Next Year In Jerusalem

“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 Wise Free Synagogue has been a catalyst for progressive Jewish thought, support for Israel, and committed social action in the local community and beyond. www.swfs.org

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 is a Reform Synagogue on the Upper West Side of New York, and a beacon of progressive Jewish thought, inclusive worship, and committed social action for our congregants, our neighbors, and the larger community. To learn more, visit swfs.org.

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 New York, and a beacon of progressive Jewish thought, inclusive worship, and committed social action for our congregants, our neighbors, and the larger community. To learn more, visit swfs.org.

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 New York, and a beacon of progressive Jewish thought, inclusive worship, and committed social action for our congregants, our neighbors, and the larger community. To learn more, visit swfs.org

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 on the Upper West Side of New York, and a beacon of progressive Jewish thought, inclusive worship, and committed social action for our congregants, our neighbors, and the larger community. To learn more, visit swfs.org

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.

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue is a Reform Synagogue on the Upper West Side of New York, and a beacon of progressive Jewish thought, inclusive worship, and committed social action for our congregants, our neighbors, and the larger community. To learn more, visit swfs.org