Writing the Waves

Chayei Sarah is this week’s Torah portion. It opens with describing Sarah’s life span – “100 and 20 and 7,” is how the Torah enumerates the years of her life. And of course, given this tripartite division of her years, the Rabbis jump in with a midrashic interpretation. The most well-known is this: that Sarah was as innocent at 20 as she was at 7, and as wise at 20 as she was at 100. Which sounds great, but let’s be honest. If...Read more...

Dear Shma Koleinu Family,

During the High Holy Days, we prayed, reflected, and committed ourselves to livingwith deeper purpose — to turn intention into  action, to repair what is broken, and to build a world infused with justice, compassion, and sacred connection. Now, as we
step into the new year together, we have a series of opportunities to live out those very prayers — to transform words into deeds and aspirations...Read more...

To listen to Rabbi Scott's blog, click HERE.

In the book of Deuteronomy, as part of Moses’ review of the laws, rules, and stories of the Torah, we read about Sukkot. Moses adjures us:

וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֖ בְּחַגֶּ֑ךָ.…וְהָיִ֖יתָ אַ֥ךְ שָׂמֵֽחַ

You SHALL rejoice in your festival!

You...Read more...

To listen to Rabbi Scott's blog, please click HERE. 

Today is the 11th of Elul and if you’re one to follow the spiritual calendar of the Jewish people, Elul is the month when we ask for (or are presented with) the “Proverbial” check. 

I would suggest that there are two kinds of restaurant “goers.” Well, actually 3. One is the person with the privilege of generally not...Read more...

To listen to Rabbi Scott's blog, click HERE.

As many of you know, I was in Israel for about ten days, returning just eleven days ago. At the invitation of the Israeli Reform Movement—under the leadership of Rabbi Meir Azari of Beit Daniel in Tel Aviv and with the strong support of Dr. Andrew Rehfeld, President of Hebrew Union College—we studied, learned, traveled, and prayed together in what I can only describe as
a deeply...Read more...

Hello CSK,

It’s Thursday night, Israel time. I’ve been here since Saturday afternoon and have had the incredible privilege of studying with 19 of my rabbinic and cantorial colleagues from all over North America. We’ve been here as guests of Rabbi Meir Azari, Beit Daniel (the largest Reform synagogue in Israel), and Hebrew Union College. Over the past five days, we’ve studied with remarkable scholars, influential Israeli...Read more...

To the People I Love

Some of you have suggested that I am naïve—perhaps willfully so. Others have told me I don’t truly understand Israelis, or that I’ve grown too “tribal.” Some have even gone so far as to imply that, by aligning myself too closely with the State of Israel, I’m complicit in something genocidal.

These are heavy times. These are heavy words.

And I know that for some of you, there’s a real...Read more...

There is no separating the threads of this conflict. Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis—all are extensions of the same mission: the destruction of Israel. The ongoing crisis with hostages, cross- border attacks, and the existential threats Israel faces are not isolated events. They are coordinated acts within a single, deeply rooted campaign of annihilation.

It is heartbreaking to witness the hesitation—the hand-wringing—over...Read more...

You stood at Sinai, and so did I. Don’t you remember? I was the guy in the back row on his tippy toes. You were standing by the little flowing stream, able to take up some water while we waited. I wanted to come and get some water too, but I didn’t want to lose my place behind one of the shorter chieftains!

You, me, him, her, they, all of us, we stood together for that magical moment at the base of Mount Sinai. Each of us received...Read more...

Last night was CSK’s 12th Annual Meeting. Our venture began with a group of tremendously enthusiastic individuals seeking something different in synagogue life. Yes, there were many who were disheartened by events that precipitated CSK’s
founding, but that’s true of many “start-ups”—Jewish non-profits and even AI ventures alike. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to launch a rocket, and even more stored energy to break...Read more...