Parashat Ha Shavua Commentaries

I was travelling with my family to Independence Hall, the Philadelphia locus of the American Revolution. In the middle of this storied courtyard stands a large bell. The entire world knows that bell. It was hung in the Philadelphia State House in 1753, and it sounded to summon the pre-Independence Colonial Legislature into session, and it was used after the Revolution for the Pennsylvania State Legislature as well. Read more...

Erev Yom Kippur is a special night for many reasons, one of which is that it is the only service for which nearly all Jews arrive on time. We hurry to synagogue and rush to take our seats because we don't want to miss the liturgical highlight of the year, the majestic and heartbreaking Kol Nidre chant, which must be completed in the twilight moments before the sun sets. For those magical minutes of Kol Nidre, as we are elevated from the routine sphere of our day-to-day lives to a higher spiritual plane, we sense that something solemn and awesome is taking place. Read more...

Each morning throughout the year, during our morning prayers we say the following words, "Baruch Atah Adoshem Elokainu Melech Haolam, Pokaiach Eevrim," "Blessed are You Lord our God, King of the universe, who opens the mentally blind." Akin to a beginning of a new day, now is the time to make yourself anew during the season of Teshuvah, the time of our repentance; to dream of your potential and strive towards it; the time to imagine all of God's goodness and begin renewed, to participate in building a world of peace. Read more...

A few weeks ago Rabbi David Wolpe of Sinai Temple was visiting AJU and the Ziegler offices. Although we are taking a brief hiatus from producing our "Holy Day Conversations" DVD series, we didn't want to miss an opportunity for our Dean, Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, to sit down with Rabbi Wolpe and discuss some of the 'big questions' that ought enter our consciousness at this time of the Jewish year. Below, you'll find links to their conversation--broken up into three short parts - on the Ziegler School's Youtube page. Read more...

Several years ago, while serving as a visiting rabbi for the High Holidays in a warm, wonderful community, I witnessed a scene that forever changed me as a rabbi and how I go about leading High Holiday services. It was Erev Rosh Hashanah, the room was full, and people seemed excited to see each other. Whether they had seen each other last week or last year, it was clear this was a community whose coming together on the High Holidays was a moment of anticipation and enthusiasm. Read more...