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The God Show Podcast With Pat McMahon - Ep. 282 Israel under attack. How could it happen?
Ask an Army Colonel. Ask a Rabbi. Ask a woman. They are all.
Chayye Sarah- Try a Little Kindness
Eliezer has a tough job in this week’s Torah portion. How would you like to be responsible for choosing a partner for your boss’s child?...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Nov 16, 20223 min read
Noah and Nakedness
We all know the story of this week’s Torah portion, how Noah is identified as the only righteous person in his generation, and delegated...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Nov 2, 20224 min read
Bereyshit- Let There Be Light
I recently read that “Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Oct 24, 20223 min read
What Unenforceable Rule is Driving Your Grievance Story?
Kol Nidre, Temple Chai, 2022 Tonight we begin our Yom Kippur journey. This time is a gift we give ourselves to renew and restore...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Oct 6, 20227 min read
No Regrets in the Year Ahead
Listen to the words of Frank Sinatra’s memorable tune, “My Way.” And now the end is hereAnd so I face that final curtainMy friend I’ll...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Sep 25, 20225 min read
Elul: The Days of Questioning
I remember seeing an Army wall calendar that had a sign next to it, “Dates on the calendar are closer than they may appear.” Isn’t that...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Sep 1, 20222 min read
Emor: Good Enough is the New Perfect
The word “Emor,” the name of this week’s Torah portion, means “speak.” In the Torah, God gives instruction to Moses to pass along to the...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
May 15, 20223 min read
The Supreme Court Leak
As we come together on this Shabbat, I want to speak for a moment about the controversy that erupted this week regarding a possible...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
May 9, 20222 min read
Kedoshim- Love Your Neighbor
There are, traditionally, 613 mitzvot in the Torah. Fifty One of them are found in this week’s parsha, Kedoshim. Kadosh, of course,...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
May 9, 20224 min read
Honor/Kavod- Temple Chai Gala, 2022
Thoughts on the Humbling Gift of Being Honored On October 5th at 5:55 p.m., Lea Plosker called to ask if I would accept the honor of...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Apr 14, 20225 min read
Everybody, Everybody Wants to Be Loved- Gala Weekend, Friday Night, 2022
On being honored at the Temple Chai gala- I am feeling so much love in this room right now that it is a bit overwhelming. It’s too much...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Apr 13, 20225 min read
Jews and Fools: A Rabbi's Perspective on April Fool's Day
I’m not sure what the origin of April Fool’s Day is, and I AM sure that it’s NOT a Jewish holiday, but I am also sure that I am ready for...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Apr 6, 20225 min read
Putin IS Amalek
Shabbat Zachor- the Shabbat of Remembering. That’s the special name given to this Shabbas, the Shabbat before Purim. So what, exactly,...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Mar 13, 20222 min read
Purim 2022: A deadly serious celebration
This Wednesday night we will come together for the light and joyous holiday of Purim. Purim comes on the 14th of Adar, the final full...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Mar 13, 20222 min read
Our Hearts Are in Ukraine
Dear Friends, I can’t stop thinking about Babi Yar this week, a ravine in the Ukraine where 75,000 Jews were slaughtered in...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Feb 26, 20221 min read
When Christmas Eve and Shabbat Coincide
It’s a quiet night for the Jewish community tonight. 65% of the population in the United States identify as Christian and our neighbors...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Dec 29, 20213 min read
The Sense of Geese
Creation, the beauty of the creation, is a foundation of Kabbalat Shabbat. We begin with 6 psalms, one representing each day of the...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Nov 7, 20214 min read
Commas and Shabbat
When Jessie was pregnant with Helena, we had a baby shower for her. Cards were passed out, and among the questions was, “I hope that you...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Oct 31, 20212 min read
What's the Hardest Mitzvah?
What is the hardest mitzvah for you? Is it not eating shrimp or bacon? Is it remembering to light shabbat candles each week? Is it...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Sep 26, 20213 min read
What I've Learned in 40 Years as a Rabbi
The number of days from the beginning of the month of Elul until Yom Kippur The number of days that it rained on Noah and the ark The...
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell
Sep 19, 20219 min read
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