Tricky Texts and Kubler-Ross' Five Stages
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Tricky Texts and Kubler-Ross' Five Stages
Parshat Matot-Masei, 5780
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Take a moment and think about a text in Torah or Talmud that really makes you upset, angry, embarrassed, or sad… Raise your hand if you can think of a story or tradition that fits that...Read more...
How NOT To Talk About the Holocaust
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How NOT to Talk About the Holocaust
Parshat Pinhas, 5780
Saturday, July 11, 2020
For those who attended our service on Saturday morning last week, I appreciated your cooperation in wearing face masks to our building and in keeping your physical distance so that we could connect socially and...Read more...
I Am Angry. Is That Okay?
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I Am Angry. Is That Okay?
Parshat Pinhas, 5780
Saturday, July 11, 2020
I certainly still possess my fair share of naivete, but when I was younger and even more naive, I believed that anger was a useless emotion; its only purpose was to spark violence and hurt. And yet, as I followed the news, as I...Read more...
A Psalm from the Depths—Of the Sons of Korach
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A Psalm from the Depths—Of the Sons of Korach
Parshat Korah, 5780
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Korah’s sons are often seen in the Rabbinic tradition as beacons of repentance, piety, and wisdom. In this week’s parashah, these sons are swallowed into the earth for associating with...Read more...
Kohanim, Leviim, and Modern Sacred Space
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Kohanim, Leviim, and Modern Sacred Space
Parshat Korah, 5780
Saturday, June 27, 2020
In our modern worship, we no longer bring animal sacrifices; instead, we pray. We no longer give tithes to one central tabernacle or Temple; instead, we pay dues to our local synagogues. In days of old,...Read more...
The Mitzvah of Displaying Our Judaism
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The Mitzvah of Displaying Our Judaism
Parshat Sh'lah, 5780
Saturday, June 20, 2020
Ever since I’ve known my bearded, kippah and tzitzit-wearing husband, I’ve seen him stopped and questioned about Judaism constantly. In Shreveport, that tends to happen a lot more often. On a hike,...Read more...
Communal Sacrifice for Communal Wrongdoing
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Communal Sacrifice for Communal Wrongdoing
Parshat Sh'lah, 5780
Saturday, June 20, 2020
In reflection on this Juneteenth, a few of us were speaking earlier today about experiences we had and the injustices we witnessed when we were younger that make us feel ashamed or guilty now. We spoke...Read more...
Back to Normal?
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Back to Normal?
Parshat B'ha'alotkha, 5780
Saturday, June 13, 2020
Lately, I’ve heard a lot of “I can’t wait for everything to get back to normal.” Way back in February, we could hug each other in public, we could go shopping without any thoughts of face masks or hand sanitizer, and we could attend...Read more...
I Miss This—A Blessing
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I Miss This—A Blessing
Parshat B'ha'alothka, 5780
Saturday, June 13, 2020
I miss this moment in the service…
Va-y'hi binsoa ha-aron, vayomer Moshe...
And the bittersweet moment after the Torah reading, when as we put the Torah away we mumble…
Uvnuho yomar, shuvah...Read more...
Pursuing Justice Through Knowing My Neighbor
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Pursuing Justice Through Knowing My Neighbor
Parshat Naso, 5780
Saturday, June 6, 2020
Yesterday afternoon, during an interfaith Zoom call with clergy from all over the state, I found myself in a breakout session with three African American pastors, one in Baton Rouge and two in New Orleans....Read more...
Y'varekhekha—May God Bless You and Protect You
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Y'varekhekha—May God Bless You and Protect You
Parshat Naso, 5780
Saturday, June 6, 2020
It’s been a hard week, and for good reason. We are still in the midst of a pandemic. We have seen protests and riots across the country, based in the real suffering that so many people face on a...Read more...
Moderation and Compassion: A Jewish Ethic of Buying and Selling
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Moderation and Compassion: A Jewish Ethic of Buying and Selling
Parshat B'har-B'hukotai, 5780
Saturday, May 16, 2020
Every year, on the Friday before ordination at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, one of our deans teaches a notoriously lengthy...Read more...
Hukim u'Mishpatim—Laws of Ritual and Compassion
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Hukim u'Mishpatim—Laws of Ritual and Compassion
Parshat Emor, 5780
Saturday, May 9, 2020
For those who have been learning with me on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings, we have been studying a lot of what are traditionally called hukim, ritual laws and practices. On Wednesday...Read more...
