Wise Words
Writings of reflection by the Stephen Wise Temple clergy.
Each Monday morning, members of our mailing list receive the weekly email “This Week at Wise,” and on Fridays, a “Shabbat Shalom” email from Rabbi Yoshi which include messages of thought, inspiration, and contemplation from our clergy, along with a schedule of events. Sign up and don’t miss out!
Shabbat Shalom – Friday, August 1, 2025
We are almost at the end of the Nine Days—a period in the Jewish calendar marked by introspection and sorrow. Our communal mourning culminates in Tisha B’Av, the Ninth of Av, which begins tomorrow evening.Tisha B’Av is the day on which, according to tradition, both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed. Over the centuries, Tisha B’av has become a container for Jewish grief across generations: the Crusades, the expulsions from Spain and England, pogroms, the outbreak of World War I and various other tragedies.This is a time when we allow ourselves to feel the weight of our grief. Joyous celebrations are discouraged. Music is hushed. These rituals invite us to sit with discomfort—to acknowledge the sadness we might feel.This year especially, the grief of Tisha B’Av does not feel distant. It feels close. Personal. Immediate. Urgent. And so, even as we welcome Shabbat, we do so with [...]
Wise Words – Monday, July 28 2025
If you're like many Reform Jews, your primary reference point for Tisha B’Av might be watching bunkmates knock over building blocks at summer camp—or that epic (and hilariously over-the-top) scene from the Berkshires in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." It's fair to say that for most of us, Tisha B’Av hasn’t exactly been top of mind in our Jewish calendar. But this year feels different. Tisha B’Av, which we mark this coming Saturday evening, invites us to pause and reflect on the brokenness of the world—the pain our people have carried for generations, and the suffering we continue to witness today. Traditionally, it commemorates the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem. But in our time, Tisha B’Av invites us to confront not only the sorrows of our past, but the enduring weight we carry as a People—our pride in Jewish resilience alongside the persistent ache of grief and the quiet, [...]
Shabbat Shalom – Friday, July 25, 2025
On my recent trip to Israel, I had the privilege of attending Kabbalat Shabbat services in Tel Aviv—right at the marina as the sun was beginning to dip behind the Mediterranean. Just getting there was a gift: the golden light casting long shadows across the sand, the sounds of volleyball games, couples strolling by the water, laughter rising above the rhythmic waves. It was a portrait of Israel’s breathtaking diversity. On the promenade I passed Jews from Russia, Yemen, Morocco, Iran, Ethiopia, and America. I saw Arabs—Christian, Muslim, and Druze—enjoying the warm evening. And then there was a moment I won’t forget: a gay couple holding hands and sharing a kiss on a bench, while just ten feet away, a young religious woman stood facing the sea, quietly reciting a psalm. Side by side—each in their own spiritual moment. This is Israel, in all its complexity and beauty. The [...]
Wise Words – Monday, July 21 2025
This week, Jews throughout the world will read from parashat Matot-Mas'ei, which contains an unusual and highly detailed purification ritual following Israel’s war against Midian. After the Israelite soldiers return, Eleazar, the high priest, requires them to purify themselves and their spoils before reentering the camp. They must pass gold, silver, iron, and other metals through fire and then through water. The soldiers, too, must undergo purification on the third and seventh days, echoing the ritual of contact with death. These sacred pauses compel the warriors to confront the spiritual and emotional impact of war before rejoining communal life.This ritual suggests that violence—however justified or even commanded—is spiritually contaminating. Unlike many texts, even Jewish ones, that glorify war as heroic or cleansing, this parashah embeds discomfort and sacred restraint around warfare. The requirement to purify after battle signals that strife is fundamentally unnatural, a rupture in the ideal human condition. Rejoining the community is not automatic; it [...]
Shabbat Shalom – Friday, July 18 2025
Our Diversity Is Our Strength On any given day this summer, our Wise Temple and Schools campus is alive with the energy of children. We host three programs running simultaneously, weaving together a tapestry of activity and joy. Recently, around 2:45pm, I stepped outside and saw a line of family-sized SUVs waiting in the carpool line to pick up children from the Aaron Milken Center. Moms, dads, and nannies greeted their little ones with big hugs, their love unmistakable. At the same time, kids involved in our Wise Readers to Leaders program were immersed in a multicultural day filled with discovery. Volunteer Junior Literacy Leaders from our region’s public and private schools brought their enthusiasm to the program as they mentored the young scholars. Latino, Black, Middle Eastern, and children of many other backgrounds worked together to craft large posters depicting the cultures of China, India, African nations, and other [...]