As Pride Month begins, Rabbi Rena Rifkin wonders “What is pride anyway? What does it mean to be proud of yourself and your identity? How does one develop pride? And where and when should we…

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue’s Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz, Ph.D., announces the Amplify Israel Rabbinic Fellowship, a highly selective yearlong professional development program for early-career Reform rabbis to provide the tools and resources to incorporate Israel and…

“I fear that we are losing the soul of the Reform movement,” said Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch at the opening of Re-CHARGING Reform Judaism, a two-day conference gathering more than 300 Reform clergy, educators and lay…

“Too often the faults we see in others are simply a reflection of faults we are trying to hide in ourselves,” says Rabbi Dalia Samansky as she describes an antiquated practice found in this week’s…

We may ask ourselves why B’midbar, the Book of Numbers, begins and ends with a census of the wandering Israelites in the desert. “What importance is a simple list of tribes and numbers?” asks Rabbi…

Leviticus spells out what may happen if we act unjustly — in shocking detail, says Rabbi Ammi Hirsch. And with disconcerting prescience, it predicts the survivors “shall stumble over one another as if they were…

“We usually count up when we don’t know what to expect,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov as we mark off the 49 days of the Omer, the time between the second day of Passover and the…

Rabbi Samantha Natov turns to this week’s Parashat Kedoshim (Holiness Code) to answer this important question. The code “may at first glance seem to be hopping from topic to topic,” she says. “But if we…

“We’ve made it to 75!” says Rabbi Ammi Hirsch on Israel’s 75th Independence Day. “The Jewish state is our supreme accomplishment and the demographic center of the Jewish world. It has injected the Jewish people…

Rabbi Samantha Natov ponders why the high priest Aaron remained silent following the untimely death of his sons Nadav and Avihu. Amidst the rise in shootings and violence in our country, she asks, “What about…

Rabbi Dalia Samansky confesses “I hate matzah.” She does, however, appreciate the symbolism of the bread of affliction: “The whole process of making matzah must be completed in under 18 minutes — its hastiness results…

Rabbi Ammi Hirsch struggles to understand how his dental plan could deny his claim. “Try putting yourself in another’s shoes — or the dentist’s chair,” he suggests.

Have you ever questioned a tradition only to find out that no one knows where it came from? “One of the unique aspects of Judaism is that it is a religion that is far more…

What do non-binary people do at the Western Wall? “I think it feels like you would have to quiet yourself a little bit to be there,” one of our Rabbi Rena Rifkin’s colleagues said. Reflecting…

“This will be the most painful sermon of my career,” says Rabbi Ammi Hirsch as he addresses the crisis in Israel. “Something fundamental is at stake. It is not only the role of the courts…

“You can tell when a holiday is important based on the build up to it,” says Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz, discussing the purification rituals traditionally performed on this Sabbath of the Cow. “As we begin our…

“The purpose of the Tabernacle was to promote the high and noble ideal of God,” says Rabbi Ammi Hirsch. But the Torah focuses on the minute details of its construction. Yet one of history’s leading…

Israeli archaeologists recently made a remarkable find: textile scraps containing the brilliant color of purple mentioned in this week’s parashah. “Imagine being invited to Solomon’s court and peeking into his wardrobe,” says Rabbi Ammi Hirsch.…

As artificial intelligence tools become more widely available, Rabbi Sam Natov thinks about the new technology from a Jewish perspective. “This is hardly the first time the ways we learn and communicate have changed, yet…

Have you been frustrated in a crowded supermarket? How did you choose to react? “We have the freedom to take the high road,” says Rabbi Sam Natov. “But freedom without responsibility means slavery to our…

The crossing at the Red Sea was the moment everything changed. “Every Jew must consider themselves as if they were slaves in Egypt,” says Rabbi Ammi Hirsch, recalling our synagogue’s humanitarian work. “We must consider…

The darkness that descended upon Egypt “was no ordinary darkness, created by the absence of light,” says Rabbi Dalia Samansky. “Meanwhile the Israelites had light.” Where did it come from?

“Congressman George Santos is young and articulate, has an amazing resume — and is a proud American Jew. There’s just one problem: none of it is true…” says Rabbi Ammi Hirsch. “The curious case of…

“In the face of internal resistance, how do we summon the strength to overcome all the fears and insecurities holding us back?” asks Rabbi Samantha Natov. In this week’s parashah, “Even Moses, our people’s greatest…

In this week’s parashah, Jacob and Joseph leave the next generation “a roadmap for the establishment of the Jewish people,” says Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz. “We learn that at no point in our long history were…

“We are a people of memory. But our tradition also recognizes that it is neither possible nor healthy to remember everything,” says Rabbi Dalia Samansky, recalling her years as a hospice chaplain. “I often remind…

“Do you ever find yourself making the same bad decisions again and again?” asks Rabbi Samantha Natov. Judaism teaches us: “Change is gradual. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s also invigorating. And changing the world starts with…

This week’s parashah begins with Joseph’s dream. But he must walk a long road before it becomes reality. “The Jewish story is fueled by the belief that our visionary dreams can find grounding in the…

Prompted by this melancholy season to ponder the passage of time, our Rabbi Ammi Hirsch shares a connection that Jewish tradition draws between Jacob and Hanukkah. “We never know how our actions — or inaction…

“How do you deal with uncertainty?” asks Rabbi Sam Natov. “We often expect the worst. Even after receiving God’s blessing, Jacob doesn’t trust fully” — and he offers God a bargain. “Yet we have always…