You Shall Be Holy—You Are a Worthwhile Person
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You Shall Be Holy—You Are a Worthwhile Person
Parshat Aharei Mot-K'doshim, 5780
Saturday, May 2, 2020
On my first day of orientation at Swarthmore College, all of the incoming freshmen were gathered into the auditorium to watch a little play that ended...Read more...
Gradual, Intentional Healing
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Gradual, Intentional Healing
Parshat Tazria-M'tzora, 5780
Saturday, April 25, 2020
It took me a long time to send Jackquie information for the May calendar. I wanted so badly to write in Shabbat services on Friday nights and Saturday mornings at the synagogue. I wanted so badly to...Read more...
Eat, Savor, and Bless
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Eat, Savor, and Bless
Parshat Sh'mini, 5780
Saturday, April 18, 2020
On April 15, the New York Times featured an article entitled “Eating is Weird Now. Here’s How to (Kind Of) Get Back to Normal.” For many of us, both staying home throughout the day and the stress caused by going to work in a time of...Read more...
A Passover Different from All Other Passovers
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A Passover Different from All Other Passovers
Parshat Tzav, 5780
Saturday, April 4, 2020
This year, I have heard too many people say, “I think I am just giving up on the Passover seder.” There is so much to worry about already, and the border to Texas, where I can buy my Passover cake mix...Read more...
A Time for Keeping Shabbat
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A Time for Keeping Shabbat
Parshat Vayak'heil-P'kudei, 5780
Saturday, March 21, 2020
A midrash teaches that each day of the week was created with a partner. Sunday had Monday, Tuesday had Wednesday, and Thursday had Friday, but then, Shabbat was all alone. As Shabbat was crying in...Read more...
Census 2020: A Simple Mitzvah
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Census 2020: A Simple Mitzvah
Parshat Ki Tisa, 5780
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Just yesterday, Rabbi Feivel and I took a break from working from home to fill out our 2020 census. How many people live in our home? What kind of home do we live in? What are our genders? What is our relationship to each...Read more...
Pikuah Nefesh in the Time of Coronavirus
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Pikuah Nefesh in the Time of Coronavirus
Parshat T'tzaveh, 5780
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Note: A week and a half after this sermon was given, all Agudath Achim services and events moved to an online platform, in order to support “safer at home” protocols.
When I was...Read more...
Agudath Achim as God's Ideal Home—Part 2
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Agudath Achim as God's Ideal Home—Part 2
Parshat T'rumah, 5780
Saturday, February 29, 2020
You don’t have to pay to pray. But, if you want heat in the building on Hanukkah and air-conditioning on Yom Kippur, there is a cost. If you want a prayer book, there is a cost. If you...Read more...
Vote Mercaz for the World Zionist Congress!
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Vote Mercaz for the World Zionist Congress!
Parshat T'rumah, 5780
Saturday, February 29, 2020
After I graduated college, I lived in Israel for a two year period that was instrumental to the development of the halakhic egalitarian movement in Jerusalem. Through these two years, I...Read more...
Weeding Out Fake News
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Weeding Out Fake News
Parshat Mishpatim, 5780
Saturday, February 22, 2020
No matter which section of the political spectrum we inhabit, in today’s media-driven world, we all fear the call of FAKE NEWS! When we are scrolling online, it is too easy for our eyes to attach to a radically disturbing...Read more...
Make For Yourself a Teacher
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Make For Yourself a Teacher
Parshat Yitro, 5780
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Months before I knew this congregation existed, you learned in Pirkei Avot that Yehoshua ben Pirhiya once said: Make for yourself a teacher. Acquire for yourself a friend. And when you judge others, tip the balance in their...Read more...
Actions Shape Character
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Actions Shape Character
Parshat Bo, 5780
Saturday, February 1, 2020
In our Pirkei Avot class, a class largely focused on moral living, one particular community member likes to remind us, “It’s not what you say. It’s what you do.” While I do think that what you say is always...Read more...
Remembering Rabbi Mantinband
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Remembering Rabbi Mantinband
Parshat Va'eira, 5780
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Last week, as I was doing research on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel in preparation for Martin Luther King weekend, I started thinking about another civil rights rabbi with much closer...Read more...
What's In A Name?
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What's In A Name?
Parshat Sh'mot, 5780
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Dearbhla Kelly, one of my favorite yoga teachers in Los Angeles, has a simple method of gaining her students’ trust. Dearbhla makes sure that, by five minutes into class, she knows the name and at least one thing about each student...Read more...
