Wilshire POV

In this Shabbat message, Rabbinic Intern Lisa Friedman reflects on an unexpected moment of imperfection while leading prayer and how the joy of gathering with community during Sukkot helped shift her perspective. Through shared prayer, learning, and celebration, she discovers that joy is not always something we find on our own, but something we create together.

Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history.

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Sunday afternoon was my ideal beach day: sunny, clear blue skies, uplifting music, lots of laughter, connection and catching up. 

As a community, we gathered together for Tashlich, the ritual letting-go of our mistakes and missteps from the past year so we can enter the New Year with a clean slate. Before we went down to the water for the tashlich ritual, the clergy led a short musical service on the sand. Our backs were to the ocean, but we still had the most remarkable view: hundreds of members of our community dressed in white, singing, dancing and clapping to the music. The group gathered on Rosh Hashanah afternoon was multi-generational, east meets west, longtime Wilshire members and people new to our community. 

Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history.

Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Website: wbtla.org
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Rabbi Leah Fein reflects on the story of Amalek and the Torah’s command to remember, exploring how moments of coldness and despair can challenge our hope. As we journey through Elul toward the High Holy Days, she invites us to consider what has warmed us, what has cooled us, and how we can move forward together with renewed possibility.

Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history.

Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Website: wbtla.org
Youtube: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Instagram: wilshireboulevardtemple

What do we really mean when we say "Torah"? In this week's Shabbat Message, Rabbi Leah Fein explores a deceptively simple question with surprisingly rich answers. Beginning with the opening of D'varim (Deuteronomy), she reflects on Torah as more than a sacred scroll or a collection of texts—it is, at its heart, a teaching meant to guide, inspire, and remain accessible across generations. Join us as we consider how each of us is invited to discover our own relationship with Torah and the wisdom it offers for our lives today.

Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history.

Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Website: wbtla.org
Youtube: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Instagram: wilshireboulevardtemple

As we conclude the Book of Numbers with the double Torah portion Matot-Mas'ei, we reflect on the Israelites' 42 journeys through the wilderness and what they teach us about honoring every stage of our own lives. Through Cantor Lisa Peicott's personal story of letting go of years of baby gear and embracing a new season of family life, this episode explores how even our most difficult moments shape who we become. Join us for a conversation about memory, transition, gratitude, and making space for what's next.

Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history.

Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Website: wbtla.org
Youtube: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Instagram: wilshireboulevardtemple

As graduation season invites us to reflect on what lies ahead, this week’s Torah portion reminds us that while uncertainty is inevitable, we can choose curiosity, courage, and faith over fear.

Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history.

Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Website: wbtla.org
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As summer begins and new adventures lie ahead, this week’s Torah portion reminds us that growth often requires leaving behind what is familiar and embracing the possibilities that come with change.

Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history.

Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Website: wbtla.org
Youtube: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Instagram: wilshireboulevardtemple

The smells of barbecue and sweet Moroccan treats wafted through the air as I walked through Gan Sacher (Sacher Park) in Jerusalem in the days after Passover, during the years I was living in Israel. Thousands of people would spend the day there, commemorating Mimouna, the North African celebration that marks the end of the holiday. Most years, Mimouna is a giant public celebration in Israel.

But this year is different.

Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history.

Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Website: wbtla.org
Youtube: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Instagram: wilshireboulevardtemple

Monday was a day we’ve been looking forward to for a long time: moving day. On Monday morning I sat alone in our apartment, surrounded by boxes, and breathed a deep sigh of relief. It was 10:26 AM and the movers were scheduled to arrive at 10:30 AM. Everything was done and ready just in time.

And then I remembered…the mezuzot! 

Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history.

Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Website: wbtla.org
Youtube: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Instagram: wilshireboulevardtemple

Vayikra, the opening portion of the Book of Leviticus, discusses the first details of the sacrificial system that the priests will operate on behalf of the Jewish people. The text describes the particular sacrifices that will be offered, what is being offered, how the priests will carry out the ritual, and the reason that one makes an offering. While the system certainly seems obsolete and foreign to us today, the primary purpose of sacrifice in the ancient world was to address an issue and correct a problem when need be.

Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history.

Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Website: wbtla.org
Youtube: Wilshire Boulevard Temple
Instagram: wilshireboulevardtemple