June 16, 2017
Queer pioneers
Shabbat Shalom, Chaverim— I don’t think I could have chosen a better Torah portion for tonight’s Pride Shabbat than this week’s reading, Shelach L’cha. It describes the episode of Moses sending spies to go scope...
June 09, 2017
The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius
Shalom Chaverim— I was walking to the bus stop this morning and noticed a flyer tacked on a telephone pole proclaiming: “The Age of Pisces is Ending, The Age of Aquarius is Beginning!!” Having been...
June 02, 2017
A blessing for you
A dizzying array of rituals, censuses, sacrifices and job descriptions fill this week’s Torah portion, Nasso (Numbers 4:21-7:89). And smack in the middle of the hurly burly is one whopper of a blessing: May God...
May 31, 2017
Approaching the Mountain of Wisdom on Shavuot
Shalom Chaverim— I’ve just returned from a few weeks in Israel. As usual, I was struck by all the swirling energy there—the love and the hatred, the idiocy and the intellect, the creativity and the...
May 19, 2017
Arrgh matey! Listen to Jhos’ Pirate Drash from 5/5/17
We have added a new feature to our blog! When possible, we are recording the drashot from our service leaders and sharing the audio of the talks to enjoy here. Today, listen to Jhos' full...
May 04, 2017
Loving your neighbor as yourself
Shalom Chaverim— This week’s parasha, Acharei Mot/Kiddushin, includes the enigmatic scriptural sound byte: V’ahavta l’reyacha k’mocha—And you will love your neighbor as your self. You will find this tidbit in Leviticus 19:18, which in its...
April 27, 2017
Giving ourselves permission
Shabbat Shalom Chaverim— Shabbat is such a gift—and yet it’s quite difficult to accept. To take one day off—to step away from judgment and fear, resentment and animosity, ego and malice—would seem a delicious invitation. ...
April 20, 2017
A new set of questions this Passover
Shabbat Shalom Chaverim— Once again, Passover has passed over leaving in its wake memories of its annual Gastro-symbolic rites, its cobbled together trajectory tale, its multilayered ceremony and sanctimony spanning centuries, its haggadah stitching together...
December 07, 2016
Vayetze – God is in that place too
Shalom chaverim— This week’s Torah Portion is “Vayetze” which details the story of Jacob’s hasty departure from his parental homestead. He basically creates a situation with his family that forces him to skedaddle, and the first...
November 30, 2016
Tshuvah – from ignorant surety to brilliant doubt
Shalom chaverim— This week’s Torah portion is Toldot—it basically describes the fertility struggles of Isaac and Rebecca, the eventual birth of their twin boys, Jacob and Esau and their clumsy family life. In some ways...
November 09, 2016
Lech L’cha /go to yourself in these difficult times
Shalom chaverim— Yesterday the United States of America voted in President Donald J. Trump. Most of the people I know are utterly despondent about this fact. Honestly, I’m not all that surprised. Miserable, yes, but not...
November 02, 2016
Design sustenance and community happens
Shalom chaverim— I just returned from a few days of canvassing in Reno for Get Out The Vote. It also happened to be my mom’s 16th yahrtzeit. My mom was a radical, lefty, anarchist, freedom...
October 26, 2016
The Crash
Shalom chaverim— I’m just coming back to earth from a rousing Simchat Torah mulit-verse celebration last night and a day of teaching and learning with the fellows at Urban Adamah today. My passion for Torah—with...