Yom Kippur and the Paradox of Opening and Closing Doors
The gates of repentance are always open, Judaism teaches. Yet because we procrastinate…… Or close our eyes to our mistakes And to our mortality We have a timeframe. The gates are now open… The gates of repentance and forgiveness. Tomorrow evening, they...
Celebrate Two Birthdays: Ghandi’s and the World’s
Today is Gandhi’s birthday. Tonight, with the setting of the sun, will be Rosh Hashanah when Jews celebrate the birthday of the world and the birth of humankind. Gandhi taught: Non-violence requires a double faith, faith in God and also in man. The Jewish New Year...
Let This be Our Lowest Point
If you are white and living in Charlotte Please pick up the phone and call someone who is black or brown skinned or stop by their office at work or table at lunch and ask “how are you?” Listen, cry, learn and talk. That’s all you need to do today. If you are white and...
Help Me to See More Fully
“We each see the world differently from where we stand,” Rev. Dr. Dwayne Walker of Little Rock AME Zion Church shared earlier tonight as we sat as a small circle of interfaith clergy and Charlotte-Mecklenburg police in prayer and song. God, help me to see...
The Syrian Refugees and Germany: Not Their Story but Our Story
Each of us had different reasons for taking part in the Central Conference of American Rabbis Mission to Berlin. Among them were: We cared about the refugee crisis and wanted to learn so that we could share the story, engage our congregants and communities with this...
What If Jonathan Ferrell were my son?
What if Jonathan Ferrell were my son? That’s what I thought about when I stopped by the court room on the first day of the Kerrick trial. Jonathan – a 24 year old former Florida A&M University football player, an aspiring engineer, engaged to a beautiful woman....
How do we respond to tragedy?
With silence… There aren’t words to respond to someone with semi-automatic guns in hand murdering innocent souls en masse. With identification… As President Obama stated, “An attack on any American is an attack on all Americans.” People lost their sons and daughters,...
Education is The Most Amazing Gift
A decade ago, Oprah stayed as a guest in President Nelson Mandela’s home in South Africa for more than a week. After days of reflecting on the ideal gift to get him as a token of her gratitude, she came up with the perfect present. So what do you get such a great man...
Words Whisper from the Grave
Hearing the Words and Celebrating the Work of a Holocaust Hero The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer We must learn to regard people less in light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the...
Going Back to Egypt
[This homily was delivered at Charlotte’s Multi-faith Service Calling for the Repeal of HB2 on April 24, 2016 at Myers Park Baptist Church] We come together for a multi-faith service. We all come from different faiths and some of us come from no formal religious...
Seeds of Change Sown in Charleston
[This homily was delivered at Charlotte’s Multi-faith Service Calling for the Repeal of HB2 on April 24, 2016 at Myers Park Baptist Church] We come together for a multi-faith service. We all come from different faiths and some of us come from no formal religious...
Hebron: A City of Conflicting Narratives and Religious Passions
Genesis describes the purchase of property by our father Abraham for the burial of our mother Sarah. The legendary cave of Machpelah, acquired through negotiation with the Hittites, became the site not only of Sarah’s grave, but also of the reconciliation of Isaac and...
Justice, Justice You Shall Pursue – Lessons to Be Learned From Justice Scalia by Rabbi Judith Schindler
Justice Antonin Scalia died suddenly on Saturday night. Within moments, a political debate began to rage around filling that most important vacancy and in whose Presidential hands the responsibility and privilege of a nomination lies. As negative political discourse...
Shalom Aleichem- Assalamu Aleikum- Peace Be with You- by Rabbi Judy Schindler
A message from Rabbi Judy Schindler, Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth El to be shared at Charlotte’s Interfaith Vigil to Mourn the Shooting in San Bernardino and Stand Against Violence While we wish we could stand with our Muslim brothers and sisters who have planned this...
Thanksgiving: Make this Holiday Holy by Rabbi Judy Schindler
Thanks… for all I have Blessings too great to name and number freedom and food, shelter, love and life Giving… No material gifts are needed No shopping at malls is required for today’s celebration Just presence shared with those who matter most Joy of feeling blessed...
Pray for Faith by Rabbi Judy Schindler
Fear… of those filled with hate of violence of guns and terrorism. Faith… in the good in the “other” in the ability to uproot evil. Do not let fear close your hearts close your minds close your souls (or close your borders to refugees seeking sanctuary – for we were...