Rabbi Jim‘s Podcast

Leaders, Heroes, and History - Noach 5769

In the course of digging up an ancient fortress, a six inch square of ancient Hebrew text was unearthed this week.  According to the Torah portion, this shard resulted from God throwing humanity into chaos during the episode with the Tower of Babel and the creation of many languages.  While the Torah names not bad guys in the story, the rabbis do.  Why is it that we need to t create heroes and villains to personify evil?  Why, if God forbid, the Phillies had lost, would we have attributed the loss to the Curse of Billy Penn and why might we want to consider heroes and villains in our upcoming election?

The Secret of Reform Judaism

It is common that as Reform Jews, we tend to be the target of many attacks from other movements.  Often it seems that Reform Jews might do less when in reality it might just be more difficult to understand Reform Judaism than other movements of Judaism.  This is a sermon to help both the Reform Jew and those from other movements better understand what we do, and more importantly, why we do it. 1999 Pittsburgh Platform Commentary Article - "What Does Reform Judaism Stand For?"

Taking the Time to Make Our Lives Works of Art

Kol Nidre is the most mysterious and holy evening in the Jewish year.  This Kol Nidre, I wanted to focus on the fact that we are commanded to 'choose life' and I wonder if we are able to do that.  Why do we struggle to find a life that is the work of art we want.  What happens when we decide to pick other things and make them the focus of our lives?  What happens when busy replaces living? NBR Transcript

The Financial Meltdown - Rebuilding Walls of Hope

Our reading of the haftara (the reading from the prophets or writings) for Rosh Hashannah is from the book of Nehemiah.  Nehemiah can be read as two Hebrew words, nechem (consolation) yah (of God.)  At this time we need to take a step back and consider who is really threatening us, and who is truly undermining the American Dream.  Can it be that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit is really the great threat to our country, or did someone else in New York cause more destruction to the American Dream than this irritating Iranian?  What do we do in the midst of a global financial meltdown...other than relearn how to be there for each other? Here is a guide by Rabbi Mencher from the Union for Reform Judaism to help you as you try to help others. Update: Real Victims of the Crisis

Cheshbon Hanefesh - Accounting for Yourself

We live in a world that is constantly trying to tell us that we need more.  How do we find our own authentic sense of judgment as we go into the High Holidays?  I invite you into this conversation with a hope that you find more than just a plan for the rest of the year.  I hope you find one for the rest of your life.

Shannah Tovah U'Metukah - May you have a sweet and happy New Year!

Jewish Immigration ... To Alabama

So there there are now 50,000 reasons to be 'Bama bound!  I got this article e-mailed to be by more than a few congregants that reported that the Jewish community in Dothan, Alabama has a new approach to boosting the Jewish population.  They are offering up to $50,000 to families to move there.  Well, I grew up in Alabama, so I consider myself somewhat of an expert if you are thinking of moving to the Peanut Captial of the World.  Listen and enjoy! $50,000 and Alabama Red Holland

R'eih 5768 - Fishing, Mitzvot, and a Search For Consistency

When I was a kid, I use to fish.  My ninth grade science teacher taught me that the most important thing one can develop in fishing is consistency.  R'eih also wants us to be consistent...consistently good.  So why is it that the relationships we try to develop with other religious groups often goes in the wrong direction all too quickly?  It seems that every time an evangelical minister seems to make sense and relates to the Jewish community or does some good, inevitably there is a proverbial foot-in-mouth that follows.  After seeming to bring the country together and attempting to make some sense out of the 2008 election (which I spoke of this past weekend) Reverend Warren managed to demonstrate the limits of his understanding.  Sadly, I feel the need to remind Rev. Warren and all of us that consistency in our relationships in paramount to creating sacred connections. Rick Warren's Comments TIME - Rick Warren

Ekev 5768 - Reflecting on What Matters

A conversation was held this week that was unusual in our national life. Our presidential contenders were interviewed by Rev. Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California. He asked them about their own moral failures and those of our nation. Oddly our Torah portion this week also contains a set of what God wants from us individually and as a society. Sadly, when it comes to our personal struggles, we often share a similar problem. Our difficulty is transcending ourselves and becoming aligned with God's wishes. What are those, and what does a mirror teach both Jews and Muslims? Please listen and reflect. CNN - Saddleback video of interviews Rabbi Wolpe - "Seeing Ourselves" Story of Shibli and the Dog (page down to near end of passage)

V'Etchanan 5768 - Religious Fiction and Freedom

Once Upon a Time ... How do we open up and learn what is important from a religion, culture or society? Sometimes it takes the ability to read about the most important figures in another world in order to understand what they value and why. Unfortunately, there are those who would like to keep images as icons, or at least the use the fear of possibly insulting a religious symbol to either protect...or suppress literature. What does a story about the last wife of Muhammad and the voyages of science fiction have in common? Please listen and consider... Akiba - Fox and the Fish WSJ - "You Still Can't Write About Muhammad"

Message in a Kotel - Devarim 5768

Shalom and thank you for joining me this week.  We are looking at parashat Devarim and how we look at words.  There are times when words have many meanings and we use and create with them.  Yet at other times we want to have a solid understanding of words and their meanings.  What happens when we are too liberal with an interpretation and what happens when we are too narrow in our understandings?  I hope you will listen and wish you Shalom...and all that this word entails! A Stolen Note