Rabbi Dalia Samansky loves Thanksgiving. But family gatherings can often be fraught. “As much as we’d all love to have a big happy family that gets along, this is not always the case,” she says.…

“I have never shied away from engaging the political process,” said Rabbi Ammi Hirsch on the recent elections in the U.S. and Israel. Pointing out the need to constantly cultivate democracy and guard against the…

“Unlike other species, humans have trouble living in the moment,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “Sometimes we get stuck in the past when we need to keep moving, but sometimes we need to look back in…

Israel went to the polls this week, and it’s very possible the new government will include ministers “who preach intolerance and hatred,” says Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz. But no matter how we feel about the results,…

This week’s parashah describes the construction of the Tower of Babel, and the scattering of all the peoples of the earth. Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch presents differing interpretations of the tower builders’ transgression and the contemporary…

“These last few weeks, Kanye West has peddled old vile antisemitic tropes,” says Rabbi Sam Natov. “There is no excuse or explanation for his hateful words. Trying to find one is a waste of time.…

In the aftermath of the Golden Calf, God swore to destroy the Israelites. “It was Moses alone who saved them,” says Rabbi Ammi Hirsch. “Leadership is about taking responsibility for others. When you go to…

If you could invite anyone from history to dinner, how would you prepare? Rabbi Sam Natov ponders the practice of ushpizin and how preparing for imagined guests leads to mitzvot: “May our acts of tzedakah,…

“The willingness to be different is integral to Judaism,” reflects Rabbi Ammi Hirsch on Yom Kippur. “Our different historical experiences led to our unique sensitivity to injustice and cruelty and gave us our deep appreciation…

“What can one person do to impact on the many challenges facing our world?” asks Rabbi Ammi Hirsch on Erev Yom Kippur, reflecting on the war in Ukraine and our synagogue’s humanitarian mission. “We overcome…

“Asking for forgiveness is hard because it means admitting we were wrong,” says Rabbi Rena Rifkin on Erev Yom Kippur. “And yet, Yom Kippur commands us to do just that. Once we truly admit our…

During Rosh Hashanah, “I stopped in my office in between services to check on the Yankee games,” admits Rabbi Rena Rifkin. And now she finds that “the space between Aaron Judge’s 61st and 62nd home…

On Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Ammi Hirsch addresses the proliferation of antisemitism on college campuses across America: “Antisemitism — even when it calls itself anti-Zionism — is a stain on the academies of higher learning and…

“We need to know our days to accept that we will only have so many of them,” ponders Rabbi Samantha Natov on Erev Rosh Hashanah. “Yet if we think that our one life is the…

On the High Holy Days, “we use this time to refocus and to recenter ourselves,” says Rabbi Rena Rifkin. “Our lives are full of small gems. But on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we are…

Was the world created for us or are we but dust and ashes? “Depending on the situation, we should contemplate one or the other to remind ourselves of our place in the world,” says Rabbi…

“Change seems especially palpable this time of year,” says Rabbi Sam Natov. “Pursuing change opens us up to vulnerability, but there can be no growth without change. As we enter into these High Holy Days,…

Here, “we stand by one another and we hold each other up,” says Rabbi Dalia Samansky as she’s officially welcomed to Stephen Wise. “Not only am I in awe as I stand before this congregation…

This week we read the famous line, “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof — justice, justice shall you pursue.” “We repeat our plea for justice as if crying out, ‘Pay attention! Wake up to injustice in the world,’”…

“We Jews gather,” says Rabbi Rena Rifkin. “Sure, we can feel God with us anywhere, but it is here — at synagogue — that we keep a reminder of the Holy Ark of the Covenant,…

When people come to Rabbi Dalia Samansky to express their disbelief in the Divine, she says: “Tell me about the God you don’t believe in.” More often than not, they’re imagining a God who “resembles…

“Can we still be open to loving and nurturing ourselves when we feel we are missing the mark?” asks Rabbi Samantha Natov. “It is a Jewish value to judge others favorably, to judge others with…

“The Second Temple’s destruction also marked the end of over 600 years of positive diaspora-Israel relations,” says Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz on the Shabbat before Tisha b’Av. “It is important that we take this moment to…

“Gam zeh ya’avor’ — ‘This too shall pass’ has a far deeper meaning than the short sentence implies,” says Rabbi Dalia Samansky. This week Moses reminds the Israelites of the 42 steps of their journey. “Moses…

“I am a proud Reform Jew,” declares Rabbi Dalia Samansky. “One aspect I particularly love about Reform Judaism is its ability to make Judaism relevant for today’s time.” We see this flexibility in this week’s…

During this time of division and anger, “how can find our way back to one another?” asks Rabbi Samantha Natov. “We’ll have to ask difficult questions — and open ourselves to other points of view,”…

At the end of his life, Moses didn’t get to enter the Promised Land, the Torah tells us in this week’s parasha. “Most of us will never fully complete, never fully accomplish, never fully achieve…

“In this time when we especially need a vacation,” says Rabbi Sam Natov, “even just to strengthen ourselves to go back and do the critical work of helping to repair this broken world, Jewish practices…

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning Roe v. Wade, Rabbi Ammi Hirsch consoled: “To live in a democracy is to be defeated often. The pendulum swings from victory to loss to victory again.”…

Welcoming elite officers from the Israel National Defense College, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch discussed the importance of supporting Israel amid “the steadily rising temperature of Jew-hatred.” He said: “Israel has restored the freedom, the collective dignity,…

“Our sages teach that deceiving others deliberately is like ‘stealing people’s minds,’” says Rabbi Sam Natov. “When you lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. You take away their ability to function in the…

“In these days of crisis, as we still reel from one massacre, another one has already taken place,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “When our fears get the best of us, we may be tempted to…

“The fundamental religious principle is the sanctity of life,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “Every other religious principle flows from this foundational truth. No right is absolute. Your right to purchase firearms must be balanced with…

“I am grateful beyond words for the privilege of sharing in your lives, celebrating with you in moments of joy, mourning with you in moments of sorrow,” says Rabbi Shira Gluck. “In the Talmud, Rabbi…

“The notion of a deliberate reset is an ancient Jewish concept, radical in its time, and still radical today,” says Rabbi Sam Natov. “In a city that never sleeps, movement is often our goal. When…

“Have you noticed that we are all feeling a little edgy right now?” asks Rabbi Samantha Natov. “We’re tense, prickly and irritable, as if walking with elbows out wherever we go. This is why the Jewish…

Every other week, Rabbi Ammi Hirsch hosts intellectually honest conversations unpacking current events through the lens of Jewish wisdom. Unbound by politics and untethered by party lines, Ammi and his expert guests discuss everything from…

“The time to speak is now,” says Rabbi Rena Rifkin, in response to the leaked Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. “Jewish tradition allows for — and even sometimes requires — a woman to…

“I know it feels impossible: To keep up with every tragedy and important cause. To help as much as we can,” says Rabbi Rena Rifkin. “That is our burden as Jews who have woven the…

On the eve of our mission to Poland and the Ukrainian border, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch spoke about why it’s so important to bear witness and bring immediate material and emotional support. “I hope that those…

As part of the Passover Seder, we break the matzah. “There is always one bigger and one smaller side, a jagged edge with messy and crumbling pieces,” say Rabbi Samantha Natov. “Just like life: things…

“Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine should be a clarifying moment for Jews, but also for the Western world,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch in the wake of yet another terrorist attack in Israel. “The yearning for…

“For weeks, we’ve watched the Russian military mauling millions of innocent civilians. I am inexpressibly frustrated by simply watching,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “For this reason, our president Steven Silverstein and I will be leading…

“We are often stripping a person down to one piece of themselves — one word, one act, one meme. So many of us are too quick to judge and we do not do enough to…

“How can we celebrate while our brothers and sisters in Ukraine are fighting for survival?” asks Rabbi Samantha Natov. “This week, I saw photos of Ukrainian Jews making hamantaschen, singing and reading the Megillah. It’s…

“With the war raging in Ukraine, we are increasingly aware of how quickly things can change and how vulnerable we always are,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. We tell each other stories to cope — and…

“The Ukrainian people are saying ‘hineini’ — ‘here I am,’” says Rabbi Sam Natov. “People in neighboring countries are saying ‘hineini’ as they welcome refugees. Abraham, Jacob and Moses all said ‘hineini.’ And we, too,…

“We thought that the days of authoritarian strongmen bestriding the narrow world like a Colossus were over,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch as Russian troops bore down on Ukraine’s capital. “Now we are engaged again in…

“Passions have been ignited because Hellen Mirren will play Golda Meir in an upcoming movie. If a gentile cannot play a Jew, can a Jew play a gentile?” asks Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “This all started…

Just as the Olympic athletes take us away from everyday limitations, in this week’s parasha, we remember that “in their time, the priests were a source of great inspiration — yet they were just as…

“Whoopi Goldberg said some truly offensive and ignorant things, but she apologized immediately and sincerely,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “Repentance, forgiveness and atonement are central concepts in Judaism. And this was a rare opportunity for…

“This week’s Torah portion begins with a long list of laws,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “Laws can seem abstract, but rulings respond to how our lives unfold. As Jews, we are constantly in conversation with…

“Why a synagogue? Why Jews?” asks Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch in the wake of the standoff at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. “To fight effectively against antisemitism, it is not enough to condemn the individual…

The ancient Israelites wandered the wilderness for 40 years, carrying the Holy Ark from place to place. “But it was not a burden,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov, “for the Ark carries those who carry it.”…

“Trying to figure out what the world will look like tomorrow — let alone three months from now — is a monumental and deeply frustrating and draining task,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “We are creatures…

“As we begin the secular new year, we find ourselves asking: Who should I be?” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “Instead of asking who should I be in the coming year, we could ask: How can…

“We all have struggles, large and small, public or hidden, that we go through throughout our lifetimes. No one gets through life without tremendous loss,” says Rabbi Sam Natov as the COVID-19 cases have increased. “Yet…

“Rabbi Ammi Hirsch’s special holiday homily.”

“We take for granted so much about life. Most of us do not give a passing thought to deprivation. Practically none of us thinks about whether we can put food on the table today,” says Rabbi Ammi Hirsch.…

“Here we are again: another vile, virulent, vexing variant,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. In this week’s parasha, “Joseph didn’t ask, ‘Why did God create pestilence?’ He figured out how to improve and ultimately escape his…

“On this Shabbat of Thanksgiving, we are grateful for our blessings and acknowledge the challenges that have made us who we are,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “Just as water carves rock over time, the adversities…

“Last week, The New York Times Magazine reported on ‘The Unraveling of American Zionism,’” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “Our Reform institutions have an opportunity — and an obligation — to state what it is we…

“When a hero sets out on a great journey, there is a familiar story arc,” says Rabbi Shira Gluck. But our stories are different; they tend to repeat themselves: “This week’s parasha picks up with…

“There are moments in life that feel so intensely awful that it seems as if they will go on forever,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. It’s in times like these when we may not see the…

“There are two models of succession portrayed in the Torah and haftarah portions of the week,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “Abraham took his time and built his succession plan carefully. But David’s was done in…

“Tikkun olam — repairing the world — is an outgrowth and an expression of Judaism itself,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “But sometimes it seems to be the only value Reform Jews emphasize. All of us…

“At some point, everyone reaches an age when they hand over the fight to the next generation,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. Which makes Abraham’s story in this week’s parasha all the more profound: “He is…

Mere weeks after Yom Kippur, many of us have already transgressed. “The midrash tells us that God created and destroyed 974 worlds before creating the world we know,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “Just like Noah,…

“There is disorder all around us. How can we create order when we are surrounded by chaos?” asks Rabbi Rena Rifkin. “Through mitzvot, we explore how to behave and interact with our world. Like God’s…

On our most joyous festival, “Jewish tradition encourages us to study the Book of Ecclesiastes, who writes, “Everything is futile: utter futility,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. He asks: “Why, of all books, did the Sages…

“In the wake of Yom Kippur, we have cleared out the clutter of regret,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “Sukkot gives us an opportunity to tap into joy” that we should be sure not to miss…

“What is going on in our schools? The task of the best educational institutions is not to tell students what to think, but to give them the tools how to think,” said Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch…

“Were the Ten Lost Tribes truly lost, or were they destroyed?” wonders Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch on Erev Yom Kippur. “For some, exile is coerced. Others just drift away from our people until there is no…

“‘Who shall live and who shall die? Who by fire and who by water?’ These words are no longer metaphorical,” says Rabbi Shira Gluck this Shabbat Shuvah. This year, on the anniversary of Creation, “Let…

“If there is one lesson to absorb from the Holocaust, it is that when someone proclaims an intention to exterminate the Jews, believe them,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, recalling a harrowing story from Auschwitz this…

“There is a kind of myth that we can hold onto balance for even more than a short time, but to be alive is to be in motion,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov this Erev Rosh…

“What does a life of blessing look like? It’s easy to see that it’s the people in our lives who really matter,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “This week’s Torah portion reminds us that we have…

In the wake of an earthquake in Haiti and the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, Rabbi Samantha Natov reflects on our duty to our fellow human beings: “We may be separated by our places of birth,…

In Jewish tradition, memory is one of our most sacred obligations, but forgetting can be a virtue, too, says Rabbi Shira Gluck. “As we approach Yom Kippur, we must seek forgiveness from those we have…

“The Torah places heavy restrictions on people in positions of power to provide desperately needed checks and balances,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “In order to really take the pursuit of justice seriously, we need to…

When Rabbi Rena Rifkin set out to solve a 1,500-piece puzzle she was dismayed to find a broken piece. “One night, we managed to fit it into the puzzle and by the next morning, I…

“Why do bad things happen to good people? Or good things to bad people?” asks Rabbi Samantha Natov. “Ultimately, we are born into circumstances that are not of our making. The Torah teaches that it…

“Today, only six days after Tisha b’Av, the day of Jerusalem’s destruction and Israel’s exile, we celebrate Tu b’Av, the holiday of love,” says Rabbi Shira Gluck. This emotional whiplash would be difficult for anyone,…

“Tisha b’Av is our time to weep and mourn,” says Rabbi Shira Gluck. “But suffering is not an identity; it’s a universal experience. In the stories we tell about ourselves, we create our own narrative.…

“I almost never make a promise. When I do, it’s only with absolute confidence that I can keep my word,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov, reflecting on this week’s parashah, in which Moses discusses the laws…

“The census in week’s parasha, Pinchas, is noteworthy because it mentions the names of people who would’ve been counted, but their actions disqualified them,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “Whom do we leave out of our…

“Sometimes things are right in front of us, but we don’t see them. It takes something to help us change our perspective,” says Rabbi Sam Natov. In this week’s Torah portion, an angel helps Balaam…

Welcoming officers from the Israel National Defense College for a special Kabbalat Shabbat, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch spoke about the miracle of Israel’s existence. “Zionism is about empowerment: to rewrite the Jewish story in the annals…

“In this week’s Torah portion, Moses endured yet another rebellion. Challenge Moses all you want, but it’s hard to comprehend the constant refrain of ‘Let’s go back to Egypt,’” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “The unknown…

Commenting on the Torah portion, wherein 10 of the 12 tribal leaders sowed panic in the community, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch emphasized: “At first the scouts spoke the truth. Master liars do not make everything up.…

“In the past days I have been hearing from people of all ages who are distraught at the barrage of ugly words written about Israel and Jews,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “How do we not…

“We are witnessing the fracturing of liberal Judaism along the same fissures as a century ago – our sense of Jewish identity,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “Do we belong to the Jewish people? Are we…

“I mourn the loss of life already inflicted, and lament the many further tragedies that will befall both Israelis and Palestinians in the days ahead,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “Every one of the 2,000 missiles…

“This week’s Torah portion contains one of the most profound passages in the history of civilization,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch: “‘You shall proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.’”

