Category: Uncategorized
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Creating Memories at the Seder Passover 5783
What is the main point of having a Seder? Tonight, I want to challenge the idea that the seder held primarily so that we can remember the Exodus from Egypt. Despite the fact that our Haggadah says that we are obligated to tell about the Exodus from Egypt, and that “the more one tells the…
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On the Sabbath Parasha Vayakhel-Pekudai
We all know the familiar proverb, “Time is money.” But in many ways, time is not like money at all. One cannot accumulate time; one cannot borrow time; and one can never tell how much more time one has left in the Bank of Life. Time can certainly be wasted, as money can. We know…
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Dave Chapelle and the Jews (Parasha Miketz 2023)
This week in our Torah we learn about one of the most successful Jews of all time – Joseph. Although he was the 11th of 12 brothers, his father Jacob placed him above his older siblings. This, of course, led to disaster as his brothers were consumed by envy and sought to rid themselves of…
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Dwelling in Tents Parasha Vayeshev 5783
Our parasha for this week continues the story of Jacob. Of all of our Biblical ancestors, with the exception of David, Jacob leads the most tumultuous life. He struggles with his brother in the womb, deceives his father, steals the blessing reserved for the first born and must flee his home to escape the anger…
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The Joys and Challenges of Being a Rabbi
I want to thank Congregation Beth Shalom President, Michael Rabin and our vice-President Elizabeth Sigale, for organizing this night of Clergy Appreciation. Rabbis, in “Jewish”, are called “Rabbonim” and Cantors are called “Chazonim”. The word for “Jewish Clergy” in Hebrew is “Klei Kodesh”. This phrase means, “Holy Vessels”. Although Rabbis and Cantors have different…
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Parasha Bereisheet Why Did God Create People?
Since September I have been going to the pre-school occasionally, to meet with the children. I have answer their questions, celebrated Havdalah, played the guitar, sounded the shofar, taught them about the lulav and etrog, ate with them at their Succoth party and on and on and on…. I see them in the hallway, do…
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The Importance of Friends Parasha Re-eh
As many of you know, I recently attended my 50 year High School reunion. A classmate and I were marveling at the durability and strength of our ties to one another. Many of us have so many overlapping relationships. We were neighbors of each other, we attended the same public schools, we attended the same…
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Friday Night Fiftieth Anniversary Sermon
The organizers of the 50th anniversary celebration of our congregation asked that I connect my sermon tonight to the weekend’s central theme of “superheroes”. Well, I am always up for a challenge. The first images that popped into my head when I heard the word ‘ ‘superhero” were Spider Man“ “Wonder Woman, “Batmanand “Captain…
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Setting off on the Journey / Parasha Bamidbar
Our parasha opens with Israel encamped around Mt. Sinai. It has been 25 months since the Exodus from Egypt and they have been at Mt Sinai for a year and a half. It is time for them to set off for the land of their ancestors, the Land of Canaan. This recalls a cartoon by…
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A Reflection on the Texas School Shooting
Yet once again the nation is shuddering and reeling after the massacre of 19 elementary school children, second, third and fourth graders, and two of their teachers, on May 24, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. This occurs on the heels of the massacre of ten Black Americans, on May 17, doing their…
Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph 