Rabbi Jim‘s Podcast

Meaning to Say - Emor 5768

This week's Torah portion is a list of qualifications for the priests and about time.  Now in the middle of an election cycle, we seem to focus on the perfection of our choices and the time when things enter the media.  Are there certain things that really damage and taint a leader?  Perhaps there needs to be one and it found its way into our neighborhood as of late.  This devar was delivered at our Kehilah of Lower Merion meeting this past Monday.

Rabbi Lev on the Bima

Greetings!  We thought we had lost this recording due to technical glitches, but we found it!  So what does an interfaith family add to a synagogue beyond being a member?  How have attitudes changed over time and whither the Jewish community today on this ever increasingly important issue?  Listen and find out.

An Interview With Rabbi Lev Baesh

We had a visitor at Beth David this week from Rabbi Lev Baesh. Rabbi Baesh is the rabbi for Interfaithfamily.com, a non-profit organization that helps families find their way into the Jewish world and the interfaith world through information, resources and training Jewish leaders to understand the issues all synagogues and Jewish institutions face in meshing people from different faith backgrounds. This is a wonderful interview about the resources and people who are trying to create paths to a Jewish involvement and life. I hope you enjoy. Music you hear on this podcast is by Trip Wamsley and Suzzanne Teng and is available through download or CD from Magnatune.com.

Skin Deep...? Tazriah 5768

Ahhh...leprosy, of all the Torah portions that might challenge a darshan (Hebrew for preacher), you have to love this one. I have spoken about this topic every year for over a decade, and this week we need to look at it in a new light. Many of the challenges we face now carry leprosy, or at least a hint of it. NPR: News and Notes Music you hear on this podcast is from Magnatune and features the work of the group Panacea.

Vayikrah 5768 (Archive sermon)

Shalom and welcome! First, this podcast has a live recording of me playing guitar and singing Halleluyah at a Tot Shabbat Service during our most recent Synaplex. It is a less than perfect recording (hey, it's live) and I was sick at the time, but I hope you enjoy this short piece of opening music. This week there is an archive sermon from a few years ago. When the Second Temple was destroyed in the year 70 CE, the Jewish community was thrown into theological quandary. The Temple was the focal point of Jewish religious observance. Out of this moment the synagogue gained primacy, and introduced a different way of looking at how we would survive in the future. What was the secret? For that you'll need to listen. The other music you hear this week is by Suzanne Teng and can be found and purchased at Magnatune.com.

Shabbat Zachor - Remember Amalek and Learn

Shabbat Zachor is one of a handful of Shabbatot where the Torah is set up to reinforce the message of a holiday. This Shabbat is meant to remind us of why Haman is about to lose yet again, (though some think this might be his year ;-) ). In looking at the bad guys we remember, we can also learn moral lessons for ourselves, specifically regarding how we deal with enemies. We might even find that God forgives those who we might not. Shabbat Shalom Saul  Amalek  Agag  Purim 

Va'Yakheil 5768 - This Community

This week's Torah portion is about Moses gathering the community to assemble the tabernacle.  As I thought about this image, I also thought about the image of this podcast and the people who have helped me with advice, creative ideas, and insights.  So this week's program is about the community of you and I think you will be surprised to find that you are all over the map....literally. Magnatune.com Paul Douglas Boyer's show

Terumah, why do we give our vote?

How do we look for a candidate? Who should we choose? While this is not meant to endorse anyone, it is meant to endorse an idea and a vision. In Israel the national anthem is "Hatikvah" literally translated, "the hope." Perhaps "the hope" is how we need to look for our leaders. This is a sermon from a few weeks ago right after a 'Super' week. "And they haven't" Speech "Yes we can!" Speech Music heard on this podcast is available for purchase from Magnatune.com.

Why You Might Not See ET at the Olympics

This week Steven Spielberg decided to quite the Beijing Olympics. His attempts to influence other parts of China's foreign policy failed and he did something which the Chinese government is scared anyone can do, he gave public voice to protest over Darfur. In the criticism of his actions I saw the moral equivocation that is so common today, but it doesn't hold water. Additionally I saw Mr. Spielberg look to his roots and a moral charge from Pirkei Avot. UK Times Online Article Music you hear on this podcast is available at Magnatune.com and created by the artist Trip Warmsley.

Mishpatim 5767 (Archive) - Why Our Paths Are As Important As Our Goal

This week is an archive sermon, but it seems more than a little b'shert (Yiddish for apropos in this context). With Super Tuesday with us this sermon delves into what it means to be a thoughtful Reform Jew and why where one of our candidates announced their run for the office matters. Who in this great contest of democracy decided to announce a run for the White House from the Henry Ford Museum? Listen and learn. Candidate Announces