Water From the Well: Rabbi’s Blog

Words of Torah by Rabba Kaya

Water from the well

Water from the Well: Leadership and Peace

Parashat Tetzaveh
Posted on February 26, 2024

In this Torah portion, God instructs Moses to endow Aaron with the office of the priesthood.

Dr. King’s Legacy and Israel Today

Parashat Va-eira
Posted on February 11, 2024

Dr. King’s Legacy and Israel Today

Update on Israel and TIP

Parashat
Posted on November 1, 2023

Dear Friends,

In the wake of all the devastating events we have witnessed over these past several weeks, I am reaching out to you today to share some thoughts and some helpful actions we can all take.

Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman

TIP Community Support for Israel

Parashat
Posted on October 11, 2023

This is such a difficult and painful time for us all. As the news of the horrors continue to mount, we are shattered and heartbroken. We grieve and we fear, for loved ones, innocents of all ages, our extended family.

Water from the well

New Moon, Animals and Music

Chesbon Hanefesh
Posted on August 18, 2023

Hodesh Tov! Today is the new moon (Rosh Chodesh) of the month of Elul. This last month of our Jewish year sets into motion, a period of introspection known as Cheshbon Hanefesh- taking an account of the soul. This month is dedicated to the inner work of assessing how and where we may have fallen Continue Reading »

Water from the well

Meditation on Moving

Parashat Naso
Posted on June 4, 2023

Dear friends, As you may already know, my husband, Steve, and I are currently in the process of moving into a new home. With great joy and a lot of lifting, we are disassembling and reassembling our material lives. As always, I find there are amazing connections between the weekly Torah portion and current activities Continue Reading »

Water from the well

From Freedom to Revelation

Parashat Emor
Posted on May 7, 2023

Dear friends, Four weeks ago, we celebrated the holiday of Pesach, our Festival of Freedom. Around our tables we enacted the historic journey of the Israelites out of slavery. Perhaps we liberated ourselves a little bit more from the ways we may enslave ourselves through unconscious habitual devotion to repetitive patterns in our lives. To Continue Reading »

Water from the well

Seeking Balance: A D’var Torah for Parashat Tazria/Metzora

Parashat Tazria/Metzora
Posted on April 23, 2023

Dear friends, The section of Torah we are reading this week deals with a variety of powerful moments in life when it may be necessary to separate oneself from communal life and then, after a period of time, return to community connection. It calls for periods of separation and seclusion during the delicate period just Continue Reading »

The Sound of Silence

Parashat Vayikra
Posted on March 24, 2023

Dear friends, This Shabbat we begin reading the book of Vayikra/Leviticus which opens with the word Vayikra which means, “God called out.” The verse begins: God called out to Moses and then spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting. (Lev.1:1) We note two odd things about this phrase. First, that in almost every other place where God speaks to Moses, Continue Reading »

Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman

After Swastikas – Building Sacred Space

Parashat Terumah
Posted on February 24, 2023

Dear friends, Clearly what is on all our minds is the attack we experienced on our sacred space this week. It was shocking, painful and even disorienting. But the timing, according to our Jewish calendar, was actually quite remarkable. This attack took place during the week of parashat Terumah, that is, the week in which we Continue Reading »