The Clergy Suite Podcast by Temple Isaiah

Rabbi Joel Nickerson offers two reflections (kavanot) on Solidarity Shabbat.

Jewish tradition teaches “Who is rich?” and the answer is simple, “Those who rejoice in their own portion.” (Pirke Avot 4:1) Yet, many of us struggle, daily, to find words of appreciation for all that we have. In Psalm 92, we are invited to thank God in the morning – to praise God’s lovingkindness (chesed) – and then again in the evening with thanks for God’s faithfulness (emunah). How often do we use our first and last words of the day to offer thanks and praise? In this season of Thanksgiving, when you are about to sit at a table and be asked “For what are you thankful?” we want to flip the question on its head and instead inquire: “What gets in the way of gratitude?”

Rob, Dara and Joel exchange thoughts on how to live a life of faith, purpose and meaning in the 21st century. This conversation was part of our Installation weekend celebration.

Rob Bell is an American author, speaker and former pastor. Bell was the founder of Mars Hill Bible Church located in Grandville, Michigan, which he pastored until 2012. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller Love Wins and the writer and narrator of a series of spiritual short films called NOOMA. In 2011, Time Magazine named Bell on its list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. He has since become a freelance writer and speaker appearing on various talk shows and national speaking tours on topics related to spirituality and leadership. He also hosts a popular podcast called,'The Robcast. ' In 2018, a documentary about Bell called "The Heretic" was released. We were honored to have Rob as our special guest for our Installation weekend.

Thank you Sara Landas for the Audio.

Rob Bell is an American author, speaker and former pastor. Bell was the founder of Mars Hill Bible Church located in Grandville, Michigan, which he pastored until 2012. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller Love Wins and the writer and narrator of a series of spiritual short films called NOOMA. In 2011, Time Magazine named Bell on its list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. He has since become a freelance writer and speaker appearing on various talk shows and national speaking tours on topics related to spirituality and leadership. He also hosts a popular podcast called,'The Robcast. ' In 2018, a documentary about Bell called "The Heretic" was released. We were honored to have Rob as our special guest for our Installation weekend.

Thank you Sara Landas for the Audio.

Catastrophe Parenting deals with parents who get emotional or anxious in almost every situation so that every event is one level of catastrophe or another. We will learn how to climb down from that ladder.

The question and answer section of the conversation starts at 36:18 mark.

About Tamar:

Tamar Andrews, EdD, began her tenure as our Preschool Director in 2003. She is a national and international lecturer as a child development specialist, and is also on the faculty of Cal State University, Santa Monica College and UCLA.

The word “Jew” has been maligned by anti-Semites over the centuries, and we are seeing increasing antisemitism in our world. It is time to remember what the word “Jew” really stands for, and to take back our beautiful, powerful, purposeful name.

Rabbi Zoë delivered this sermon on Kol Nidre, 2015.

Thea Brodkin from the League of Women Voters presents pro/con arguments for Propositions 1-6 and 10. Thanks to Janet Hirsch, VP of Community Affairs for Temple Isaiah, for arranging this session and for leading this year’s social justice efforts to create a more informed and engaged base of voters throughout Los Angeles. Note: After presenting on each proposition, Thea pauses to allow congregants and community members to share their thoughts and questions.

Rashi, an 11th century Torah commentator, lays out the two sides of the Noah debate: There are those among the sages who view Noah positively. Certainly, had he been living in a generation of just individuals, he would have been more just. And, yet, others view him negatively. Had he been living in the generation of Abraham he would have been considered worthless.

In other words, either we’re static in our growth, or we rise higher when those around us are reaching, as well.

On this Shabbat of Parashat Noach, we need to refocus the story of Noah on the struggle *each one of us* encounters as we reach for righteousness, and not waste time on the question of whether we started out inherently virtuous. On this Shabbat, let us look to the possibility of newfound strength and capacity that can be discovered in community, rather than engage in the comparison and competition of who reaches higher.

Excerpts from one of the Great American Speeches, Anna Howard Shaw’s 1915 Suffragette Speech “Fundamental Principles of a Republic”

In honor of the upcoming midterm elections, Rabbi Zoe K M shares excerpts from a fiery suffragette speech through which we may reflect how far we have come, and how far we have yet to go.

When gender-based violence is considered a “women’s issue” instead of a “men’s issue,” we all lose.

Link to Jackson Katz Ted Talk: