May Their Memories Be A Blessing
06/23/2016 05:07:49 PM
With so many deaths from London to Tel Aviv to Orlando in the last week alone, it's important to remember that violence is never holy. In the memory of those lives lost, I thought I would include this excerpt from a chapter that I wrote about gun violence for a forthcoming volume.
…The priest does not shudder at the vivid descriptions of blood and sinew, fat and flesh in his guide book. The carnality of the...Read more...
Invocation at the LA County's Productivity Conference
05/27/2016 11:47:02 AM
Thursday, May 26, 2016
This morning I had the privilege to give the invocation at the LA County's Productivity conference. It's always inspiring to share your vision with others. Especially those who enrich the loves of so many.
"Thank you for having me here this morning, and a special thanks to my friend Shawn Landres for asking me to come to share a few words with you.
It's not lost on me that we are hosted...Read more...
Passover Quiz Archive
04/15/2016 02:00:00 AM
Passover Quizzes from Rabbi Noah Farkas!!
Below you will find out archive of Passover Quizes from Rabbi Noah Farkas.
Please click on the title of each section to reveal the QUIZ CONTENT!
[collapsed title="Passover Quiz: 2012"]
Passover Quiz 2012©Rabbi...Read more...
The End is Never the End
03/10/2016 02:00:00 AM
This week's Torah portion brings us to the final section of the Book of Exodus. It's a summary of a construction project that began weeks ago. God sets out a plan to build the Mishkan, a holy tent that is meant to be a gathering place for the community and central location of the ritual cult of sacrifice. After everything is collected and assembled, Moses is summoned to the front of the tent....Read more...
Making the Homeless Count
01/28/2016 02:00:00 AM
I felt a little silly last night as we drove the hills of Encino at 10:00 PM looking for homeless individuals amongst the million-dollar mansions. Yet, we had to drive those streets as part of the annual Homeless Count coordinated by the Los Angeles Homelessness Services Authority (LAHSA). I was joined by over forty volunteers mostly from VBS. This annual count tries to locate Angelinos...Read more...
Talking Turkey
11/23/2015 02:00:00 AM
As the American holiday season begins in earnest this Thursday with the annual ritual of eating too much and watching football, there will be some Jews who will celebrate Thanksgiving without a turkey. For vegetarians this is not a surprise; after all, turkeys are animals and if you don't eat animals, then no turkey for you. Food activists might give up on the bird if it wasn't raised in the proper conditions and treated...Read more...
Moving Mountains
10/29/2015 02:00:00 AM
Dear VBS Community,
On Tuesday, our congregation played a pivotal role in making a historic policy change in Los Angeles County to build more affordable housing for low income Angelenos. The County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to dedicate $300 million over the next five years and $100 million dollars annually thereafter to affordable housing. This money will keep families housed and get homeless residents...Read more...
Seven Sacred Questions, Rosh Hashanah 5776
09/17/2015 02:00:00 AM
There is an old parable of a rabbi that reached the end of his life. He was sitting at home and his students came to visit him on the Sabbath as they did every week. Now he was frail and ill, and his talmidim asked him to reflect on his career in the hopes of gaining some wisdom for themselves. The rabbi said that when he left the walls of the seminary he was eager to fix the world. And with all the confidence that comes...Read more...
Supreme Court Decision on Same Sex Marriage
06/26/2015 02:00:00 AM
Dear VBS Family, Twenty three years ago, Rabbi Schulweis took to the podium at Valley Beth Shalom on Rosh Hashanah and spoke openly and honestly about the need to include LGBT individuals into our community. He said, “I confess I cannot for the life of me look into their eyes and...Read more...
Mon, November 25 2024
24 Cheshvan 5785
