Hear Our Voice

This week’s Torah portion, “Mishpatim,” with its myriad of laws to govern mostly civic and familial dynamics, is often understood as an expansion of the iconic “Ten Commandments,” presented to the Israelites in last week’s parsha, “Yitro.”  That “The Ten” establish a framework, but that life is often not lived in the absolutes, but much more so within the grays.  We are commanded regarding the treatment...Read more...

Erev Rav – The Torah states that those who were a part of the Exodus from Egypt, were an erev rav, a “mixed multitude.”  The classical and more modern commentaries capitalize on this colorful notion, explaining that not all those who left Egypt could, “de facto or de jure”, be considered B’nai Yisrael, the Children of Israel (“descendants of our patriarch, Jacob).  Rather, our brilliant interpreters teach...Read more...

Chanukah starts tonight. For our people, the driving theme of Chanukah is lighting lights. The truth is, we are not the first people in the history of humankind to build a holiday around the lighting of lights at this darkest season of the year. For us, though, the power of the story is in the effort to banish darkness with the flames of learning, righteousness and expanding joy.  It is especially poignant this year, as we...Read more...

I recently received an email from a member of our community expressing deep concern over the tragedy of lives lost and upended by the Israeli incursion into Gaza.  In response to my blog that week, this person wrote simply this, “There is no justification for the murder of thousands of children.” It’s taken me a few weeks to respond.

Dear Friend,

I am really not sure exactly what I can say to you to respond in a...Read more...

Many of you have called and texted or stopped me to ask, “What do you think?” or “What is happening?” or “How can/should I understand this?” I believe that, in the most complicated and convoluted, and yet simple of ways, it is a matter of what Secretary of State Antony Blinken, stated at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu in Jerusalem, in the past couple of hours:

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For all of our technological advances, our lack of control over the weather can feel as daunting as it was for the ancient Israelites.  Rain was the lynchpin of life in ancient Israel, and this extended period of heat and lack of rain here in Houston, should remind us of its import to our lives, our health, and to the functioning of our city.  Maybe a rain dance is called for?

Back in the day (the ancient day, that is), the...Read more...

When the Rabbis of the Talmud would argue over a point revolving around life and living, there was always a great variety of opinions on the “shoulds” of life.  That variety of opinions was actually the point.  But after rounds and rounds of discussion, if you really...Read more...

Elul is a time for self-reflection.  

Have you been thinking that maybe you need to do some work on yourself?

Do you have a trustworthy loved one who has offered this suggestion?

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are around the corner with a special delivery – Your very own Cheshbon Hanefesh, The Accounting of Your Soul.  This Jewish wisdom tradition imagines each of us receiving the record of our...Read more...

Why do we cook? Why do we go to the trouble of envisioning the meal, finding the recipes,
standing over hot ovens, stoves, and barbecues, to then plate and serve the meal, that often
lasts us but a half hour, if that? For that matter, why do we mend a fence when it inevitably
will break, oil a hinge when we know it will rust, paint a wall, fix a chair, or obsess over just the
right spirit for just the right...Read more...

Every Friday evening since CSK embarked on our journey, now 9 ½ years ago, we invite those present for Shabbat to share their simchahs, as I translate, their good newses. Out of a desire to continually seek to build community through knowing each other, through what we share, we offer these moments for singing “Happy Birthday!,” for offering a special Shehechyanu (blessing of arrival of a precious moment), for hearing about the...Read more...