Category: Uncategorized
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New Year's Day Message
Embracing our Differences On January 1 I participated in a panel at Wentz Concert Hall for the ninth annual World Peace Day Interfaith Prayer Service. The theme of the day was “Embracing Differences in Our Changing Communities”. My first thought was, “Who better than a rabbi to speak about the consequences of failing to embrace…
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Parasha Va-era
A “Ribbiting” Debate Just a few weeks ago, the American Studies Association, an academic organization, voted overwhelmingly to sever ties with all Israeli academic institutions. This is part of a larger boycott movement in the West that has been the source of great concern to Israel and its supporters. In recent weeks a Dutch water…
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Parasha Va-Yekhi
How To Hold A Grudge This letter appeared in the Sunday NY Times advice column called “Social Q’s” on July 5: We had dinner with another couple at an elegant restaurant. I wore a beautiful and very expensive Chanel dress. When I walked in, the woman we were meeting said, “Oh, I have that same…
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Parasha VaYigash
Reconciliation — “Then” and “Now” Rabbi Joseph Telushkin relates the following story. It illustrates the rancor that is legend in synagogue life: Two members of a congregation have been feuding for years. On Yom Kippur eve, just before the Kol Nidre service, the rabbi brings the two men together in his office. “You must make…
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Chanukah Sermon
Balancing our Jewish Lives A week ago our community was shaken, shocked and saddened by the untimely death of Rabbi Shmuel Mann of B’nai Israel in Aurora. This is a profound loss for the B’nai Israel community in particular but also to all of us in the Western Suburbs. Rabbi Mann will be sorely missed.…
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Parasha Vayishlach
What Does G-d Look Like? Every Sunday morning I visit two classrooms in our Religious School for one of my favorite activities of the week –“Ask the Rabbi”. Usually the teacher and the students prepare a list of questions ahead of time that they want to ask me. Some of the questions are surprisingly original…
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Parasha VaYetze
Remembering the Holocaust November 9 and 10th mark the 75th anniversary of the riots against Jews in Germany that we know as Kristallnacht – the night of the shattered glass. In those 12 hours of mayhem, over 7500 Jewish businesses were attacked, 1000 synagogues were set to fire across Germany and Austria, and nearly 100…
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Parasha Ki Tetze
The Power of Words It is a beautiful Jewish tradition for parents to place their hands on the heads of their children and bless them on Friday nights. For sons we say, “May G-d give you the blessings of Ephraim and Manasseh”. For daughters we recite, “May G-d give you the blessings of Sarah, Rebecca,…
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Parasha Vayera
A few weeks ago I gave a sermon in which I mentioned a film that I had seen called “Twenty Feet from Stardom.” In the sermon I cited the famous story of Rabbi Zusya, who feared that when he died and went to heaven he would be asked not “why were you not Moses,” –…
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Parasha Lekh Lekha
The phone rings on the wall of Mrs. Gerda Weinblatt’s kitchen in her apartment at 303 Avenue S in Brooklyn. “Mrs. Weinblatt?” a voice says. “I have Worthington Rosecroft of Lakeview Capital on the line. Please hold.” …
Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph 