Rabbi's Musings

Lunch and Learn today will feature a discussion about Judaism and witchcraft. Partly, this is because of the new Wicked movie. Also, it is useful to see Judaism as part of a larger world in which there was widespread belief in the occult. Judaism is best understood in its historical context. Does Judaism believe in witchcraft? The simple answer is yes. There is a witch in the Bible (I Samuel 28) living in En Dor (where we get the name of the...Read more...

During a Thanksgiving season many years ago, a certain general of the Salvation Army decided to send greetings to every unit scattered across the world.  Since cable rates were very expensive, the general was forced to confine his message to a single word.  The general spent many minutes deciding which word to send.  What would best express the spirit and challenge of Thanksgiving?  Finally, after deep thought, he made his...Read more...

The Ten Commandments tells us not to commit idolatry. This kind of seems like a “gimme” these days. After all, I don’t see many Canaanite goddesses in people’s front yards. However, this week's Torah portion reminds us that idolatry is a little more complicated. Abraham is told by God to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. (It’s a test.) He quickly says yes. This does not mean he does not want to spare Isaac’s life. He wants to obey...Read more...

Six years ago, I led a congregational trip with Melanie to Krakow, Warsaw, and Berlin. Although I had not planned it this way, it was the 80th anniversary of my mother’s being kicked out of Germany by the Nazis and dumped into Poland. During the trip, when visiting the great Orange Street Temple in Berlin, I saw they had an exhibit showing the plight of refugees...Read more...

The famous 20th-century composer and author Ned Rorem tells of his first visit to Alice B. Toklas’ home after Gertrude Stein’s death. At her home, he noticed on the wall two remarkable Picassos with which he was not familiar. He expressed his admiration. Miss Toklas thoughtfully said, “Yes, Gertrude always used to say, ‘if the house were on fire, and I could only take one picture, it would be those...Read more...

The following is included in this week’s Jewish Herald Voice:

Soon we will be reading about Abraham and his calling by God to enter into a sacred covenant with God. But why does God call Abraham? Why does God choose Abraham?
My favorite rabbinical interpretation of the Torah seeks to answer why God called Abraham. It turns out the call of Abram is the call to...Read more...

As we prepare for the upcoming Days of Awe, I know things will be different this year as the anniversary of the October 7 tragedy looms. In addition to a communal commemoration in Houston on that date, gathering for the New Year and the Day of Atonement will be evocative of the emotions of the era. Think back to RH and YK right after 9/11. These days of tragedy and uncertainty are haunting. As I...Read more...

As I hope you have heard, the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston will honor six leaders at its Community Awards Night on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m., at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center Kaplan Theatre. Award recipients include lay leaders, Jewish communal professionals, and leaders in Jewish education who are “carrying the torch” of the Houston Jewish community.

Our very own Helen Richard will receive the Harold...Read more...

More and more people are driving electric cars. I have had one for years. (True confession: when I bought it from my sister-in-law, I thought I was getting a hybrid Chevy Volt. But it is a Chevy Bolt, with no gas engine. In my defense, the V and the B sound similar on the phone.) The car is good for short hauls, but when I need to go more than fifty miles I take Melanie’s gas-powered car. Yes, I suffer from range anxiety. You’re driving...Read more...

One of the books I was reading this past month is a new scholarly work by the great teacher Moshe Halbertal on the subject of doubt. First published in Hebrew, this translation offers great insights into the pragmatic nature of Jewish rabbinic thought. We might also call the Hebrew word for doubt, safek, uncertainty. For two thousand years Jewish legal discourse has addressed the concept of uncertainty in its rulings. For instance, sometimes...Read more...

Remember the story of the aged rabbi, who finally is retiring? A congregant asks him his plans and he says, “I hope to finish my book.” The congregant says, “That’s so nice. What are you writing about?” Answers the rabbi, “You misunderstand. The plan is to finish the book I am reading!”

Summertime is an opportunity for many of us to...Read more...

On Friday night, June 7, CBSW will celebrate its third annual Gay Pride Shabbat. We are honored this year to welcome as a guest speaker, a daughter of CBSW: Rachel (Kachel) Korn.

Kachel is Keshet’s Southwest Education and Training Manager. Keshet is the national Jewish institution promoting LGBTQ+ rights. She is excited to be truly settled in this role, and resettled in Downtown Houston after living in the DFW area with her...Read more...

Mark Twain used to say that when the world came to an end he wanted to be in Cleveland, since everything happens there ten years later than the rest of the world. Poor Cleveland. Of course, if you want to cheat death there is a simpler way. Keeping coming here to synagogue. A major study of church attendance and mortality indicates that people who attend church, synagogue, or their mosque every week live an average of seven years longer than...Read more...

There is an old comedy album my dad used to love to play for us, entitled, “You Don’t Have to Be Jewish.” On the album there is a skit about a Jewish man who is very successful in business. To celebrate, he buys himself a yacht as well as a complete captain’s uniform, including a peaked cap. He goes to his immigrant parents and announces, in all his garb, that he is a captain. His parents reply, “Son, to your mother you’re a...Read more...

In the second installment of The Hunger Games trilogy, there’s a moment when main character Katniss Everdeen’s mentor Haymitch gives her a piece of advice before she enters the arena to fight for her life: 
You just remember who the enemy is. That’s all.

Katniss is a participant in the Hunger Games, in which different “tributes” are forced to fight one another to the death on camera, for the...Read more...