4 Column - Temple Beth Shira

Kohelet – 10/11/2025

October 7, 2025 By templebethshira in Rabbi, Sermons, Sukkot, Sukkot

On Sukkot, we read the biblical book of Kohelet, known in English as Ecclesiastes—and it’s traditionally attributed to King Solomon, said to be reflecting late in life on all he has seen and done. If the book of Proverbs, also attributed to Solomon shows him at his most confident—full of wisdom and certainty—Kohelet shows him […]

Shabbat Shuva – 09/27/2025

September 26, 2025 By templebethshira in Uncategorized

Shabbat Shuvah is always a tender time. We stand in the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, with the sound of the shofar still echoing, and the Day of Atonement drawing near. These are days when our tradition calls us inward — to examine our deeds, to measure our words, to do the hard […]

Ki Tavo – 09/12/2025

September 12, 2025 By templebethshira in Sermons

There’s a line from the Stoic philosophers that I always find extra meaningful at this time of year. “You grow as much as the truth you are willing to accept about yourself without running away. Real strength starts with honest reflection.” We know that facing the truth about ourselves isn’t easy. There are things we […]

Ki Teitzei – 09/05/2025

September 5, 2025 By templebethshira in Uncategorized

9/5/25 – Ki Teitzei This week’s Torah portion, Ki Teitzei, is packed with more mitzvot than any other parashah. It covers family life, business ethics, justice, and community. And right in the middle of all these weighty laws, we find one of the most tender commandments in the entire Torah: “If you come across a […]

Shoftim – 08/29/2025

August 29, 2025 By templebethshira in Sermons, Uncategorized

‘Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li‘ – I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine. This phrase comes to us from the Song of Songs, love poetry found in our bible. In many Jewish weddings betrothed couples recite this phrase to vow and declare their love for one another. Within a religious context, these words speak […]

Re’eh – 08/22/2025

August 22, 2025 By templebethshira in Sermons

“Re’eh anochi notein lifneichem b’racha uklalah — See, I set before you today a blessing and a curse.” The Torah insists that blessing and curse are both before us — but it does not say we will always choose blessing. Often we cling to the curse we know, out of fear of the unknown. The […]

Eikev – Rabbi’s Sermon August 15, 2025

August 15, 2025 By templebethshira in Rabbi, Sermons Tags: Sermons

Parashat Eikev is Moses’ long goodbye to the Israelites. He’s speaking to a people about to cross into the Promised Land, reminding them of the forty years it took to get there. Forty years of wandering. Forty years of lessons learned slowly, sometimes painfully. It’s hard to imagine that kind of patience today. And maybe […]

Va’etchanan – Rabbi’s Sermon August 8, 2025

August 8, 2025 By templebethshira in Rabbi, Sermons

Nine-year-old Joey came home from Hebrew school one day, and his mom asked what he learned. He said, “Well, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines to rescue the Israelites. They got to the Red Sea and Moses had his engineers build a pontoon bridge so everyone could walk across. Then […]