From the Rabbi

Words of the Spirit, by Rabbi Liz Bolton, Or Haneshamah's rabbi and spiritual leader

Exactly 12 years ago, as the effects of Hurricane Katrina were soaking into our consciousness, many faith-based messages ensued, along with information about where to send donations for relief.

Among my colleagues, we discussed how to share pastoral messages without ignoring our politically-informed awareness about the human failings that led to the scope and impact of that particular disaster, which was regarded as anything but...Read more...

With the overlap of Passover, Holy Week and Easter this year, it is even more tempting than usual to look at the ritual, spiritual and communal similarities and differences between the two religions.

Ritually, the external forms of Judaism and Christianity diverge significantly, just as they do at any time of the year. However, the underlying spiritual meanings of several symbols within each tradition evoke similar resonance with the...Read more...

Those of us who have siblings, and those of us who parent more than one offspring, have a particular challenge in our lives. It plays out through circumstances that may appear mundane, yet illuminate an issue that is both profoundly human and deeply sacred.

When my two children were young, there was a fair bit of checking out the dimensions of the cookie, or the serving of pasta, or the amount of time spent schmoozing at bedtime. The...Read more...

Reconstructionist Judaism has been described by one of my great rabbinical school teachers, Dr. Arthur Green, as religious humanism. He also teaches that the first and most important “commandment” of the Hebrew Bible is captured in Genesis 1:27 with the phrase tselem elohim – the image of God.

These are two essential teachings for me. They capture the ikar, the vital core that enlivens how I wish to be, and what I wish to do as...Read more...

By the time you read these words, voting will have concluded in the American presidential election. For many, this will bring relief merely for concluding a massively divisive and even bizarre campaign. Amongst factual as well as partisan reporting of the candidates, polling, alliances and breaches, there have been frequent references to the deleterious psychological impact of the season’s stories on many individuals and...Read more...