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 – Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Purim is just around the corner! Though marked by masquerading and merriment, there are some very serious themes that lie behind the ribaldry that marks our joyous holiday. The Jewish Future is Always Tenuous At its core, the Purim story is a tale of antisemitism. “There is a certain people….” says Haman, as he spreads calumnies about the Jews. As the classic preamble for any antisemite, those words impugn all Jews with qualities and conduct that undermines the integrity of a nation. More likely it is the antisemite who broadly and falsely ascribes qualities to the Jews that are his or her own. Haman may have been the first, but tragically, he was not the last. I wish that the title of this piece was hyperbole, but sadly, it is a statement of fact. There is not one community where Jews have lived that has given us full stability and [...]
Daily Kavanah – Monday, March 10, 2025
Purim is just around the corner! Though marked by masquerading and merriment, there are some very serious themes that lie behind the ribaldry that marks our joyous holiday. There are Esthers in Every generation. Nearly 90 years ago, my grandmother Regina, who lived in Essen, Germany, was warned by a local constable that trouble was brewing throughout the country. As a Jew, he recommended that she and my grandfather leave their neighborhood and go somewhere that they wouldn’t be recognized. Leaving my infant father in the care of a non-Jewish babysitter for his safety, they walked the streets anonymously, witnessing Nazi Brown Shirts painting graffiti on Jewish shops, breaking windows, and burning books. Soon after, my grandfather was arrested and put in a concentration camp. Ena, as everyone called my grandmother, got an appointment with the US Consul General’s office to apply for a visa to immigrate. Securing one [...]
Daily Kavanah – Friday, March 7, 2025
It is a privilege to serve as one of the guest commentators for our Daily Kavanah. Like many of you, I start each day with a beautiful teaching from one of our wonderful clergy members. Currently, with Rabbi Yoshi taking a much deserved sabbatical, the Temple has asked others to fill in for him. This week’s Torah portion, from Exodus, is all about rules for priests—it explains how each day they need to bring oil to burn, how they must wear certain kinds of robes, and how priests are to be ordained in a special ceremony. The rules for clergy that are expressed in this Torah portion remind me of my service as Temple president these past few years. Not as having set rules for clergy but rather in having had the privilege of working with and supporting our incredibly talented clergy team. My term as president of Stephen [...]
Daily Kavanah – Thursday, March 6, 2025
Today is National Oreo Day, a whimsical festival established to appreciate the cultural significance of America’s most popular cookie. For Jews, however, the history of the Oreo highlights the rather serious theme at the center of our upcoming festival of Purim, i.e. the tension between being a part of and apart from the society in which we live. Even though we Jews want to maintain our cultural and religious distinctiveness, in our heart of hearts, we also want to feel like we belong, and for eighty-six years—from the production of the very first Oreo cookie in 1912 until the unveiling of kosher Oreos in 1998—we didn’t. Yes, there existed countless symbols of Jewish ascendancy in America. One couldn’t turn on a television without seeing Jewish celebrities like Hank Greenberg, Sandy Koufax, Lenny Bruce, Mel Brooks, Gilda Radner, and Stephen Spielberg… or prominent officials like Henry Kissinger, Barbara Boxer, or Diane [...]
Daily Kavanah – Wednesday, March 5, 2025
The festival of Purim articulates how navigating the tension between being a part of and apart from the society in which we live can help the Jewish people survive and evolve. Left unsaid, however, is the power of Jewish tradition to change other civilizations. When we succeed in making ourselves a part of, yet apart from, society, our beliefs and traditions invariably impact the society in which we live. In fact, many Reform luminaries viewed this as one of Judaism’s principal obligations. “It is the destiny of Judaism to pour the light of its thoughts, the fire of its sentiments, the fervor of its feelings upon all souls and hearts on earth. Then all of these peoples and nations, each according to its soil and history, will, by accepting our teachings, kindle their own lights, which will shine independently and warm their souls.” (Samuel Holdheim, “This Is Our Task,” [...]