Bruce Springsteen’s Minneapolis is a battle cry for us to uphold the values we hold dear, the rule of law, the constitutional rights each of us is entitled to, and the dignity and respect for all people.
As we enter Shabbat, we pray for each other and vow to fight for our precious values. We must be better than this.
Shabbat Shalom
I write this, it is Groundhog Day and Tu B’Shvat!
The American Sage, Punxsutawney Phil, has predicted another 6 weeks of winter. It is incredible where we get our news!
More importantly, I would argue that this is the 15th day of the month of Shvat, Tu b’Shvat. This day marks the beginning of the new year for trees.
It is about the rebirth that will come from life that has gone dormant during the winter within the greater cycle of the year. We could not have a more apt metaphor for what is happening in our lives. The brutal and violent transgressions of the Federal Government through ICE and the Border Patrol, as well as the multiple assaults on human dignity and respect, seem to have seeded the birth of a popular uprising against these violations of our rights.
As spring approaches, the trees will blossom, and warmth will fill the air. But the rededication to our ideals requires us to act. Our tradition teaches that we are partners with God in the ongoing work of creation. Now is our time to commit to this sacred task. We must each ask ourselves what we are able or willing to do, and get to work.
In the harshest, coldest, and darkest times, hope arises that something better is coming. The Jewish tradition and the founding principles of our country require us, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, to work to ensure “a government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the face of the earth.”
Wishing you a happy Tu b’Shvat.
Rabbi David
One Day
Mattisyahu’s song One Day is our hope – but it will take a our concerted effort to realized the dream of peace. Shabbat is our taste of what it could be, Now more than ever we must commmit to making our dream a reality.
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.
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.
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
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
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.