Thanks for reading! This is where I record thoughts about a variety of Jewish topics. Please feel free to comment, share, or join in the conversation.
Do We Have to Forgive? Lessons From a Gourd Plant
Do we have to forgive? There’s a story in the Talmud (Ta’anit 2a-b) that says that Rabbi Elazar ben Shimon once insulted a man – called him ugly. And then immediately realized that he had done wrong. He got down off his donkey and pleaded for forgiveness. He said, “נַעֲנֵיתִי לְךָ, מְחוֹל לִי! – I…
“As the Waters Cover the Sea”: A Prayer for Peace and Humanity
This is the sermon that I delivered on Yom Kippur morning 5785 (2024) at Am Shalom Congregation in Barrie, Ontario. This poem is called “Birkat Shalom – Blessing of Peace” by Marcia Falk נשאל מעין השלוםיזל כטליערף כמטר השלוםותמלא הארץ שלוםכמים לים מכסים Let us ask of the wellspring of peace:May peace drip like dew,And…
Embracing Interfaith Wedding Couples: Building the Jewish Future
It turns out that one of the best parts of my job as a rabbi is the part that I never thought I’d be doing. For the last year, I have had the privilege of working with a small cohort of interfaith couples who are preparing for their weddings. In each case, one partner is…
How To Be a Prophet: A Sermon for Yom Kippur 2023
This is the sermon I delivered on Kol Nidrei 5784/2023 at Kol Ami Congregation in Thornhill, Ontario. How to be a prophet.Part 1: Nobody wants to be a prophet. Picture this: It’s festival time in ancient Jerusalem. You’re walking down the street, dressed in your finest. Leading your goat to the Temple for your sacrifice.…
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Rabbi Micah Streiffer 