As published in the Los Angeles Jewish Journal May 21, 2026 How would you describe the art of dancing? Are the moves in sequence or the intention behind the action enough? When we’re in the moment, the action we describe simply feels good or fun. Dancing, working, playing, even something sublime like loving, are called participles in the English language. From the root word referring to something participatory , providing meaning to one’s actions is a relational experience. T

As Published in the Los Angeles Jewish Journal April 15, 2026 Do we have the right spiritual leaders to meet the moment? It’s a timely question in the Jewish world, given the recent attention upon rabbinic leadership. Right now, our hearts are yearning for steady, compassionate, and healing voices to help navigate the sustained crises we witness daily. Are these the skills our leaders currently possess? Traditional forms of leadership rely up on the will of the collective,

As published in Los Angeles Jewish Journal, February 26, 2026 What does it mean for someone to lose faith? Is it a disappointment that the world is not all good? Is it that suffering seems unfair, especially for those who have done nothing to deserve it? Nothing exists without its opposite; not good without evil, not order w ithout chaos, not this world without what lies beyond it. Seeing the world in binaries, like good or evil or order out of chaos, may underlie our fundam

“It’s Complicated!” It used to be easy to follow the advice, “Don’t talk about religion or politics at the dinner table.” These are subjects that may provoke intensely different points of view about issues that affect the quality of life. The polite remedy was to skirt around them. It was better to center conversations on pop culture, fashion, entertainment, or sports, than to confront a complicated subject with often diametrically opposed perspectives. Guests would evaluat

Bereisheet 5783 I dedicate this teaching to my father, Neil Hoffman z”l. Thousands of years ago, the rabbis of the Talmud designated four unique times in the calendar year to mark beginnings. We’re most familiar with the 1st of Tishrei, or Rosh Hashanah. The apples, honey, taiglach, and round challahs are unforgettable while we practice cheshbon hanefesh, a soul accounting for all that was and what we hope will be. But, there is also the new year for the trees, which we know

Published in JLiving Magazine, June 2022 The journey toward becoming a bar or bat mitzvah* begins around the kitchen table months before the big day. We sit together and begin to detail all the elements of preparation. “Are you learning to chant some Torah?” “Are you going to be reading the Haftarah portion?” “Will you be leading the community in prayers?” “You’re going to give a speech - a d’var Torah?” “Will you be having a celebration - a seudat mitzvah?” Each quest

The advent of Chat GPT and the new AI driven Bing search engine underscore the incredible longing for certainty in a complicated world....

Shabbat Hanukkah is always a special experience, especially when we have a nearly full hanukkiah to overpower the flames of the Shabbat...

*This is also the title of a poem written by my teacher, Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis z"l. This post is shared in his honor. Can we fully...

Our concerns for human dignity and ecological sustainability have simply become overwhelming. The words of Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) "The...

About 10 years ago, a company that produces plant based meat products, Beyond Meat, began producing "Chicken-Free Strips" thus placing...

Today, there is no shortage of predictions and prophecies. There are competitions to celebrate the formation and articulation of future...

Expressions of uncertainty are as certain as expressions of confidence. We celebrate those heroes who fearlessly transcend doubt and...

In building relationships between people, a rhetorical question can draw the other close or it can stun them into silence. As a parent,...

It's only natural to wonder if others see us the way we see ourselves. This perception helps us define who we are. And yet, our concern...

(This post is dedicated to the honor of Suzanne Gallant z"l, a soul master, a lyrical poet, a curious student, and a supportive friend)...

In our neighborhood, there is a message board called, Nextdoor. People post on all kinds of subjects there, from free fruit for the...

The flood of information, photos and videos, opinions, condemnations, prayers, and promises that have emerged in response to the horrific...

The protections of free speech and free press in America are cornerstones in the advancement of social justice. These freedoms enable us...

What makes a book sacred? History and longevity? Content? Mystical power? Each of these possibilities, and any others we discover, must...