“Pressure to be perfect is not new. It’s biblical; it’s biblical. The priests and even their sacrifices had to be perfect,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. With all that pressure, “there are aspects of ourselves we…

“It is gratifying that justice was served, but it is not full justice. Nothing can restore what was taken,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “The most important result of the brutality inflicted on George Floyd is…

This week’s Torah portion deals with leprosy — “and the quest to understand why people became afflicted,” says Rabbi Sam Natov. “In the face of uncertainty, how can we gain a sense of control? But…

“Passover reflects and embodies the idea of liberation, while Shavuot reflects and embodies the idea of responsibility. The festivals are inseparable,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “Every day of counting the Omer is a reminder that…

“What would you need to move forward from mitzrayim — which means ‘narrowness,’ and is our word for Egypt?” asks Rabbi Samantha Natov on this Shabbat and the last day of Passover. “Working on ourselves…

As we live through Passover in a plague of our own, Rabbi Samantha Natov says: “I think it’s more important than ever to ask the theological and existential questions we often push to the backs…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch praised Israel’s Supreme Court for its landmark ruling this week requiring that people who converted to Judaism in Israel under the auspices of Reform and Conservative rabbis be recognized as Jews and…

“The Bible offers two models of salvation,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, “the Exodus and Purim. Judaism’s approach to history assumes that as the eras unfold divine intervention becomes less prominent and human deeds become more…

“Few know that a full third of the Book of Exodus is about the minute details of building the Tabernacle,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “I think that it is to teach us that the grandest…

“To stand against the crowd requires courage,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflecting on the impeachment trial and this week’s parasha. “Moral courage is the human ingredient that is most difficult to bring out of ourselves.…

“Few of us take the commandment mandating Shabbat observance seriously or even realize that it’s one of the Ten Commandments,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “Freeing up time is why God gave us Shabbat. Use it…

Soon after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, they were attacked by the Amalekites. Throughout the battle, “Moses raised his hands and kept them steady until sunset — so the people would see their leader…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on the stress of the past four years and his emotional reaction to the inauguration of President Joe Biden. “As I watched, I felt the heaviness lifting. The sadness began to…

In this week’s parasha, the Torah says that a frog — written in the singular — started the surge that covered Egypt. Rabbis Elazar and Akiva argue: were the other frogs already there, waiting to…

“Democracy is hard. It requires constant and loving cultivation,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “May it be that one day we will look back upon these days and conclude that the last four years were an…

“It is not for human beings to predict the future. Only God knows what will happen tomorrow,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch on New Year’s Day. “Jewish tradition is emphatic: the future is not some static…

“I love when Christmas falls on Shabbat,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “It gives me an opportunity to remind myself that Judaism is both universal and particular: that we unite with the world in fellowship —…

In this week’s parasha, we learn that “not only does Joseph constantly dream big dreams, he also has a unique capacity to interpret dreams,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “The Talmud contains this amazing thought: ‘Dreams…

This week’s parasha reminds us that it can all change in the blink of an eye, says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “As you gaze into the lights of the menorah, feel the hope of renewal: that…

“Sometimes, prevailing is just enduring,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “That is the key lesson of this week’s Torah portion.” When wrestling with his unknown assailant, “Jacob does not relent, hoping that he can hold on…

“Have you given thanks this week?” asks Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “It’s challenging to express gratitude when we are enduring hardship. Take some time this Thanksgiving weekend just to be thankful. Consider the misery in this…

In this week’s parashah, Abraham’s trusted servant devises a test to find a wife for Isaac. “Once Eliezer saw Rebecca, he relaxed his standards,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “He realized that by setting the bar…

Mourning the passing of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z’’l, our Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch said: “Blessed with dazzling brilliance, Rabbi Sacks helped millions answer life’s central questions and dilemmas. And in so doing, he bestowed incomparable honor…

“As the Trump presidency ends we must work to strengthen the institutions of democracy,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “It turns out that the protecting walls of American democracy are more fragile than we imagined. In…

“When I think about this current historical moment and these two biblical narratives of destruction, the story of the Tower of Babel feels particularly relevant,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “So many in positions of power…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch wades into the controversy surrounding the casting of Gal Gadot as Cleopatra that’s been roiling the Twitterverse: “Why shouldn’t an Israeli portray an ancient Middle Eastern queen? The subtlety and power of…

I love Simchat Torah at Stephen Wise. Our celebrations are different this year: we won’t be outside and we won’t even do hakafot inside the sanctuary,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “I hope that we remember…

“The increasing tendency in 21st-century America to affirm one acceptable answer is profoundly illiberal, even if it comes from the Left,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch on Yom Kippur. “For years we have allowed the foundations…

“On this Day of Atonement, we sense our human vulnerability as never before,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “Remain steadfast. Even now, in the dimness of the cave — at this, the most isolated, dark and…

On Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch delivered a message of hope and moral clarity: “We will never surmount the racial breach in our country without a willingness to step into and repair it. Judaism commands…

“We’d like to start fresh, but that is impossible,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov. “During these High Holy Days, we can learn from our mistakes and rebuild out of regret. Our regrets give us raw material…

On the first Shabbat back in our sanctuary, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch discusses this week’s parasha, “Ki Tetze” — “When You Go Out.”: “Perhaps because ‘Ki Tetze’ begins with going out to war, much of the…

“Today is an important day: June 19th, the day that the emancipation finally arrived to the slaves of Galveston. It wasn’t the exact day they were freed, recalled the descendants of the slaves, but that’s…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch discusses George Floyd’s death and our country’s yearning for justice.

Judaism was never big on self-denial,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch discussing this week’s parashah. “Holiness is expressed through ethical actions. Fundamentalists and extremists distort the mainstream Jewish tradition of seeking moderation, logic and reason.