On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, Freedom Through Bold Action
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On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, Freedom Through Bold Action
Parshat Sh'mot, 5780
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel: “Prayer is no substitute for action. It is, rather, like a beam thrown from a flashlight before us into the darkness. It is in this light that we who rope, stumble, and climb, discover where we stand, what surrounds us, and the course which we should choose.”
The...Read more...
Like Jacob, Start Planning Early
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Like Jacob, Start Planning Early
Parshat Vay'hi, 5780
Saturday, January 11, 2019
Rabbi Elliott Dorff - esteemed author, respected halakhist, and all-around mensch - teaches a number of philosophy classes at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies - Philosophy of Prayer, Conservative Judaism I and...Read more...
You Can Cry In Shul
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You Can Cry In Shul
Parshat Vayigash, 5780
Saturday, January 4, 2020
A disciple asked Rebbe Menahem Mendel of Kotsk about a verse of Torah. “The V’ahavta reads: Place these words, these mitzvot, upon your heart. Why does Torah tell us to ‘set them upon your heart, on top of your heart? Why does it...Read more...
Fri, April 18 2025
20 Nisan 5785
Rabbi's Sermons
Bereshit - Genesis
- Parshat Bereshit: Oct. 26, 2019, October 1, 2021, October 2, 2021, October 25, 2024
- Parshat Noah: Nov. 2, 2019, October 8, 2021, Oct. 29, 2022, Nov. 1, 2024
- Parshat Lekh-L'kha: Nov. 9, 2019, Oct. 31, 2020, Oct. 31, 2020 - Part 2, Oct. 15, 2021, Nov. 8, 2024
- Parshat Vayeira: Nov. 16, 2019, Nov. 7, 2020, Nov. 7, 2020 - Part 2, Oct. 22, 2021, Oct. 23, 2021, Nov.15, 2024
- Parshat Hayei Sara: Nov. 14, 2020, Oct. 30, 2021, Nov. 22, 2024
- Parshat Toldot: Nov. 30, 2019, Nov. 21, 2020, Nov. 6, 2021
- Parshat Vayeitzei: Nov. 28, 2020, Nov. 13, 2021, Dec. 6,2024
- Parshat Vayishlah: Dec. 14, 2019 , Dec. 5, 2020, November 20, 2021, Dec. 13, 2024
- Parshat Vayeisheiv: Dec. 12, 2020, Nov. 27, 2021, Dec 20, 2024
- Parshat Miketz: Dec. 4, 2021, Dec 27, 2024
- Parshat Vayigash: Jan. 4, 2020, Dec. 26, 2020, Dec. 11, 2021, Jan 2, 2025
- Parshat Vay'hi: Jan. 11, 2020, Jan. 2, 2021, Jan. 10, 2025
Shemot-Exodus
- Parshat Sh'mot: Jan. 18, 2020, Jan. 18, 2020 - Part 2, Jan. 9, 2021 , Jan. 17, 2025
- Parshat Va'eira: Jan. 25, 2021, Jan. 24, 2025
- Parshat Bo: Feb. 1, 2020, Jan. 23, 2021, Jan 31, 2025
- Parshat B'shalah: Jan. 30, 2021, Jan. 15, 2022, Feb. 3, 2023, Feb.4, 2023, Feb.7, 2025
- Parshat Yitro: Feb. 15, 2020, Feb. 6, 2021, Feb. 6, 2021, Feb. 21, 2022, Feb. 22, 2022, Feb. 14,2025
- Parshat Mishpatim: Feb. 22, 2020, Feb. 18, 2023
- Parshat T'rumah: Feb. 29, 2020, Feb. 29, 2020 - Part 2, Feb. 20, 2021, Feb. 4, 2022, Feb. 5, 2022, Feb. 25, 2023, Feb.28, 2025
- Parshat T'tzaveh: March 7, 2020, Feb. 27, 2021, Feb. 12, 2022, Feb. 11, 2022, March 7, 2025
- Parshat Ki Tisa: March 14, 2020, March 6, 2021, February 19, 2022, March 14,2025
- Parshot Vayak'heil-P'kudei: March 21, 2020, March 13, 2021, February 26, 2022, March 18, 2023
