Apologies are Like Cheese: Preparing for the High Holidays
I recently had the opportunity to ask forgiveness after a mentor and colleague wrote to me about a situation where I had "dropped the...
Moshe Givental
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- Jun 3, 2019
- 6 min
What if We Stopped Waiting? Climate Action Now
I stumbled into learning about climate change about five years ago, while in the midst of Rabbinic School. Nothing beforehand could have...
- May 7, 2019
- 5 min
Climate Change and Consciousness
My step-grandfather, the last of my grandparents, died on the day I left home to get on a plane for the Climate Change and Consciousness...
- Apr 7, 2019
- 3 min
Interfaith Sukkot Celebration and Protest
From October 19, 2016. I believe that we are in the midst of another spiritual awakening. The North Dakota Pipeline, with all of its...
- Feb 8, 2019
- 2 min
In Mourning and Joy
I am sitting in the dusk of Winter, preparing to officiate a funeral. As I re-read my notes from the meeting with family members and work...
- Nov 15, 2018
- 5 min
Man Listening
If Judaism had a central anthem, mantra, or creed*, it might very well be the prayer which begins with Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu,...
- Nov 7, 2018
- 4 min
The Transformative Power of Beauty and Detroit
I was raised to be an engineer, the son of an engineer, and the grandson of an engineer. Naturally good at math and science, art and...
- Aug 6, 2018
- 3 min
Why a Pilgrimage to Honor the Earth
Over a decade ago now, I was sitting in a Parshah HaShavua (weekly Torah Portion) class and my teacher asked the following: Why are human...
- Jul 23, 2018
- 3 min
Earth in Search of Humanity: Adamah in Search of Adam
"The Tree of Knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat of it, for on the day that you eat thereof, you shall surely die." And the Lord...
- Jul 9, 2018
- 3 min
Strangers: Welcoming the Danger
As my body acclimates to the new demands I'm putting on her (mostly), my biggest challenge has been emotional. As an introvert,...
- Jun 27, 2018
- 2 min
The Torah of Trees
Trees are magnificent creatures. I've known this for a long time, in theory - Did you know that they not only drink water like you and I,...
- Mar 31, 2018
- 1 min
Faith Traditions in America
I am so deeply grateful for clergy colleagues and other religious leaders throughout the world with whom I have the privilege of...
- Feb 6, 2018
- 1 min
Parshat Yitro - What you believe, does not matter!
This past week we read about the Israelites’ confrontation with God at Mt. Sinai, there was thunder and lightning, among many other...
- Jan 22, 2018
- 2 min
The Jewish Calendar and Dis-Ordered Eating
Each Jewish month carries within it it’s own lesson, challenge, and potential for growth. Last week we started the Hebrew month of...
- Jan 7, 2018
- 4 min
Parshat Shemot: How free, are You?
How free are you? Politically, how free do you feel and how free are you in actuality? Emotionally, to what extent are you informed by...
- Jan 7, 2018
- 1 min
Parshat Va'era: The Perfection of Imperfection
Moses was a very imperfect leader. His adult life begins with one attempt to stand up to the taskmasters, followed by a 40 year detour of...
- Dec 11, 2017
- 3 min
Channukah is Personal
We are almost at Channukah, and will be lighting the first night’s candles as a community this Tuesday evening at 5:00p.m., and then...
- Dec 4, 2017
- 3 min
Now I live censored, limited, but in Peace
Last week’s Torah Portion, Parshat Vayishlach, contains one of the most famous and one of my favorite scenes in the entire Torah --...
- Nov 27, 2017
- 2 min
On I-phones and I-dols
"Rabbi Hiyya said that Terah, the father of Abram (whom God later renamed Abraham) manufactured idols. One time, when Terah went away and...
- Nov 27, 2017
- 2 min
The Forgotten Parts of Our Lives
In last week's Parshat VaYetze, Jacob flees the home of his parents after taking his older brother's blessing and fearing for his life....