Real Rabbi NYC

I'm sure you're wondering about the connection between justice and chocolate milkshakes. You'll have to listen to find out. I can tell you, however, that, despite the humorous title, this is not a humorous episode. But it is a heartwarming and hopeful one.

In this episode, I share some vulnerable moments when I "failed" to live up to my "rabbinic" self. (Just to be clear, I'm not the one who told someone to mind their own business*&%#$! business). There are three funny little stories here. Again, I hope you enjoy the episode!

Here I reflect on my first mind-blowing trip to the Deep South with an organization called Tzedek America, exposing teenagers to the difficult legacy of American slavery, the Civil Rights Movements, and the continuing challenges faced by Black communities with the School to Prison Pipeline, as it's called. Included is my crazy return home during the time when TSA workers were not being paid by...

There's a new war. There are false gods. Oh, and Purim too. It's not a pretty story. What's the lesson we need to derive from it all? Is BEING Jewish more important than Jewish PRACTICE?

About a funeral and breaking all the rules, which I love. But the rules are for something, too. How do we know when they should be preserved?

A continuation of my thoughts on my trip to Israel...and what I was seeking

A few weeks ago, I up and went to Israel. It was mostly to support my daughter, but what I got was so much more. Thanks for listening!

I just sent my daughter off to Israel with all its multiple, conflicting feelings. This week's Torah portion commands us explicitly not to hate the Egyptians. Where is the connection? Listen. You'll find out.

The truth is, there's really no such thing as a neutral "choice." Everything has an impact. Also, in a society driven by profit, there are very few real "choices" in the end. If we are to change the world, judgment, or examination, is necessary. If we want to change ourselves, the same is true. During this season of change on the Jewish calendar, it's time to examine our actions. And know that eve...

How do we prepare spiritually for this time of year--and for a world that feels like it's falling apart? I have a few answers, if you want to hear...And would love to hear your stories in response!

In this episode, I take you on a journey up a mountain to scatter some ashes. It turns out to be a twisted, winding journey, like that of the Israelites through forty years of wandering in the desert. But the ultimate destination is more beautiful than I could have imagined.

How much worse can we feel, when the world already feels so bad? I've been feeling hopeless, but I'm finding my hope again, and passing it on to you.

Here I share four stories from four funerals--people who were pearls, but definitely not saints--as we enter the Jewish holiday of Revelation. How does the uniqueness of each human being fit in with the collective? What about you?

There's this image I can't get out of my head of a woman with her two young children, all dressed up, parading them back and forth in front of a synagogue for hours, never intending to go in--because she knew that's what you did on Yom Kippur. But... At its worst, Judaism, or religion in general, can be so harmful. At its best, it can be healing...

Sometimes you just happened to find the holy in the ordinary, surprised, even shocked to find it in the seemingly most unlikely places, people, moments. This is what happened to me yesterday. Please take a listen and comment if it touches you in any way--and please be kind...

Can that be a good thing? But that's the teaching I heard this week. Also, I led a community seder this week and someone yelled at me for making it "political" instead of "sacred." But I think they're one and the same. Let me know what you think! After you listen, of course...and be kind.

With news furious and fast, we are living in times of intense chaos. Here, I talk about the Biblical Sacrificial System that feels chaotic in some ways, but also offers order in a chaotic world, where everyone knows exactly what they need to do. How does that compare to the dismantling of our governmental systems? And how do we bring calm to the chaos while also pushing back?

Now you get to find out how the Jewish Communist funeral from last week actually turned out. When I did this funeral, I was challenged to remind myself of what it was that was so powerful about Judaism that led me to become a rabbi. While my views on the world have essentially remained the same, it took me on a healing journey I never imagined was possible. Listen and find out--and leave a comment...

You'll just have to listen to find out!

It's time for us to stop allowing our fears and anxieties to control us and masquerade as our Golden Calf, and put in our half-shekel to build a just and fair society. But to do that, we need to have open space within to allow the Divine to dwell, like the empty space of the Mishkan in the desert. Please leave a comment! And enjoy your Purim, if it's your thing.

I officiated at a funeral for a very "complicated" guy the other day. But a special kind of "complicated." You can judge for yourself whether he was an angel or an asshole--and let me know what you think!

Having a brush with death makes you think about things and reevaluate your attitudes. This week's Torah reading is about gifts and God dwelling amongst the Israelites. What does that even mean? Listen and share your thoughts!

We all struggle with our feelings when we witness the suffering of others. A couple of weeks ago, I met someone who was a true inspiration--someone who lives with the intention to listen and look at things that challenge her worldview, particularly around our victimhood as a people and Israel. Listen to find out what Torah has to teach us about this! And leave a comment, please.

If we truly believe (believed) that all humans are made in the image of God, all worthy of God's love, all worthy of life, then what does that mean for our world today and how we live in it. Maybe I've got some answers... Thanks for listening, and please leave a comment!

We've all been a part of a culture that teaches that Christianity is all about love, and Judaism is about stringency of the law. Yuck! Love is so much nicer, right? But it's simply not true! In fact, a central value of Judaism is love, and the teaching that we should love our enemies comes from Judaism, not Christianity! But that's a complicated question. Should we love our enemies, in fact? And h...