This week, Torah, the Jewish calendar, and personal experience converge in a powerful way. As we read Parashat Tazria-Metzora, enter the healing month of Iyar, and count the Omer through the lens of Tiferet, I reflect on what it means to hold hope and heartbreak at the same time while accompanying both my daughter and my father on their cancer journeys.
Leviticus
Invitation to Distinguish
Reflections on Parashat Shemini, Gevurah, Havdalah and Yom HaShoah There is something deeply meaningful about the word ul’havdil — to distinguish, to separate, to see clearly. In Parashat Shemini, we are told: “You must distinguish between the holy and the profane.” (Leviticus 10:10) This command isn’t only for the ancient priests standing at the threshold of the Tent […]
Answering the Call
Parashat Vayikra begins not with a command, but with a calling. This week’s reflection explores the intimacy of God’s call to Moses, the meaning of the small alef in Vayikra, and what it means to listen for the work we are truly called to do. It also includes my prayer, “The Call,” and a glimpse into my new exhibit at the Olitsky Art Gallery at Congregation Beth Or.