Real Rabbi NYC

As we enter a new Hebrew month, we see the Hebrew slaves in the Torah almost liberated as we reach the come to the end of the plagues. I struggle every year when I read this story. Because, how can we talk about a liberating God who is literally responsible for lengthening the suffering and enslavement of "His" people by hardening Pharaoh's heart? But this year, I had a flash of insight! Listen to...

Hanukkah, Christmas, and the secular new year, encapsulated as the "holiday season," essentially, have just ended. It was a hard one this year for me, full of nostalgia and longing, full of personal disappointments and unknowns, and also for what's coming. Perhaps I'm not alone in these feelings. So what did I do? I did the American thing of going shopping! In this episode, I tell the profound sto...

We have entered the darkest month of the year, but it's also the month of miracles. The Torah so far is full of fraught family relationships and great life challenges, easily reflected in today's world. But it's also full of angels, adventure, and taking chances. Many blessings to be found--and miracles as well, despite everything. And Torah can serve as a guide for how to get through it all. I ho...

I'm a month late in getting this on the podcast, but it's still worth a listen. It's about immediately post-elections, a funeral, and a MAGA rally at Madison Square Garden. Good blessings that are still valid, too...

This is a complex episode that blends my experiences on Yom Kippur, a wedding I officiated the day after, and the final parsha of the year. I hope you enjoy it!

What is it we're really doing on Yom Kippur? Because if we don't believe in sin, and maybe especially don't believe in God, then what is it? It's actually pretty deep. Take a listen.

How do we know when to trust our intuition? How do we get to a place where we can trust others? That's what I explore today. Dare I ask that we have a sweet new year?

Last week, I found myself in very different worlds, closing off the outside world, as I did two funerals and a wedding. I closed off my feelings for what was happening in the wider world, aware that I could not handle all at once. And then I returned to "real life" and the news. It wasn't easy...a part of life we all have to navigate as we come in and out of different places.

A beautiful poem that I tend to read for funerals...by Mark Nepo

Have you seen A Discovery of Witches, or read the book? Such incredible lessons among the bloodthirsty vampires, powerthirsty witches, and...I'm not sure what to say about the demons, they seem so tame in comparison. There are lessons about racism, but most of all about hidden powers, powers we don't even know we have...Take a listen, take a watch, leave a comment...

If we can face the things we most fear in life, maybe we can turn the fears--what feel like curses--into blessings. Shabbat Shalom!

This week, I take inspiration from those who came before me, including Mary Oliver. Short and sweet. Shabbat Shalom

Between Tisha B'Av, the saddest day (but also conflicted day for me) in the Jewish calendar, and the two Torah portions that bookmark this holy day, not to mention Mr. Sleazy from last week, I have a lot of things to say about personal responsibility this week. To understand what the hell I'm talking about, take a listen! And Shabbat Shalom.

As we enter a more hopeful and exciting period in U.S. history at this moment, with a new presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Waltz ,we face the myths of "childless cat ladies" running our country coming from the Trump/Vance campaign. As we begin the book of Deuteronomy, Moses also seems to be showing signs of trauma, as our country is traumatized in so many way...

Between war and vows, misogyny and tribalism, the Torah is again relevant this week. And between the excitement of Kamala Harris' campaign, her willingness to fight, her lack of fear to confront Trump, to confront misogyny and tribalism--and her heart--there is hope.

It's kind of scary--or relevant--when the news corresponds to something in the Torah in the same week. It's about anointing, but it's relevant who is being anointed. How do we know when something is ordained by God? Take a listen and leave a comment!

Here's what I'm drawing hope from this week when everything feels so dire: Dr. Ruth. Have a listen, and leave a comment--and a blessing! Visit my website, https://realrabbinyc.com to see the latest!

With the mess of the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, our aging and feeble president who refuses (so far) to step out of the race, our lack of good choices in what is supposed to be a democracy, the war in Gaza, Climate Disaster...what courage can we take from the lessons of Torah and this week's Parsha? There are actually some good ones. Including some surprises in the news that can help...

Tomorrow is July 4th, potentially and supposedly a time of celebration and fireworks. What is there to celebrate in this difficult political moment? And what about those fireworks???? And what about that Korakh???

I saw a shocking thing today when a little boy grabbed his mother's phone and threw it into the lake. This led to a very long conversation with a friend about our phones, parenting, putting people in boxes, and the panic that has gripped us all in different ways. We told a whole story about this mother and her son, and then came the story of the spies in this week's Parsha. Take a listen a...

I have so much on my mind this week. Things I wanted to say about last week's Parsha that I didn't get to, things I want to say about the recently rescued hostages, among other things. Listen and let me know your thoughts!

It's early in the week to have to be inspired, yet, Shavuos is coming tonight, and I need it now! So I found an interesting little anecdote to share. I hope you enjoy--and find inspiration in them as I did. Gut Yontif, Chag Sameach, and good Shabbos!

There was a lot to celebrate this week in my family; a wedding, and then a graduation. So much love, so much joy, so much pride. The graduation was especially impactful in its diversity, its connection to our roots, and that students walked out in protest of the war in Gaza--and the university president ignored them completely, as if they weren't there! In this week's parsha, as we begin t...

When do we whisper, and for what purposes. That's what I explore in this episode based on this week's Torah portion and all its horrible, horrible curses, and what's happening in the world.

This week is about living in harmony with the Earth, and what Torah tells us about that. But I tell a personal story of going to stay with a good friend who has a farm. What a needed time. I hope you get your fix too.