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Rabbi Cosgrove: Rise Like a Lion (June 13, 2025)
Israel‘s daring attack on Iran to destroy its nuclear facilities is an expression of the right of the Jewish people to self-determination and self-defense. Here in the US, Jews – and Judaism itself – also face threats. Democrats in NYC have the responsibility to take agency by voting in the mayor...
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Rabbi Zuckerman: The Trumpet's Call (June 14, 2025)
What happens when standing up costs more than staying quiet? In a time when voices are silenced by backlash, and truth is traded for comfort, Rabbi Zuckerman turns to Torah and today’s headlines to explore moral clarity, courage, and the high stakes of silence. This sermon calls us to speak — eve...
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Rabbi Cosgrove: "Free Palestine" No More (June 7, 2025)
Words aren’t just words—they carry history, impact, and, sometimes, danger. Rabbi Cosgrove explores how language evolves, why “Free Palestine” can no longer be dismissed as harmless, and what it means to speak—and stay silent—in an age of rising antisemitism.
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Rabbi Zuckerman: From Fate to Destiny (May 31, 2025)
When hunted and voiceless, should one's fate be decided by chance, or destiny be seized? Reflecting on the sacred conversations that took place on Mount Sinai, along with modern history, Rabbi Zuckerman encourages us to take action rather than wait.
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Rabbi Zauzmer: A Shabbat for the Land (May 24, 2025)
The Torah commands a sabbatical year for the land, called shmita, allowing the earth to rest like we do during Shabbat. Through various commentaries on this custom, Rabbi Zauzmer leads a discussion with the congregation on the importance of this ritual practiced once every seven years.
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Rabbi Cosgrove: Take Him Out of the Ballgame (May 17, 2025)
Can a person guilty of moral failure ever be redeemed? Reflecting on the posthumous reinstatement of Pete Rose, Rabbi Cosgrove explores the balance between justice and mercy, sin and atonement. In a world desperate for integrity, he argues, moral accountability, especially from our leaders, is th...
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Rabbi Cosgrove: Ordo Amoris (May 10, 2025)
In the wake of a papal-political clash over “the order of love,” Rabbi Cosgrove explores Judaism’s own moral calculus: how to love one’s neighbor while prioritizing one’s own. Drawing on the Bible, rabbinic tradition, and current events, he examines where faith, ethics, and communal responsibilit...
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Rabbi Zuckerman: The Courage to Speak, the Courage to Endure
In this week’s sermon, Rabbi Zuckerman reflects on the courage of speaking out through the lens of our recent guest speaker, Montana Tucker, who chose to share their personal beliefs—despite the threat of digital retribution from her multimillions of followers. Drawing on themes of moral clarity ...
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Rabbi Shayna Golkow Zauzmer: The Enemy Within (April 26, 2025)
Rabbi Zauzmer implores us to call out antisemitism not only from the other side of the political spectrum, but from within our own political home as well.
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Rabbi Zuckerman: Faith, Action, and the Miracles We Make (April 19, 2025)
There is Jewish mysticism that manifests itself in physical articles, customs that are halakhic or personal ritual. As profound as they can be, Rabbi Zuckerman urges us to not only rely on these artifacts to channel spirituality, but for us to manifest our spiritual work through actions.
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Rabbi Cosgrove: A Night of Questions (April 12, 2025)
What makes the seder different from all other nights? Rabbi Cosgrove teaches that above all, it’s the questions that frame the entire evening. He urges us to listen to everyone’s questions with open hearts and minds and to allow that every question can have more than one right answer.
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Rabbi Zuckerman: Passover Day 1, 2025
How do we sing of liberation with broken hearts? Rabbi Zuckerman reflects on balancing the sadness from tragedies in our modern world with the joy that runs through the Passover holiday.
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Rabbi Cosgrove: The Still, Small Voice (April 5, 2025)
When alternate notions of what’s in the best interest of the Jewish community compete, how do we know what’s right? Reminding us that we are not the first to face this dilemma, Rabbi Cosgrove recalls Rabbi A.J. Heschel, urging us to find the quiet inner voice of conscience.
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Rabbinic Intern Pink: Is AI Good for the Jews? (March 29, 2025)
Rabbinic Intern Pink discusses the moral issues that must be addressed as AI becomes more integrated into everyday life.
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Rabbi Zauzmer: Knowing Our Story (March 22, 2025)
With a fast-moving news cycle and TikTok-length attention spans, we don't always prioritize studying our history. Rabbi Zauzmer implores us to learn the stories of our past, teaching that we cannot fully understand the present without the context of the past.
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Rabbi Zuckerman: Jewish Immortality (March 15, 2025)
When God called the Israelites a "stiff-necked people," God was also providing a prophetic vision of Jewish resilience. Rabbi Zuckerman concludes that the impetus for building the golden calf is also what would become the most heroic virtue of the Jewish people.
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Rabbi Cosgrove: The Vashti-Esther Dilemma (March 8, 2025)
What model of leadership serves our people best? Absolute adherence to principle or willingness to compromise? The book of Esther prompts Rabbi Cosgrove to examine both approaches, share his own answer, and advise that we must be tolerant of those who choose differently than we do.
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Rabbi Cosgrove: Face to Face (March 1, 2025)
Where do we find holiness? Rabbi Cosgrove teaches that while a beautiful sanctuary may inspire us, holiness is to be found in the connections between people, between ourselves and others. He urges us to pursue holiness by practicing respectful dialogue with those with whom we disagree.
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Rabbi Zauzmer: The Case for Bodily Autonomy (February 22, 2025)
Citing examples from the Torah, other Jewish texts, and today's world, Rabbi Zauzmer argues that we cannot lose sight of protecting reproductive rights, even as so many other issues dominate Jews' minds at this time.
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Rabbinic Intern Pink: Standing at Sinai (February 15, 2025)
Rabbinic Intern Pink shares three midrashim with different takes about what happened at Mount Sinai and what lessons those teachings hold for us today.
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Rabbi Cosgrove: Looking Long (November 9, 2024)
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.
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Rabbinic Intern Pink: Truth and Interpretation (June 29, 2024)
In this week’s Torah portion, negative filtering - framing the truth in a way that ignores the world's positives - led the Israelite spies astray. Rabbinic Intern Pink explains how the story teaches us the importance of hope, even in challenging times.
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Summer Teachings: Rabbi Koffman (June 22, 2024)
Join Rabbi Koffman in a discussion of complicated and confusing texts, sibling rivalry, and the consequences of what happens when we talk about others.
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Rabbinic Intern Pink: What Exactly Are We Praying For, Anyway? (June 15, 2024)
Birkat Kohanim, the blessing that parents give their children on Shabbat, has its origins in this week’s Torah portion. What does this blessing tell us about the values we want to impart to the next generation? Rabbinic Intern Aiden Pink leads a discussion on the history of the blessing and its i...