This week’s Torah portion, the first in the Book of Exodus, includes one of the best-known moments in the entire Bible. וַיֵּרָא מַלְאַךְ יְהֹוָה אֵלָיו בְּלַבַּת־אֵשׁ מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה הַסְּנֶה בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ וְהַסְּנֶה אֵינֶנּוּ אֻכָּל׃ A messenger of God appeared to him [Moses] in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed. (Exodus 3:2) Much has been written about the miracle of the burning bush. My teacher and friend, Rabbi Robert Davis, once shared with me a different insight. The real miracle, he taught me, is not that the bush burned without being consumed. The miracle is that Moses noticed. How long would you have to pay attention to realize that a bush wasn’t being consumed? A minute or two at least—which, if you think about it, is quite a long time to pause and [...]

As 2025 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the profound blessing of synagogue community. What would we do without this place to gather—without a community that offers comfort in moments of loss, joy in moments of celebration, meaning in times of searching, and support when we need it most? A colleague of mine once called the synagogue “the greatest hack of the Jewish people.” It’s a playful phrase, but a serious insight. The synagogue was not always a part of Jewish life—it is never mentioned in the Torah and was not part of the original Temple-centered system of Judaism. Rather, the rabbis, with extraordinary wisdom and foresight, saw a need and created it. The word itself tells the story. Synagogue comes from the Greek meaning “to bring together.” The Hebrew captures this beautifully as well: בֵּית כְּנֶסֶת (beit knesset)—a house of gathering. What the rabbis fashioned was essentially [...]

As 2025 draws to a close, we are surrounded by invitations to look back. From "best-of" lists to music streaming services telling us our top songs and "listening age," secular culture nudges us to ask: How has this year shaped us? As Jews, we’re lucky; we get to do this twice. We have Rosh Hashanah for our cheshbon ha-nefesh—our "soul-accounting"—and then the secular New Year offers a second look. It’s a gift, really. We need these frequent check-ins to ensure we’re staying on course, to enable us to grow. This week’s Torah portion, Vayigash, illustrates this process through the character of Judah. Importantly, it is ultimately from his name, Yehudah, that we take our own: Yehudim. Standing before the Egyptian viceroy—unaware it is his brother Joseph—Judah pleads for his youngest brother, Benjamin. He speaks a painful truth: he acknowledges that his father, Jacob, still plays favorites. He accepts that Benjamin is loved more than the rest. [...]