Stories,photos

187 results total, viewing 141 - 150

How do you know when your zeal for righteousness has veered into the realm of self-righteousness? How do you know when you have become so enthusiastic about what you believe that you … more

d'Var Torah | 8/24/17

The power and inspiration of Passover

I remember sitting in my father’s car, waiting for him to return from visiting patients while I was trying to memorize the Four Questions for the Seder (or the Vier Kashes, as my parents called them in their Galitzianer Yiddish). I had … more

d'Var Torah | 3/26/15

We too often view criticism as disloyalty

Harvard Prof. Shaye J.D. Cohen identifies the Maccabean Revolt against Greek King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, which began in 167 B.C.E., as “history’s first recorded struggle for relgious … more

d'Var Torah | 12/1/23

Tazria-Metzora: The mystery of a baby girl

Four years ago, during a winter that was colder and longer than the one we are now ending, my younger daughter and I decided to go for a walk. At the time, she was only 9 years old, as thin as a … more

d'Var Torah | 4/19/18

Finding a Way out of the Pit

Parashat VayigashGenesis 44:18-47:27 If you have ever suffered grief after a loss – and many of us have – you know how debilitating it can be. In the Torah portion Vayigash we see Jacob as a father who has lost a child and is devastated. … more

d'Var Torah | 12/5/13

Getting lost might be just what we need

In April , I had the pleasure of seeing the Arctic Playhouse’s production of “The 39 Steps” (my spouse, Annie, was in the cast), a comedy based on Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 … more

d'Var Torah | 6/1/23

Lessons from Cuban Jewry

A group from Temple Beth-El, in Providence, traveled to Cuba on Feb. 10 laden with donations for our Jewish brethren, filled with enthusiasm and the spirit of tikkun olam (repairing the world). Even as we delivered our bags filled with … more

d'Var Torah | 3/17/16

What is Lag B’Omer anyway?

Monday and Tuesday, May 8-9, brings one of the oddest holidays of the Jewish year. Lots of people can tell you that Lag B’Omer is the 33rd day of the counting of the omer (didn’t you … more

d'Var Torah | 5/4/23

The power and danger of ‘because’

This week’s Torah portion has an odd name. It is called “Ekev,” a word that in Hebrew means “Because.” Like all of the Torah portions, Ekev gets its name … more

d'Var Torah | 8/4/23

Turn help into hope

I would like to do a survey of The Voice readers. Pause for a moment, clear your minds, and think about the following question: What is the most powerful moment for you … more

d'Var Torah | 9/16/16