Borders and Boundaries (Ki Tavo)
I was struck upon first moving to Seattle how difficult it is to give directions based on geographical features. You…
Parshat HaShavua
Refugee Torah (Eikev)
To be spiritual is to be ethical. Ethics is a practical outcome of spiritual work.
What’s In a House? (Shemot)
As you may know, I love midrash. Midrash is a type of Jewish text that simultaneously pays close attention to…
Dinah and Feminist Reading (Vayechi)
Last Sunday, Rabbi Nicki Greninger and I gathered with thirty members of Temple Isaiah and explored some of the theory and tools of feminist reading practices. At the heart of our inquiry was the question: How do we relate to a text written by and for men, in ways that often diminish women’s full humanity?
Prayer and Proximity (D’var Torah Matot-Masei)
As Numbers winds its way to a close, a war breaks out against Midian. According to midrash, Moses drafts 12,000 to fight and 12,000 to pray – in proximity.