Me and the High Holy Days
A Note from Rabbi David How unusual. I’m writing from an August vacation. Maybe that doesn’t seem unusual to you, but I haven’t had an August vacation in more than 20 years. Rather, I would be up to my elbows with work prepping for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. But this year, even though I […]
The Retreat Always Was An Advance Forward
by Rabbi David J. Cooper I find myself thinking about the many Kehilla annual retreats we have had these last 33 years. It’s on my mind as I will be attending the retreat for the first time in my new emeritus status at the upcoming annual on July 14-16. I remember the sensation I had […]
Still in Israel/Palestine: Report Back Coming June 10
by Rabbi David J. Cooper By the time you read this, I will be back in Berkeley, but I am writing from a hotel in Bethlehem and on the road in the West Bank. Jim Haber and I will do a report back in greater detail on June 10 (see p. 9) about the trip […]
Facing my Return to Israel/Palestine
by Rabbi David J. Cooper It was only three years ago that I wrote in Kol Kehilla in regard to the 50 years since my celebration of becoming bar mitzvah. Now I’m writing that it is 50 years since I arrived in Israel as a 16-year old a few weeks after the Six Day […]
The Prophet’s Warning
Remarks by Rabbi David J. Cooper at the celebration, February 12, 2017 I think my path to social activism began in a moment when I was about eight. I remember being in a car going through the Bowery in Manhattan. We stopped at a light and looking out the window, I saw a man eating […]
Two Stories of a Rabbinic Activist
by Rabbi David J. Cooper As I was applying for the position in 1999, the Rabbi Search Committee interviewed me. They asked, “What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?” Huh? I guess this was what they asked all the candidates. I stumbled for a second and then said what was obvious to […]
High Holy Day Sermons 5777/2016
Our High Holy Day Sermons are now available to read online: Erev Rosh Hashana Sermon by Rabbi Dev Noily: “A River Goes Out From Eden” Rosh Hashana Sermon by Rabbi Avi Rose Kol Nidre Sermon by Rabbi David Cooper: “God, the Covenant, and the Inside-Outsider” Yom Kippur Reflection by Scott and Rose Gelfand Yom Kippur […]
Kol Nidre Sermon by Rabbi David Cooper: “God, the Covenant, and the Inside-Outsider”
Ellis Island Story Referenced in Sermon Introduction to Hagar & Ishmael Torah Excerpt (Genesis 21:9-21) A few years ago, I was dropping my son Lev off at college. I helped set up his part of the dorm room and it was time for me to leave. I turned to look at him and I thought, […]
How Was The Values Statement Developed?
by Rabbi David J. Cooper The Kehilla Statement of Values on Israel/ Palestine was passed by the Kehilla Board of Trustees in September. That Board resolution was only the last stage of a long process. It was in the making for several years and has involved many educational gatherings, surveys of the community, open […]
A Note on the Israel/Palestine Values Survey
by Rabbi David J. Cooper Last month we sent out to every member household a survey to determine support for a statement of values on Israel/Palestine. One could indicate where one stood on a spectrum from very much disagreeing to strong agreement (scale of 1 to 5). As of this writing, 141 responses have been received. […]
