mstreiffer

“For You Were Strangers”

I am an immigrant. An American born in Alabama, I have lived all over the United States. And for the last 5 years, thanks to a rabbinical position that brought me to the Toronto suburbs, I have made my home in Canada. I love both of my countries – the one in which I wasContinueContinue reading ““For You Were Strangers””

“Not Very Religious” – A Sermon for Kol Nidrei 5777

It is told that once, just before the start of Yom Kippur, the Baal Shem Tov went up to a Jew in the back of the synagogue and asked him to lead the Kol Nidre service. The man looked up at the Baal Shem and did what any of us might do in the situation:ContinueContinue reading ““Not Very Religious” – A Sermon for Kol Nidrei 5777″

“Think For Yourself” – A Sermon for Rosh Hashanah 5777

“Think for yourself.” It’s what every teacher and every professor ever said to us. “Think for yourself.” It’s what we hope for our children as they go out into the world. “Think for yourself.” Socrates said that, “to find yourself, you must think for yourself” And, Christopher Hitchens wrote that, “[If you} take the riskContinueContinue reading ““Think For Yourself” – A Sermon for Rosh Hashanah 5777″

My Father Was a Syrian Refugee: Pesach & Freedom in 2016

NOTE: This essay was cross posted at Kol Ami. In the Passover seder, we are commanded to tell our story of freedom beginning with the words: “Arami Oveid Avi – My father was a wandering/escaped Aramean.” There are differences of opinion regarding whether this line refers to Abraham or to Jacob. But either way, itsContinueContinue reading “My Father Was a Syrian Refugee: Pesach & Freedom in 2016”