Lamentation from Both Sides of the Fence
On a bus-stop bench in my Jerusalem neighborhood this morning, a couple in Muslim garb spoke softly to each other. On the same bench, an ultra-Orthodox…
Read articleTwo Prayers for Matot-Masei 5777
Here are two prayers for this week’s double Torah reading: Matot-Masei. Matot stresses the sacredness of vows to God. They’re serious, solemn and binding. “Vows” portrays…
Read articleFor Aleppo and Syria
In a vicious and cruel civil war, Aleppo has become a symbol of suffering and brutality, along with thousands upon thousands of Syrian refugees. This prayer…
Read articleBlood on Holy Ground
Spilling innocent blood defiles holy land. In this week’s double Torah reading, Matot-Masei, we read: “…for blood, it polluteth the land…” [Numbers 35:33] This is a…
Read articleWhen Peace Comes: A Meditation
Here’s another new prayer for peace in our land. I wrote this and another prayer for peace on behalf of the Central Conference of American Rabbis…
Read articleTo Win the Peace
With a ceasefire that appears to be holding, it’s time to pray an audacious prayer: a prayer to win the peace. It’s a prayer for security,…
Read articleChildren of Gaza, Children of Israel
This is a new prayer for peace, a prayer about love, a prayer that sees the beauty in all children. For more than two weeks, people…
Read articleFor the People of the Middle East
Here are two prayers for peace, including a new prayer called “For the People of the Middle East.” They are remarkably hopeful, an attempt to look for a…
Read articleFor Syria
This is a prayer for the people of Syria. According to CNN, “…more than 10,000 people have been killed since the Syrian crisis began in March…
Read article