Passover and Shavuot are linked conceptually, which is why we count down the days,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “You can’t have freedom — Passover — without law — Shavuot. If we do not embrace responsibility,…

“If you shall follow my laws…” begins this week’s parashah. “That word ‘if’ is one of the most consequential words,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “It connotes all of the uncertainties of life.”

Bigger people have a responsibility to smaller people.” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch discusses the obligations outlined in this week’s parashah, Emor. “To diminish people who are not quite as big in responsibility or social status violates…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch delves into what the this week’s parashah has to say about labor and providing for those less fortunate: “Why do we have obligations to those who cannot support themselves? The Torah is…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch has always been a bit intimidated by this week’s parasha, Tazria-Metzora, which deals with treating those afflicted with disease. “It lays out a path for these people to be quarantined and then…

“New York’s streets are silent now, but our city will come back noisy as ever,” says our Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “As we rebuild, we, ourselves, will be rebuilt.”

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch asks what kind of person each of us will be when we emerge from social isolation and finds guidance from Jewish tradition.

On the morning of Passover and with spring in the air, Rabbi Samantha Natov spoke about how our history and practicing gratitude for even the smallest things helps us to be resilient in tough times…

On the Shabbat before Passover, each Israelite household was commanded to watch over a lamb for four days before using its blood to mark their doorposts. “God wanted the Israelites to earn their freedom —…

“We read in the Book of Daniel, ‘thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting.’ We must pass this test — or there will be incalculable human suffering,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “Have patience.…

We never really think about how connected we are with everybody else,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “This week’s Torah portion emphasizes that Moses assembled the entire people of Israel in order to complete the tabernacle.…

As we focus on “social distancing” and staying healthy in the challenging months ahead, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch urges us “to focus on the things that really matter to us: life, family, friends, meaning, purpose.”

“When we are anxious and afraid, we often act unintelligently — with little wisdom and with pervasive cruelty,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. As the coronavirus looms, what we need is a good, strong dose of…

As our country grapples with political turmoil and gears up for another divisive election, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch contemplates the moral character of leaders. “The indispensable criterion for leadership is moral awareness,” he says.

“These days, trust in our most critical institutions is in distressing decline,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, who discussed how public confidence has eroded when it comes to the media, the courts, schools, churches and synagogues.…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch discusses his long depressing, uplifting week — including the march against anti-Semitism on Sunday, his remarks to Fieldston students on Thursday, and his advice to parents for raising proud Jewish children.

After accidentally dating a d’var Torah “3019,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch began to think about the world in 1,000 years and how future generations will look back on our time.

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch questions our country’s health in the wake of the NBA-China controversy. “The general manager of the Houston Rockets sent a rather bland tweet upholding the struggle for democracy in Hong Kong –…

On Yom Kippur, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch discusses the ways we seek to escape – and give meaning and purpose – to the anxiety of life. Some choose the path of science and technology, but does…

In his Rosh Hashanah sermon, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch spoke about antisemitism from both sides of the aisle, slamming the right for excusing hate speech and the left for hypocrisy on Israel, and criticizing the Reform…

Before we are born, we contain the knowledge of everything in the world,” says Rabbi Samantha Natov this Erev Rosh Hashanah. “Life, then, is a process of remembering. The best we can do is to…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch tackles questions of free will and morality in this crucial period leading up to the High Holy Days. “This season is about taking responsibility. Judaism insists that you can control your life…

The period before the High Holy Days, during the month of Elul, is one of the rare times in Judaism that we’re told to focus on ourselves, says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “The whole point of…

Welcoming officers from the Israel National Defense College for a special Kabbalat Shabbat service and dinner, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch spoke about the modern-day miracle of Israel and recounted how the Israelites’ march to the Promised…

After the recent loss of his mother, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on life’s ephemeral beauty – and the central importance of mothers in our lives.

After a shooting attack on a California synagogue and an anti-Semitic cartoon published in The New York Times left American Jews reeling, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch addressed anti-Semitism coming from both the right and left: “Jews do…

“In every generation, every Jew should feel as if they were personally redeemed from Egypt,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch quotes from the Haggadah. “The Haftarah reading for the second day of Passover mentions Natan-Melech once, in…

Speaking about the recent college admissions, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch says: “The impulse to cheat is always present in our lives – especially in a society like ours that so rewards accomplishment. Jewish tradition teaches that…

“Right-wing antisemitism inclines towards violence. The antisemitism of the left is camouflaged by the rhetoric of human rights, anti-colonialism, liberalism, and white privilege. It tends to be expressed nowadays through hatred of Israel. And starting…

In this week’s parasha, God singles out Bezalel by name – and a good name is among our most precious possessions. “Anticipating modern times when, Jewish sages warned against the human propensity to damage a…

In this week’s parasha, Moses became so enraged that he took the tablets – described by the Torah as being carved by the very finger of God – and shattered them into pieces. In this…

Despite the characteristic rapid social changes of our times, we know what kind of behavior is right and what’s wrong, says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, who discusses the ongoing controversy in Virginia’s state government and the…

“With every technological advance – something is lost.” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch braved sub-zero temperatures to encourage us to create warmth by avoiding distractions and building meaningful relationships.