Vayikra-Leviticus
- Parshat Vayikra: March 20, 2021, March 11, 2022, March 24, 2023, March 25, 2023, April 4, 2025
- Parshat Tzav: April 4, 2020, March 27, 2021, March 19, 2022, April11, 2025
- Parshat Sh'mini: April 18, 2020
- Parshot Tazria-Metzora: April 25, 2020, April 17, 2021, April 2, 2022, April 20, 2024
- Parshot Achrei Mot-Kedoshim: May 2, 2020, April 24, 2021, May 7, 2022, May 3, 2024, May 10, 2024
- Emor: May 9, 2020, May 1, 2021, May 13, 2022, May 14, 2022, May 6, 2023
- Parshot B'har-B'hukotai: May 8, 2019, May 16, 2020, May 7, 2021, May 21, 2022, May 28, 2022, May 24, 2024, May 31, 2024
Bamidbar-Numbers
- Parshat Bamidbar: May 15, 2021, May 20, 2023, June 7, 2024
- Parshat Nasso: June 6, 2020, June 6, 2020 - Part 2, May 22, 2021, June 10, 2022, June 2, 2023, June 14, 2024
- Parshat B'ha'alotcha: June 13, 2020, June 13, 2020 - Part 2, June 9, 2023, June 10, 2023, June 21, 2024
- Parshat Sh'lach: June 20, 2020, June 20, 2020 - Part 2, June 5, 2021, June 28, 2024
- Parshat Korah: June 27, 2020, July 18, 2020, July 24, 2023, July 5, 2024
- Parshot Chukat-Balak: June 26, 2021, July 12, 2024, July 19, 2024
- Parshat Pinchas: July 11, 2020, July 11, 2020 - Part 2, July 2, 2021, July 3, 2021, July 22, 2022, July 23, 2022, July 26, 2024
- Parshot Matot-Masei: July 18, 2020, July 18, 2020 - Part 2, July 10, 2021, July 30, 2022, August 2, 2024
D'varim-Deuteronomy
- Parshat D'varim: July 25, 2020, July 25, 2020 - Part 2, July 17, 2021, August 6, 2022, August 9, 2024
- Parshat Va'et'hanan: Aug. 1, 2020, July 24, 2021, August 12, 2022, August 13, 2022, Aug. 16, 2024
- Parshat Eikev: Aug. 8, 2020, July 31, 2021, August 19, 2022, August 20, 2022
- Parshat Re'eh: August 7, 2021, August 30, 2024
- Parshat Shoftim: September 7, 2019, Aug. 22, 2020, August 14, 2021, August 14, 2021 - Part 2, September 3, 2022, September 6, 2024
- Parshat Ki Teitzei: Aug. 29, 2020, August 20, 2021, September 13, 2024
- Parshat Ki Tavo: Sept. 5, 2020, Sept. 5, 2020 - Part 2, August 28, 2021, Sept. 17, 2022, Sept. 20, 2024
- Parshot Nitzavim-Vayeilech: Sept. 11, 2021, September 24, 2022, Sept. 27,2024
- Parshat Ha'Azinu: Sept. 26, 2020, October 4, 2024
- Parshat Haberakhah
Rosh HaShanah: Sept. 19, 2020, Sept. 19, 2020 - Part 2, Sept. 19, 2020 - Part 3, Sept. 20, 2020, Sept. 7, 2021, Sept. 8, 2021, Sept. 9, 2021, Sept. 26, 2022, Oct 2, 2024
Yom Kippur: Sept. 28, 2020, Sept. 16, 2021, October 5, 2022
Sukkot: Oct. 3, 2020 , Sept. 20, 2021, Oct. 16,2024, Oct. 18, 2024
Passover: April 3, 2021, April 23, 2022, April 7, 2023, April 12, 2023 April 27, 2024
Rosh Hodesh: April 22, 2023
Today's Sefirah Count Is 5
| היום חמשה ימים לעמר |
Today's Calendar
| Chol Hamoed Pesach |
: 6:00pm |
| Candle Lighting : 7:29pm |
Friday Night
: 6:00pm |
| Candle Lighting : 7:29pm |
Shabbat Day
: 10:00am |
: 1:30pm |
| Board Games : 6:00pm |
| Candle Lighting : 8:29pm |
Upcoming Programs & Events
Apr 23 Fundraiser Dinner Wednesday, Apr 23 4:00pm |
May 31 Shul-led Services Saturday, May 31 |
Aug 30 Shul-led Services Saturday, Aug 30 |
Candle Lighting
| Friday, Apr 18, 7:29pm |
Havdalah
| Sunday, Apr 20, 8:38pm |
Chol Hamoed Pesach
| Friday, Apr 18 |