Rosh haShanah Day 1 Sermon
I don’t know if I can speak on behalf of anyone else, but I have felt the silent emptiness stretch like a wasteland across my soul.
I don’t know if I can speak on behalf of anyone else, but I have felt the silent emptiness stretch like a wasteland across my soul.
The Isaac-Ishmael-Hagar story is in chapter 21 and the Akeda is in chapter 22. Rosh Hashanah offers the opportunity to study them together.
This Rosh Hashanah we decided to go live from the Bimah. For the first time we could immerse the congregation in the High Holiday atmosphere with streaming services directly from our Sanctuary.
As often as politely possible, I hide from this piece. I find as many excuses as I can to say “no thanks” to the Rabbi’s kind and humbling yearly request to sing it – not enough prep time, too much else going on, someone else can do it better (this last one is always true), etc. This year, however, I said yes.
These are the true golden rules from Hillel. When I studied them in high school, they seemed to apply to almost anything. As I grew older less so. However, it is now in this time of a pandemic that I find them most useful.
This High holiday season may be hard, but we will not be alone.
Find information on our High Holiday services inside.
Read about what’s going on in our congregation and community.
He gripped his little brother’s hand, his stomach churning with fear and embarrassment, his fingers slick with his own sweat. He didn’t dare look at him; the lids of his eyes weighed down by shame and grief, for he knew what was yet to come.
The stars in the sky shone brightly and clearly and I could point out Orion and the Big Dipper to my children on our evening walk. The neighborhood was cast in darkness and we picked our way past downed trees and broken branches by the light of the stars and our flashlights.