Gone a dozen years now, the flavor of my grief has changed, and memory is sweet.

A mystery arrived at my doorstep – information encrypted within a quote over the door of a tiny German synagogue my ancestors helped build and lead in the 1820s. Decoding it was exciting, and reminded me of the ways we can remain in contact with the ancestors if we retain our imaginations and our curiosity.

May we draw deep from the waters of life, the groundwater of blessing, in order to respond confidently to the catastrophes around us, in this country and in Gaza. Sermon for Erev Yom Kippur 5786.

We are in the most challenging moment of history that most of us here have ever experienced. How can we be rooted and resilient like a grandmother oak? How can we withstand the strong and contrary winds? How can we root deeper, reach higher, and connect side by side with each each other? Some insights from trees, dreams, and Torah.