"Why is this night different from all other nights?" This Passover question echoes across history; it's especially poignant this year amidst war, antisemitism and so much more tugging at the Jewish spirit. It's easy to forget that we are one people sharing a single human garment. This year reminds that there is no true Jewish freedom in mere individualism however comfortable, or in an echo chamber however reassuring, or in silencing, or in mere blame and finger pointing. This year demands that we all make space at our seder tables – and in our hearts – for the missing and diverse, what most comforts and what most challenges. After all, the only way we ever can be truly free is together. |
Rabbi David offered clarion-call words of blessing at the Interfaith Council's "Longest Night" memorial tribute, honoring the homeless and unseen who died on our local streets in the year 2023. The Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut unites faith leaders and faith communities in common cause on matters of spirit-infused care and advocacy.
By Rabbi David Evan Markus
Matot-Masei 5783 (2023) We've heard it over and over, like the opening of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Depending on where we look around us, we see either beauty or devastation, despair or hope. Now is exactly the time that Torah, and our spiritual calendar, call us to begin seeing it all so that we can begin healing it. We need to see where we've been to know where we're going. By Rabbi David Evan Markus
Pinchas 5783 (2023) For my first weekly dvar Torah as rabbi and spiritual leader of Congregation Shir Ami, let's talk about spearing people through the guts while they have sex on the altar. Seriously? That's the context of how Parshat Pinchas begins. (Isn't it every rabbi's dream to begin serving a spiritual community with this?) Then again, often Torah embeds beautiful worlds of wonder, depth and redemptive meaning precisely in her dark alleys. Here, too – and exactly on time for Judaism's spiritual calendar. |