Newsletter Post – March 27, 2025

If you emailed me this week, you (hopefully!) received my autoreply that I was attending the CCAR (Central Conference of American Rabbis) Convention, an opportunity to spend several days reconnecting with colleagues, doing deep textual learning, participating in...

Newsletter Post – March 13, 2025

Tonight and over the next few days, we join with Jewish communities around the world celebrating Purim – the classic example of “they tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat.” This humorous summary of Jewish history is a useful shorthand for...

Newsletter Post – February 27, 2025

This past Shabbat, a group of Temple Shalom members joined me for a deep dive into the “why’s” and “how’s” of wearing a tallit, the prayer shawl traditionally worn by adult Jews at morning services. If you’ve never tried this...

Newsletter Post – February 20, 2025

As a Jewish people, we are united at times of joy, and far too often, at times of sadness. As I write this note on Wednesday, we are teetering on the precipice of a chasm of grief. Today, Israel will receive the remains of 4 hostages, including the bodies of Shiri...

Newsletter Post – February 13, 2025

It is a particular delight of the Diaspora that the largest winter storm to hit Ontario this year comes on Erev Tu Bishvat. Today marks Tu Bishvat, “The New Year of the Trees.” While our trees are all covered in snow, the trees in the land of Israel are...