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Amalek and Memory in Pittsburgh: Evil Must Not Define Us

(This teaching on Parashat Ki Teitzei was given by Seth Rosen, chair of our board of governors, at Congregation Dor Hadash, Pittsburgh, Pa., on Sept. 14, 2019 — eleven months after the synagogue attack.) Shabbat shalom! I want to begin by telling you what a privilege it is to stand

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When Will We Ever Learn?

Originally published at the Jewish Exponent on September 20, 2017 as Haazinu: When Will We Ever Learn? It has been almost five years since my father called to tell me he was eating a tuna sandwich for lunch. Normally, such an event is unremarkable, certainly not worthy of a special

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Choose Life!

Ha’edoti va’chem ha’yom et ha’shamayim v’et ha’aretz: ha’chayim v’ha’mavet natati l’fanecha, ha’bracha v’ha’klala. u’vacharta ba’chayim, l’ma’an tichyeh atah v’zarecha. הַעִידֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃ I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put

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Standing Together in Covenant

This week’s double Torah portion opens with the words “You stand this day, all of you, before the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy 29:9). A covenantal moment is too important to be trusted only into the hands of just the leaders, officials, priests—or board members and paid professionals. Everyone, from the

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You Should Live To Be 120

Every Shabbat morning during services at the Jewish Geriatric Home, our residents, our volunteers, our guests and I pause to offer thanksgiving for the joyous events in our lives. There is always a simcha or two for us to celebrate— a birthday or an anniversary, a grandchild’s engagement, a great

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Standing Together This Day

This week’s parasha is the double portion Nitzavim/Vayelekh. At the beginning of the parasha Moses tells the Jewish people, “You stand this day, all of you, before the Eternal your God…to enter into the covenant of the Eternal your God, which the Eternal your God is concluding with you this

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The Inner Witness

Arur makeh re’ehu ba’sateir – v’amar kol ha’am “Amen” אָר֕וּר מַכֵּ֥ה רֵעֵ֖הוּ בַּסָּ֑תֶר וְאָמַ֥ר כָּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ Cursed be the one who strikes down their fellow in secret – and all the people shall say, “Amen.” (Deuteronomy 27:24) In Ki Tavo, Moses instructs the Children of Israel in the details of

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Serving God in Gladness

It’s hard to believe that in a few weeks we will be begin the fall holidays with the celebration of Rosh Ha-Shanah, the Jewish New Year. While we often think of this season as a time of solemn observance to be approached with awe and reverence, the High Holy Days

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First Fruits

This week’s parasha, Ki Tavo, includes within it a description of the intricate ritual the people were to engage in once settled in the Land of Israel. Moses commands them to place in a basket the first fruits of their harvest and to present them to the priests at the

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The Reconstructionist Network