmigrantsOne of the great pleasures of being a rabbi in Chicagoland is the opportunity to hear scholars from all parts of the world who come to our…
Parasha Noach
"Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what G-d and angels know of us." Thomas PaineSpeaking UpMonica Lewinsky was back in the news this week. She…
Kol Nidre 5775
Forgiving our Worst SelvesHad I been a rabbi in the Middle Ages, charged with the task of choosing a prayer that would open the services of the holiest day of…
Yom Kippur Day 5775/2014
Our Promised LandYitzchak Epstein was the first to understand the challenge. Back in 1907, Epstein, a writer, linguist and pioneer in the instruction of Modern Hebrew, published an essay entitled…
Rosh Hashannah Day 5775/2014
Finding Spirituality in the Most “Unlikely” Places I used to wear my yarmulke on airplanes but I stopped a few years ago. Wearing my yarmulke would guarantee meeting some very…