As mounting accusations of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel advocacy roil the national Women’s March movement, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch announced that Stephen Wise Free Synagogue will disassociate from Women’s March Inc., and that it will join the…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch discusses the painful reconciliation of Jacob’s sons in the Book of Genesis, and how we should seek to release unresolved anger in our lives. “I meet so many people who cannot forgive…

“I know that many of us are afraid. We gather today in memory, in solidarity, but also in defiance. To be a Jew is, itself, an act of defiance. We will not cower. Be proud…

“Sitting there in the Cabinet Room, waiting for the leader of the reconstituted Jewish state, I felt the mysterious, ineluctable flow of time.” Rabbi Hirsch reflected on his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,…

“Nowadays, we can’t really be sure whether a hurricane is just another storm, or if, somehow, the climate itself is changing – putting into question our very way of life. In the Torah, the key…

“For all living beings the body’s needs are to continue to exist, but, for human beings, the mind needs harmony.” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch asks difficult questions to justify religion’s relevance in our modern times.

On Yom Kippur, in the absence of an official response from the Reform movement to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon’s recent criticism of Judaism as “divisive” and Jewish intramarriage as “a ghetto of two,” Rabbi…

On Kol Nidre, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflected on his 30 years as a rabbi and how we come to develop wisdom and faith: “The world is bigger than any one of us. This realization that…

“If what some people mean by ‘religion should stay out of politics’ is that we should never engage in the social challenges of our times – never speak about the here and now, but only…

“Judaism survived because a privileged and comfortable adult – Pharaoh’s daughter – had compassion on a Jewish refugee child.” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch references the story of Moses and reminds us of the principles of our founding fathers…

“The very connectedness and shrinking of the world – that was supposed to bind us in a common thread of humanity – has isolated us.” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch responds to an unprecedented mental health crisis…

“It is one thing to point out – rightly – human suffering.  But you cannot be neutral between liberal democracy and authoritarian coercion, between respect for human life and contempt for life, between dignity and…

A trip to the barber causes Rabbi Hirsch to confront his mortality.

“We cannot fully understand the contemporary Jewish experience, or live complete Jewish lives, without Israel being part of our Jewish identity.” In celebration of Yom Haatzmaut, Israel Independence Day, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch honors our history…

On Holocaust Memorial Day, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch demands that we combat humanity’s evil impulses and instill the values of tolerance, decency, compassion, freedom, diversity, and respect. “Again and again and again we have chosen life. …

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch celebrates the last night of Passover by honoring the achievements of King David and our adult b’nai mitzvah class.

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch shares key points he made as a panelist on pro-Israel activism in progressive communities at the 2018 American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Conference, which was attended by thousands of Israeli…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on the Florida teenagers fighting gun violence and our moral obligation to support them. “Heroism is the sustained advancement towards a moral goal when the gaze of the world has moved…

“Train yourselves and your children for moral performance as you would train yourselves for physical performance,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch says. “Do moral workouts. Spend part of every day practicing moral deeds.”

Responding to Poland’s new law that makes it a crime to accuse the Polish nation of complicity in the Holocaust, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch remembers a Polish officer who fought the Nazi invasion of his homeland…

“The human spirit responds to and is strengthened by goodness, kindness, social connections, family, and friends — precisely the rewiring that the Hebrew prophets emphasized nearly three thousand years ago,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch.

“Religion is more important to us than ever,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch says. “The Torah reminds us that machines serve us — not the opposite. We seek to make technology our tool, not our taskmaster.”

“America is not about where you came from,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch says in this sermon. “It’s about where you want to go.”

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “Judaism without Jerusalem is not Judaism.”    

“Even if we are devoted to attacking the windmills of injustice, the righteous fight itself might grind us down,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch says. “We need to step back — and pursue — the other principles…

“With every new massacre, it has become easier for us to move on,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. “Instead of just thoughts and prayers, we need deeds, actions, resolutions, and resolve.” 

After the recent terrorist attack, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch finds symbolism in the New York City Marathon. “Above all else, the race tests persistence, endurance, and our will to continue.”

Rabbi Hirsch urges American Reform Jews to establish and fund a stronger progressive movement in Israel to counter the intensifying religious extremism of the country’s ultra-Orthodox monopoly.

Eternity came before us; eternity comes after us. Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch asks: “What is the significance of our brief sojourn on earth?”

In his Rosh Hashanah sermon, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch offers an assessment of the political and moral health of our country since the election of President Trump.

“It is good for you to take time off your academic pursuits and professional responsibilities and reflect in synagogue on what you want to do with all the knowledge you have acquired,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch…

“The secret of life is to fear what should be feared — but not allow fear to paralyze action and trample upon moral values,” says Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch.

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on the synagogue’s refugee relief mission to Greece and Germany. “We are a tiny corner of the world on 68th Street, but still, we did a lot of good.”

There is an essential truth that should govern our behavior, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch says. “You can give of yourself without depleting yourself. The spirit of God rests upon you. You can — you must —…

“What the Bible is teaching more than anything else is that human beings need other human beings,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch says in this sermon. “Practically everything we have, and everything we know, comes from other…

In a day and age when “it is hard for us to appreciate Jewish independence because it is our daily reality,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch finds inspiration for renewed commitment to Israel in his favorite biblical…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch urges our community to support the synagogue’s refugee relief work. “I hope you will tell your friends, share our moral indignation, and resolve to do something yourselves.”

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on our recent mission to Israel. “I wish I could persuade those of you who have not been to participate in this transformative, life-altering journey — because words fall short.”

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch finds inspiration (and humor) in an incapacitating experience with a kidney stone. “The touch of a human hand — not the philosophy of eternal reward — is Judaism’s best response to pain.”

