From the Rabbi’s Desk – Archive

Like so many others, I participated in Indianapolis’ Community Service memorializing the victims of the most virulent anti-Semitic attack in American history.  At our Community Service, as at the hundreds ...

I was recently sharing rabbi experiences with an old friend of mine.  We had both been through the many changes that had taken place both in society in general, as ...

This last week we were reminded that Indiana’s history includes the Klan, that Indiana is one of only five states without legislation defining hate crimes, and that bigotry and hatred ...

A well-known Talmudic statement teaches that we learn much from our teachers and even more from our peers. But we learn most of all from our students.  With many of ...

I was getting ready to begin my Hebrew class with my Bar and Bat Mitzvah students, and I wanted to check my texts and emails before I began. I was ...

At times math is not my strongest point. At times it is the only thing I do really well. That is why I cannot actually remember whether I have been ...

This Shabbat we express our appreciation for all the time and effort our teachers put into the education of our children. And the following week we celebrate Shavuot, the holiday ...

By now I am sure that you are aware of Halpern’s Rule No. 18: There Are No Coincidences. This rule extends to all aspects of our lives, from the majestic ...

This is the time of year when we teach the story of the Exodus from Egypt to a number of different audiences—children, Jewish adults, non-Jewish adults, teens—people of many different ...

Rabbi Benny Rapoport points out a very surprising and perplexing event that happens right after Israel leaves Egypt. Israel is no longer in Egypt, is on its way to Canaan, ...

My daughter, Sasha, was a typical PK–a Preacher’s Kid.  She attended Shabbat Services nearly every week and did not seem to mind. She and her boyfriend du jour would sit ...

Tuesday evening a goodly number of Congregation Beth Shalom members braved the wind and the cold as we joined with the staff of Federation to light the Community Menorah at ...

Benjamin Kubelsky is walking down the street when a villain carrying a gun jumps in front of Benjamin and demands, “Your money or your life!”  There is a long pause ...

The city of Sodom is presented as the foremost example of evil in the world. Sodom is totally engulfed in evil. Not even Abraham’s plea for just ten righteous people ...

At the end of Morning Service on Yom Kippur a number of people asked either for a copy of my sermon or else a list of the 8 changes I ...