Category: Relationships

Shabbat Shalom

The Shvesters share their rendition of a poignant Yiddish song Vi Iz Dus Gesele, Where is the little street? A song of longing, nostalgia, and lost love.

It is a way to help us perhaps enter this Shabbat.  Given the current turmoil, we seek a better time.  May we work to see that time come soon.

Wishing you Shabbat Shalom.

Shabbat Shalom

We share the prayer Shabbat Shalom,  A hope for peace and completeness.

U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For is a longing for that prayer to be fulfilled.

As we enter Shabbat, Playing For Change shares that yearning and the return of those who are not with them. And we include Ran Gvili.  We pray for peace and wholeness.

#BringThemHome

Shabbat Shalom

New Year 2026

We celebrate two things—the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year. The new year is filled with hope and anticipation of what might be. Last year showed us yet again that things don’t always go as planned—there is good, there is bad—it is a mix. But whatever has happened is now in our past. Those things cannot be changed, but we might learn from them as we move forward.

I am not much for resolutions unless they are real commitments. This is a time to reflect on what is truly important to us, the values at our core, and how they are challenged or reinforced by our life lessons and experiences. What are they, and how can we live them out more fully? If a relationship is important to you, what can you do to nurture it? If being healthier is important to you, what can you do to support the process?

These questions help us identify our commitments, and then we can take the steps to make them a reality. The truth is, life often gets in the way, as we learned from years past. Busy schedules or tiffs can keep us from calling our friend, and the temptation of that cake slice can overwhelm the desire to maintain a diet. Our commitments can help us pick up the phone or put down the fork.

May the coming year be one of fulfillment and meaning, however you may define it. And may you find the power to make it so.

Wishing you a Happy, Healthy New Year.

 

Shabbat Shalom

As we enter the last Shabbat of 2025, I share Auld Lang Syne, the famous song of this time of year, written by Scottish composer and poet Robert Burns.  It asks us to remember that our humanity and our kindness are expressed in our relationships with others.  As we move into the new year, resolve to love others, treat them with dignity, respect, and compassion. May we find ways to forgive others and ourselves.

Shabbat Shalom

 

Chanukah

We prepare for the first night of Hanukkah, deeply shaken by the murderous assault on Bondi Beach and at Brown University.

The wanton hatred and violence are almost overwhelming. But we must find a way to gather this evening around our chanukiot, light our candles, place them in the window, and be with each other, letting the miracle of rededication take hold with an additional layer of meaning, overcoming the darkness of the moment and shining a light of love and hope.

Chag Urim Sameach,

Rabbi David Levin

President

The Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia

 

Share your Blessings

Giving Tuesday flooded my email inbox. However, my inbox has been filled with so many “asks” that I now delete messages without even reading beyond the subject line. It may sound like cynicism and a bah-humbug attitude that could prevent us from giving tzedakah, but that is not the case. We are required to give and support others in need—clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and caring for the widow and orphan—these are at the heart of Jewish responsibilities.

Our great teacher and sage, Maimonides, taught us that we must give. It is clearly an obligation. But he asks: do we give our money to one cause or distribute it among many? Maimonides favors giving to many, even though the impact is smaller; it helps us to become more charitable if we make it a regular part of our practice.

Michael and Susan Dell recently announced a $6 billion gift to aid 25 million children. Inspired by the Save America plan to give $1,000 to each child born over the next two years, the Dells also aimed to support already born children up to age 10 with a savings fund. If you do the math, this amounts to about $250 per child invested in an S&P index fund. It might not seem like much, but it’s more than these children had before. It’s about instilling hope and providing a link to a system many of these kids aren’t connected to. Hopefully, other billionaires will follow suit and use some of their vast wealth to help those who are among the have-nots.

Now, for the billionaires among us this evening, I am confident you have already put these plans into action. Thank you. But the rest of us (who aren’t billionaires) can follow suit. A small contribution may not change the world, but it could help someone when they need it most. Chanukah is a time for Jewish renewal and rededication. Our commitment to helping others is central to our tradition. Support the causes you believe in. And by giving, we not only help others but also enrich ourselves by gaining a sense of purpose.

I fondly remember the Jerry Lewis Telethon. As a kid, I couldn’t wait to call in. I saved my allowance and made a $10 donation. I eagerly watched to see my name scroll across the bottom of the TV screen as donors were announced. I felt a rush of excitement as I waited for the moment it became official. And in that moment, I knew I had done something good.

We are taught ‘Kol Arevim zeh bah zeh,’ meaning we are all responsible for each other. When Cain questions God at the very start of our story, asking, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” God responds loudly and clearly, yes.

This holiday season,  make sure you give what you can to help others and yourself as well.