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch responds to the spate of threats against Jewish institutions across the country. “The only way to defeat hate is to confront it.” 

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch looks back on the more than four decades that have passed since the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade. “When it comes to the core of what drives us in life, our…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on this era of instant gratification and “alternative facts” and reminds us: Jewish tradition is emphatic that there are no shortcuts in life.

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch responds to President Trump’s immigration ban and announces a congregational refugee relief trip to Greece and Germany. “Step into the shoes of the refugee,” he says. “Try to imagine yourself on a…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reminds us that we must always preserve and defend the Jewish tradition’s core values. “Our greatness is not only in cherishing and speaking of these values, but in living up to them…

Reflecting on hate speech that has recently plagued the small Jewish community of Whitefish, Montana, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch considers the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: “All that is required for evil to triumph is…

Through the lens of the biblical story of Joseph’s reunion with his brothers, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on a deeply Jewish idea: that there is a guiding force in the universe. “Joseph could not unravel…

“Twas the seventh day of Hanukkah, and all through the night, Jews were observing Shabbat with delight.” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch mesmerized listeners of all ages with his fun take on a classic poem.

“Judaism is not passive acceptance of the divine will. God wants protest for the sake of what is right,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch says in this sermon. “The point of Judaism is to feel a kinship…

In his first sermon since Americans elected Donald Trump to be the next president of the United States, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch offers words of consolation and action. “I have not witnessed this widespread and communal…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch examines the human inclination to lie. As an example, he condemns UNESCO’s draft resolution that “simply erased” any connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem. “We must train ourselves to value and…

In his Yom Kippur sermon, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on heroism and our quest for meaning. “If we really look, we will discover that everything is broken,” he says. “We are all infirm. We might…

In his Kol Nidre sermon, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch considers the US presidential election and Judaism’s demand that we speak about — and act upon — the moral challenges of our time. “Beyond all of the…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch focused on Israel in his Rosh Hashanah sermon. “The objective of the Jewish state is not only freedom for our people, but freedom for all people,” Rabbi Hirsch said. “We liberal Jews…

An unusual scene in Central Park inspires Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch to reflect on praying, blessings, and faith. “Try to pray for the permanent and infinite things… not only for yourself, but for others. And then–go…

“Your words are you: your character, your spirit – your essence,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch says in this recent sermon. “When leaders lie, they coarsen public values and corrode public life.”

“Life optimally lived is for, with, and through others.” In this sermon, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch describes how planning and personal accomplishment can be channeled towards the common good.

“He was a spectacular president – a position with little political power – but with the moral power to sway the hearts and minds of the people,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch said of the late Shimon…

Watch Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch’s inspiring Shabbat sermon on “Humility.” Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a reform Synagogue on the Upper West Side of New York. SWFS is a beacon of progressive Jewish thought, inclusive worship,…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on the existential restlessness that resides in each of us. “Learning to live is about learning to control our desire for desire. If we do not learn this skill, desire will…

With the presidential primaries behind us, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch asks: What qualities do we want in our leaders? Jewish tradition hints that the great political leaders are not necessarily beloved; like Moses, they need to…

Touching on the sanctity of life, Judaism’s mandate to fight evil, the intolerable ease in this country of acquiring lethal firearms, religious extremism fueled by a nihilistic interpretation of Islam, and widespread bias towards the…

What gives your life meaning? Judaism urges protest, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects in this sermon. Don’t accept the world as it is: find meaning and purpose in fighting injustice.

“Jewish lives matter,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch said in Friday’s sermon as he welcomed officials from the Israel National Defense College to Stephen Wise Free Synagogue on May 20. “Antizionism is not necessarily antisemitism, but the…

“Judaism always believes in next year, not only as a prayer, but as a plan,” Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects. “In our tradition, the golden age is still to come.” For more than 100 years, Stephen…

Since ancient times, Jewish spiritual leaders have offered hope in the face of illness and suffering, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reminds us. It is a process of acceptance outlined in the Torah. Stephen Wise Free Synagogue…

Reflecting on the cacophony of the Internet, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch asks: Is all this information a sign of engagement or withdrawal? Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a Reform Synagogue on the Upper West Side of…

In this Shabbat Sermon, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on the true meaning of religion in the wake of unspeakable recent horrors. Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a Reform Synagogue on the Upper West Side of…

Reflecting on a Torah portion that narrates the building of the Tabernacle, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch finds a fundamental lesson: the sublime is a product of the ordinary. Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a Reform Synagogue…

From the days of Moses, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects, participation in the Jewish community has been the essence of Judaism – an insight that illuminates the disconnect many Jews feel toward presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch draws on the Torah and New York Fashion Week to remind us: Do not look to outer beauty, look to the heart. Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a reform Synagogue on the…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch asks that we consider “That of which we are most proud, that which reveals the best of us every single day,” in this week’s Shabbat sermon, “Our Shelter: Go Downstairs!” Stephen Wise…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch reflects on “New York Values” in this week’s Friday night Shabbat sermon. Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a reform Synagogue on the Upper West Side of New York. SWFS is a beacon…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch delivers this week’s inspirational Shabbat Sermon, “Powerball.” Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a reform Synagogue on the Upper West Side of New York. SWFS is a beacon of progressive Jewish thought, inclusive…

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch offers his insight in this week’s Shabbat Sermon, “Talking Trump.” Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a reform Synagogue on the Upper West Side of New York. SWFS is a beacon of progressive…