Gather the Jews is now GatherDC!
New look, new name-
everything else is the same!
Friday, March 26 – Parshat Vayikra This week, we begin a new book of the Torah, Leviticus. Leviticus is the book of the priests (the Levites, get it?) who served as officiants in the ancient Temple, offering sacrifices and such. While we’ve been swept up in the world of stories throughout Genesis and Exodus, Leviticus, […]
On Wednesday night, during one of my weekly classes which I’m now doing online, I asked everyone to go around and share one word that best described where they were in that moment. Inspired by the very first question God asks humanity in the Torah—“Akyeka?” “Where are you?”—I asked a similar question in the hope […]
At our GatherDC team meeting yesterday, our Executive Director, Rachel Gildiner asked the staff to consider the paradoxes we are sitting with in this very stressful and uncertain time. For me, the Jewish concept of “choosing life” immediately came to mind (see Deuteronomy 30:19 below). Over the centuries, this idea has come to mean several […]
As the rabbi at GatherDC, I spend a lot of time talking with Jewish 20s and 30s about how hard it is to make actual friends in this city, how difficult it can be to find a Jewish community that feels like a good fit, and how much social circles can change from one year […]
The Jewish comedian Alan King once said, “A summary of every Jewish holiday: they tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat!” I’ve heard this line repeated too many times to count to explain why and how we celebrate various Jewish holidays. Purim, coming up next week, is no exception, although we could modify King’s […]
Tu B’shevat (the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat) is a strange Jewish holiday. It’s technically the New Year for Trees. But: Why do trees need a Rosh Hashanah? Why is it celebrated in the winter time? Basically, what’s the deal? Truth be told, the origins of Tu B’shevat are rather obsolete today. […]
One of the things I hear adults struggle with when it comes to Hanukkah is that it is largely a holiday for kids. It involves presents, dreidel games, chocolate coins, and some very interesting a capella remixes. And while of course adults can and do enjoy these kitchy aspects of the holiday, they may not […]
As Yom Kippur ended last Wednesday night, I quickly had a bite of a bagel and downed some orange juice. I soon checked in on social media after taking a nice break from it over the holiday. I was quickly horrified to see the news of the terrorist attack on a synagogue in Halle, Germany […]
For all the shofar lovers out there, you may be pleased to know that blowing the shofar is a ritual that can be done well before Rosh Hashanah. In fact, starting this Sunday, when the new Hebrew month of Elul begins, there is a tradition of sounding the ram’s horn every single day for a […]
It’s not what you’re thinking. There’s no joyous family gathering nor tons of delicious food. It’s a fast day. It’s a time to mourn. It’s the saddest day of the Jewish year. And no, it’s not Yom Kippur (which, while serious, is meant to be uplifting). It’s called Tisha B’Av, and this Saturday night through […]