How we label things is important, and being clear about our intentions is also important. On the surface, God of the Bible and his creations seem simple, good or bad, but underneath it, nothing is simple.

As we finally reach the end of the Torah and are about to begin again, we are left with a bunch of blessings for security and peace going forward—or the Israelites are. How blessed—and how cursed—do we feel? How much of it is based on reality and how much is in our heads? I tell a story of something that happened the other day in the park that left me completely rattled and thinking about these things.

On the most somber day of the Jewish year, how seriously do we need to take ourselves? Well…

What we need at this time of year is a good flush—of our personal systems—from all the old and newer traumas, so we can move on and find new and better ways to live.

After yet another very destructive hurricane, we enter the Jewish New Year, a time of rest and prayer, to take a break from the action and renew ourselves to continue the work of healing ourselves and the world

There are many prophetic voices in this week’s Torah portion, of doom and gloom, but also of hope and possibilities. As we come to the end of Torah and the Jewish year, and also enter a year of rest for the earth, we are reminded that there are in fact possibilities for the future, so we must grab the opportunity.

Charity vs changing the system? And what does the Bible have to do with that? Here I tell of a funny and ridiculous inner argument I had with myself when I struggled to get away with some well-meaning people on the street trying to get me to sign up for a good purpose and how I got away finally. But the struggle within continues.

Do we need permission to be critical of our traditions, our religion, our god, our holy books? Hopefully not, but I’m case we do, we actually have it! Listen in to find out!

Survival in difficult times comes from community, but also the belief in the fantastical and magical. In fact, we can make the magic happen, and when we make fun in the midst of the pain, we gain autonomy over it. The customs of the commemoration of the destruction of the Temple and Torah both have lessons for us on how to live going forward into the scary unknown.

Is ignorance really bliss? It’s the 4th of July, and what are we celebrating? What do we do with the ugly history and stories of our country—and our Torah? Gloss them over? Retell them in ways that make them not so bad? Where does that leave us? Listen and find out.