Making Sense of the Covenant—How It Shows Up in Our Own Lives
By Rabbi Nathan Kamesar This past shabbat we studied Lekh Lekhah, the third parashah (portion) in the entire Torah, the portion in which the scene shifts from the universal—think Adam and Eve, and Noah and his family, representing all of humanity—to the particular: God’s relationship with Abraham and Sara (initially named Abram and Sarai), the foremost ancestors of […]
Finding the Sacred Invitations within the Mistakes — a Teaching by our Bat Mitzvah
By Rabbi Nathan Kamesar Returning to our practice of reflecting back on the Torah offered at this past week’s Shabbat services, we’re fortunate to be able to share the Torah offered by this past week’s Bat Mitzvah celebrant, Clara. Clara’s Torah portion was Noah, that foundational story that articulates the ebb and flow of humanity, […]
A Letter to the Kids: Where Judaism Can Take You
Yom Kippur Sermon 5782 By Rabbi Nathan Kamesar I want everyone to look around for a minute. Those in the sanctuary, and those at home. Maybe Ven, our camera person can pull back for a minute so that those at home watching on Zoom can take a look at the sanctuary. I want all of […]
The Sacred Fire: Discerning How To Be In The World
Kol Nidre Sermon 5782 By Rabbi Nathan Kamesar One of the stories that struck me this year going through our annual cycle of reading the Torah is one that is not often covered in your classic Hebrew School curriculum. Long after Noah and the flood, long after the Exodus from Egypt, even long after the […]
Pathways to God: Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh, and Adonai Avoteichem
Rosh Hashanah 5782 By Rabbi Nathan Kamesar I think I know what the most important piece of Torah is. I know, it’s a lofty claim. It’s like saying you can identify the single greatest piece of art, the greatest piece of music, the greatest basketball player of all time. Sure we all have opinions, but […]