Daily Kavanot
Writings of reflection by the Stephen Wise Temple clergy.
Each weekday morning, members of our mailing list receive the “Daily Kavanah,” which includes messages of thought, inspiration, and contemplation from our clergy, along with a schedule of events. Every Thursday, the “Daily Kavanah” turns into “Eyes on Wise,” our weekly newsletter featuring the latest news, photos, videos, stories, and tikkun olam opportunities from our community. Sign up and don’t miss out!
Daily Kavanah – Friday, April 11, 2025
“I think this year there is one question and one question only: Why are they still there?” —Rachel Goldberg, mother of slain hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin (may his memory be a blessing) As we prepare for our Passover seders this year, many of us may have come across these words, heard on Dan Senor’s Call Me Back podcast, spoken by one of the most well-known bereaved mothers of those stolen from their homes on October 7, 2023. On behalf of Rachel, her husband Jon, and the families of the 59 hostages who remain in bondage in Gaza—some dead, but many certainly still alive—this is the question we must confront as we gather around our holiday tables. After more than 550 days of captivity; unimaginable suffering, bloodshed, grief among families on both sides of this terrible conflict; failures of leadership; missed opportunities; and tragic mistakes, we face a question both heartbreakingly simple and enormously [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, April 10, 2025
There is an email letter being circulated among Jewish clergy inviting us to affirm a list of ten beliefs that reflect our understanding of what makes us uniquely Jewish and American. Given the considerable discord over some basic values in our country, I thought it would be meaningful to share this list with you. Not because I expect all to agree with them, but rather as a way of inviting reflection about your own core values and the extent to which certain Jewish principles might influence your own world view. I’ll share their values with you over the next several days as a reminder of some core beliefs that continue to guide a wide diversity of our Jewish spiritual leaders. I’ve grouped them under broad topics and included references that the authors believe inform these principles. Securing the Next Generations We believe in respecting and caring for our world, [...]
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, April 9, 2025
There is an email letter being circulated among Jewish clergy inviting us to affirm a list of ten beliefs that reflect our understanding of what makes us uniquely Jewish and American. Given the considerable discord over some basic values in our country, I thought it would be meaningful to share this list with you. Not because I expect all to agree with them, but rather as a way of inviting reflection about your own core values and the extent to which certain Jewish principles might influence your own world view. I’ll share their values with you over the next several days as a reminder of some core beliefs that continue to guide a wide diversity of our Jewish spiritual leaders. I’ve grouped them under broad topics and included references that the authors believe inform these principles.Integrity in Our Business and Personal FinanceWe believe in fairness in business and all transactions: [...]
Daily Kavanah – Tuesday, April 8, 2025
There is an email letter being circulated among Jewish clergy inviting us to affirm a list of ten beliefs that reflect our understanding of what makes us uniquely Jewish and American. Given the considerable discord over some basic values in our country, I thought it would be meaningful to share this list with you. Not because I expect all to agree with them, but rather as a way of inviting reflection about your own core values and the extent to which certain Jewish principles might influence your own world view. I’ll share their values with you over the next several days as a reminder of some core beliefs that continue to guide a wide diversity of our Jewish spiritual leaders. I’ve grouped them under broad topics and included references that the authors believe inform these principles. Learning from Others and Expanding our Knowledge We believe in honesty, commanded not to [...]
Daily Kavanah – Monday, April 7, 2025
There is an email letter being circulated among Jewish clergy inviting us to affirm a list of ten beliefs that reflect our understanding of what makes us uniquely Jewish and American. Given the considerable discord over some basic values in our country, I thought it would be meaningful to share this list with you. Not because I expect all to agree with them, but rather as a way of inviting reflection about your own core values and the extent to which certain Jewish principles might influence your own world view. I’ll share their values with you over the next several days as a reminder of some core beliefs that continue to guide a wide diversity of our Jewish spiritual leaders. I’ve grouped them under broad topics and included references that the authors believe inform these principles.Our Basic HumanityWe believe that all people are the children of God, endowed with holiness, [...]