We are nearing the end of the most important and intense cycle of holidays in the Jewish calendar: from Rosh Hashanah to Simchat Torah, a three week period of repentance, introspection, atonement, and celebration. At this time of the year, especially, I recall moments of great meaning from my childhood. Most prominent in my memory (not surprising!) are family meals during the holidays at the home of my Aunt Sylvia and Grandmother Frieda (my bubbe). There I was surrounded by the foods of my Eastern European ancestry—kishke (ask your grandparents if you don’t know what it is—not for vegans!), potato kugel, chopped liver, gefilte fish, honey cake, brisket, chicken neck skin stuffed with cornmeal (helzel). You want a side garnish? Shmaltz (chicken fat)—never fails. Even better than the delicious food was the joy of being surrounded by my family: aunts, uncles, and cousins. I felt safe and at home—the greatest blessing imaginable. I remember [...]

וּלְקַחְתֶּ֨ם לָכֶ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן פְּרִ֨י עֵ֤ץ הָדָר֙ כַּפֹּ֣ת תְּמָרִ֔ים וַעֲנַ֥ף עֵץ־עָבֹ֖ת וְעַרְבֵי־נָ֑חַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵ֛י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃ On the first day [of Sukkot] you shall take the product of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the ETERNAL your God seven days. Leviticus 23:40 The Talmud (Sukkah 35a) explains as follows: “the fruit of a ‘goodly tree’ is an etrog; the branch of the palm tree is the lulav; the ‘boughs of leafy trees’ are hadasim (myrtle branches); and, the ‘willows of the brook’ are aravot (willow branches).” Together these four items are known as the arba’ah minim, the four species. Each reflects part of the beauty and wonder of the natural world. Each calls us to awareness in a different way: through sight, smell, touch, and even sound as we shake them together joyfully. Our [...]

Sukkot, Passover, and Shavuot are known as the Shalosha Regalim (שלושה רגלים) — the three pilgrimage festivals. These are holidays that our ancestors would journey to Jerusalem, usually on foot (regel in Hebrew), to offer sacrifices at the ancient Temple. Even though the Temple no longer stands, we can continue to make the journey—the pilgrimage—to holy places in our lives. Our Sanctuary (and now because of the COVID-19 pandemic) our Zoom rooms and live streams—can be sacred spaces where we can gather to offer words of praise and thanksgiving for the blessings of our lives. During this joyous festival of Sukkot, let us pause to give thanks for our lives, for our community, for our friends and families, and for the gift of life itself. Then let’s go one “step” further, as if we were truly on a pilgrimage, and let’s reach out to those around us with a phone [...]

וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֖ בְּחַגֶּ֑ךָ… וְהָיִ֖יתָ אַ֥ךְ שָׂמֵֽחַ׃ You shall rejoice in your festival…and you shall have nothing but joy! (Deuteronomy 16:14-15) Sukkot is considered by our tradition to be the most joyful of all of the festivals. During Sukkot, we are, as the verse above suggests, to experience pure joy. But how can we be commanded to feel a particular way? It’s one thing for our tradition to demand an action, but a feeling? Max Lam (ז״ל), my father of blessed memory, used to say to me: “My boy, you have two choices in the morning. You can get up with a farbissene punim (a bitter attitude) or with a sheine, freilach punim (a beautiful, joyous attitude).” He would continue: “It’s your choice. For me? I think it’s better to choose the freilach punim!” Sukkot reminds us to look for the joy, to anticipate it, even to create it. Here we are. We are alive. We have [...]