Rabbi

6 days ago

Parashat Vayera: Our Responsibility for the Future

This week’s parasha, Vayera, carries a powerful theme of continuity. It speaks explicitly about our role as a link in the chain, urging...

Nov 8

Parashat Lech Lecha: To Grow Up to The Heavens

Lech Lecha Go forth from your land, from the place of your birth, from your father’s home to the land I will show you. I will give this...

Nov 1

Parashat Noach: A Need for a Change

The two predominant stories in this week’s parashah, the well-known story of Noah and the equally famous tale of the Tower of Babel,...

Oct 16

Sukkot: Working Each Day to be Closer to the Lord

Sukkot, unlike the rest of the pilgrimage festivals, does not commemorate any specific historical event. On Sukkot, we rather celebrate...

Oct 14

Antisemitism and the Middle Eastern Conflict [Part 2]

In last month's edition of the Temple Times, I shared with you an interview with Francisco Gil White, a professor at ITAM, political...

Oct 13

Yom Kippur: A Meaningful Fast, a Significant Life Change

It was the time between Musaf and Mincha on Yom Kippur, and young Daniel Shapiro went to see his Rabbi. "Rabbi Pollak, you must help me....

Oct 2

Rosh Hashanah: Time for Great Decisions

Gathering once again in this beautiful Sanctuary, in this Beit Kneset, a house of assembly for so many years and a synagogue that has...

Sep 27

Antisemitism and the Middle Eastern Conflict [Part 1]

A few months ago, I was invited to a conference by Dr. James Zogby. It was an interesting and concerning experience for me because I...

Sep 26

Parashat Nitzavim: We Were All There

On a flight to Buenos Aires, I once met a man who hugged me as if we had known each other our whole lives. I looked at him, and he...

Sep 19

Parashat Ki Tavo: The Value of Gratitude

A wealthy man left his office at the end of the day, as he usually did, and encountered a panhandler asking for alms. "Five dollars in...

Sep 12

Parashat Ki Tetze: Our Holy Camp

It is said that we should read the Torah trying to find some kind of connection with our daily lives, so that it becomes relevant and...

Sep 4

Parashat Shoftim: To Search for Justice or To Be Afraid of Our Reality

There are passages in the Torah that are very clear and hardly need to be interpreted in the light of our times. It should be enough to...

Aug 29

Parashat Re'eh: A Time for a Deep Self Reflection

Next Monday evening, Tuesday and Wednesday is Rosh Chodesh – the new moon. Now, the moon begins to wax again. Being in tune with the...

Aug 22

Parashat Ekev: To Forget and Forgive or to Remember Forever?

In our weekly parashah, Ekev, there are many precepts and commandments that Moses conveys to the people before leaving them beyond the...

Aug 15

Parashat Vaetchanan: A Living Human Tapestry

"Ushmartem va'asitem ki hi chokhmatchem uvinatchem le'einei kol ha'amim asher yishme'un et kol hachukim ha'ele." "We shall keep and do,...

Aug 8

Parashat Devarim: From Anguish to the Celebration of Continuity

Today we begin the last of the books of the Torah, Devarim or Deuteronomy, in which, as we have studied repeatedly, Moses begins his...

Aug 1

Parashat Matot-Masaei: The Value of Each of Our Journeys

This week we read two Parshiot: Parshat Matot and Parshat Masaei, thus concluding the fourth book of the Torah: Sefer Bamidbar. Parashat...

Jul 25

Parashat Pinchas: Making Difficult Moral Decisions

Let's recall the story of Pinchas, the priest who gave his name to the Parasha, the section of the Torah that we read this Shabbat and...

Jul 18

Parashat Balak: Knowing Who You Can Count on

Parashat Balak is the one where a prophet or sorcerer, who is not a member of the people of Israel, is tasked with cursing the people of...

Jul 11

Parashat Chukat: Learning to Step Aside

Parashat Chukat is a complicated parashah. It is the parashah in which Moses receives his punishment, which prevents him from entering...

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