What does it mean to celebrate victory by planting a flag? Rabbi Cosgrove cautions that true victory includes respecting the dignity of our opponents and that only when we refrain from provoking and demeaning our adversaries can we hope for a permanent, peaceful resolution of conflict.

Rabbi Solmsen reflects on all that parents can do as Jewish educators.

Rabbinic Intern Pink analyzes the ways that the character of Esau has been interpreted throughout history and what that has to say about how we judge others.

What is your American story? Rabbi Cosgrove offers four questions to guide conversations at the Thanksgiving table.

What does one do when there are no signs of approaching miracles or heavenly protection while marching into moments of fear or tragedy? By reflecting on Abraham’s task to sacrifice his son, and more contemporary hardships of the Jewish people, Rabbi Zuckerman uncovers the balance between divine i...

Following last week’s election, you may feel crushed and afraid or you may feel relieved and grateful. Rabbi Cosgrove counsels that whatever our reaction, each of us must move forward, working to realize our ideals with respect for those whose reactions differ from our own.

During the NYC marathon weekend, Rabbi Zuckerman compares marathon runners to the story of Noah, and reflects on how through hope, resilience, and support, we can help each other reach the finish line and decide our own future. 

In tribute to his late teacher, Professor Paul Mendes-Flohr, z”l, Rabbi Cosgrove teaches that welcoming others, especially those who are different from us or whose ideas differ from our own, is the core lesson of the Torah and essential to healing our world.

How have the Jewish people been able to endure and persevere in the face of exile and tragedy? Drawing on themes of the holiday of Sukkot, Rabbi Zuckerman reflects on the revolutionary ideas of Ze'ev Jabotinsky, a leading Zionist thinker of the early 20th century.

Rabbi Koffman explores what it means to find joy on Sukkot.

Rabbinic Intern Aiden Pink discusses one of the oddest debates in the Talmud, and what it has to say about the message of Sukkot and the true meaning of Jewish community.

What does it mean to be courageous, especially during times that, on the surface, call for resignation? Through an exploration of Jewish history, rabbinic thought, and High Holiday liturgy, Rabbi Zuckerman reflects on the bravery that is hard-wired in the DNA of the Jewish people.

Can you imagine peace between sworn enemies? Through the story of how Jews and former Nazis cooperated to find and reinter the remains of an American Jewish soldier buried in a German mass grave, Rabbi Cosgrove offers hope that the enmities of our day may also be resolved someday.

How do a people in exile maintain their traditions, ideals, and knowledge of history? Rabbi Zuckerman explains that Jewish survival is not dependent on rebuilding a physical structure, but rather by maintaining a structure of learning and nurturing Jewish identity, and how you can bring these str...

What happens after a fragile vessel shatters? Rabbi Cosgrove teaches that the divine light of our loved ones remains even after they are no longer present, and especially at Yizkor, we can still gather their sparks.

How do we heal from so much pain and loss this year? Rabbi Koffman reflects on what we can learn from the framework of Mourner’s Kaddish.

Are you carrying any grudges? Regretting how you’ve treated someone? Rabbi Cosgrove urges us to forgive the shortcomings of others as we hope God will forgive our shortcomings, to make apologies and accept apologies so that we can begin the new year free of past bitterness.

Do you have hope for the future? Rabbi Cosgrove teaches that all of Jewish history has been a series of trials and tests, and it is hope that has sustained the Jewish people throughout. To guarantee the Jewish future, we must channel our hope into living vibrant Jewish lives.

What do we seek when entering a synagogue? By way of a visit to his grandfather’s synagogue, Rabbi Cosgrove teaches that we hope to experience gratitude for the people and values that have shaped us and to dedicate ourselves to becoming even better versions of ourselves.

In good times and bad, for Israelis and for American Jews, Jewish identity is tied to our connection to the Land. Rabbi Cosgrove explains how the pull of Israel situates Jewish identity and lays bare the challenge of living outside Israel while always feeling that one belongs there.

Throughout history, hope in the future has been essential to Jewish survival. Rabbi Cosgrove urges that despite our weariness and despair over the continuing war in the Middle East, we must envision and plan for a future of peaceful coexistence between Israel and its neighbors.

How do we move forward when the obstacles at hand seem too great? How do we revive our souls when our faith is wavering? Rabbi Zuckerman applies Amalek's attempt to crush the spirit of the Israelites to the crises, and aspirations, the Jewish people face today.

As we prepare for the High Holidays in this month of Elul, what do we need to do to “get our house in order?”

One of the most frequent claims made by campus protesters over the last year is that Israel rests on stolen Palestinian land. Rabbinic Intern Aiden Pink analyzes their case - and brings teachings from the rabbinic tradition that take the conversation in a surprising direction.