Yom Kippur Day Teaching 5776/2015 by Rabbi Burt Jacobson
Judging Others Israel Ba’al Shem Tov, the founder of the 18th century Hasidic movement, was not only a mystic and a spiritual teacher; he was also a shamanic healer, and he would travel from town to town in southeastern Poland offering his services to people with physical or psychic ailments. His reputation was widespread and […]
Rosh Hashanah Day Sermon 5776/2015 by Howard Hamburger
Get comfortable; I’m going to talk for a little while. Later in the morning, Rabbi David will lead us in the Torah service; we’ll chant how the Torah describes the creation of the universe. Traditionally, we treat Rosh Hashanah as the birthday of the world, a day of beginnings. This year, our High Holiday theme […]
Erev Rosh Hashanah Sermon 5776/2015 by Rabbi Dev Noily
Standing Together, Right Smack in the Middle of the Torah Speech as Spiritual Practice When my partner Sara and I were younger and first together, probably in our late 20s, around “Glitter”[1] age, we used to go to Congregation Sha’ar Zahav in San Francisco on Friday nights. There were lots of interesting people, and […]
Niggun Contemplation by Rabbi Burt Jacobson (High Holydays 2013/5774)
Good evening and L’shanah tova . . . This High Holy Day season we’ve been emphasizing the notion of teshuvah, the process of personal change and transformation. But teshuvah is not always good or praiseworthy. There are some harmful ways of attempting to change. Let me tell you a Hasidic story about a simple man […]
A Sermon for High Holydays by Rabbi Burt Jacobson (5774/2013)
The Ba’al Shem’s Teshuvah As you probably know, the Hebrew concept of teshuvah has to do with personal and communal change and transformation. This afternoon I’d like to speak with you about the place of teshuvah in the life of the Ba’al Shem Tov. Many of you know who the Ba’al Shem Tov […]
A Sermon for Kol Nidre by Rabbi David J. Cooper (High Holydays 5774/2013)
Tzedakah, Right Conduct, and the Face of the Other Unetaneh Tokef, a prayer only said on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur morning is a really scary prayer. I remember almost 30 years ago Rabbi Burt and I preparing for some High Holyday service and talking about the love hate relationship we had with it and […]
“Embracing Uncertainty: A Sermon for Kol Nidrey Night” by Rabbi David J. Cooper
The energy of attempt is greater than the surety of stasis Mary Oliver In late June, I was in New York and I had my first opportunity to go to the Pride Parade in Manhattan. Marilyn and I sat on the sidewalk on 5th avenue with her friend Mimi. For some reason, as my […]
“Faith After the Holocaust” by Rabbi Burt Jacobson (High Holydays 5773/2012)
A Yom Kippur Afternoon Sermon On Yom Kippur afternoon in traditional synagogues the cantor or prayer leader chants a section of the service called “Elah Ezkara,” which means, “These things I remember . . .” In keeping with the somber nature of the Day of Judgment, the Elah Ezkara recalls the martyrdom of the […]
Hillel’s Three Questions (High Holydays 5772 / 2011)
An Erev Rosh Hashanah Sermon by Rabbi Burt Jacobson “How are you, ma?” “So how should I be?” Instead of answering her son’s question with a direct statement—“I feel lousy!”—she answers his question with another question, as if to say, “Why are you asking me? Use you eyes, use your head, and you won’t have […]
