Echoing Leviticus, we are a nation of priests, sacrificing for the sanctity of human life

By Student Rabbi Caitlin Brazner

This month, as Purim gives way to Passover, as snow turns to spring rains, we will come to the book of Leviticus in our Torah cycle.

With its chapters of priestly codes, sacrificial rites and often unmodern laws and restrictions, Leviticus can be challenging for some of us to read as contemporary, progressive Jews.

What does a user manual for Temple practice have to do with us, Reform Jews living a millennium after the destruction of said Temple?

What can we glean from its many teachings around sacrifice and ritual giving?

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A good argument can lead to healthy transitions, if we agree to resolve our differences

By Betsy Frank

All life involves transitions. We move from one place to another, sometimes willingly, sometimes not.

Our family relationships change due to marriage, divorce, birth and death.

Yet, we survive and our lives evolve into other forms. In January, we witnessed the transition from one U.S. president to another.

Disagreements are a part of our Jewish heritage and yet our people­hood — our religion — remains intact.

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Amanda Gorman’s faith meets Esther’s courage to commemorate a Purim story of resilience

By Student Rabbi Caitlin Brazner

Barely one month ago, this country exercised one of its more profound and significant rituals: the peaceful transfer of power from one political leader to the next.

The inauguration of a new president is a shining example of democratic excellence and a testament to our nation’s devotion to the groundbreaking ideals enshrined in our Constitution.

This year’s Inauguration Day proved no exception. Though threatened two weeks earlier by insurrectionist violence at the Capitol, the peaceful events of Jan. 20, 2021, affirmed Americans’ unflagging commitment to our democratic ideals.

Among the many fine speakers at the inauguration, one in particular stood out — 22-year-old Amanda Gorman.

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Just in time, Tu B’Shevat turns our attention to renewal and the possibility of something better

By Student Rabbi Caitlin Brazner

January is a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. As the calendar rolls over on our secular New Year, friends and family gather (admittedly, virtually this year) to celebrate and look forward in anticipation to what will be in the year to come.

We set new goals for ourselves, new intentions and resolutions. It is a time of hope and possibilities.

January is also a time for reflection. We think back over the last year and remember all that we’ve done and not done. We grapple with regrets; we remember those we’ve lost. While it may be a time for looking forward, so often we find ourselves looking backward as the New Year approaches.

This year is no different, although it has certainly been a hard one. We as a nation have faced bitter political disagreements, a virulent pandemic, wildfires and hurricanes. Our world has felt chaotic, out-of-order, overwhelming.

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