Rabbi Guzik - A Bisl Torah

Our world feels very dark. The murders that took place at the kosher supermarket in New Jersey, the desecration of Nessah Synagogue here in Beverly Hills, three college students attacked for being Jewish at Indiana University, and most recently, vandalism...

Jonathan Safran Foer writes, “The strangest thing to reencounter was the home where I lived for the first nine years of life….I was sure I’d have strong feelings revisiting it for the first time in decades, but it was merely...

Nir Rubin, IDF veteran begged the 200 Sinai Temple members sitting before him, “If you need to say thank you to someone, don’t wait. You may never get another chance.”   He painted a heartbreaking picture of his life as...

At Pico Union Project’s Faithsgiving, hundreds of Angelenos stood in line waiting to fill baskets with turkey, vegetables and all the fixings for Thanksgiving dinner. If you stopped to think about the hunger and amount of need, one night feel...

Headed to a meeting outside of the synagogue, I entered an elevator. An elevator that is pre-programmed to reach your designated floor. An elevator with no buttons indicating where you plan to go. A few of us entered the elevator...

I reread the story about the three strangers visiting Abraham and Sarah. We know these are not three ordinary people. They are angels, emissaries of God. Abraham does not walk towards the angels; he rushes to help. But his hurrying...

Recently, my husband and I traveled to Woodbury Jewish Center to serve as scholars-in-residence. We preached from the bimah, learned with the congregation, and enjoyed getting to know this wonderful community. On Sunday, I attended their morning minyan, filled with...

It has been a frightening time for the city of Los Angeles. High winds, extreme heat, blazing fires. For a city that is known for its jammed roads and bumper to bumper traffic, an empty 405 freeway is nothing but...

I recently read that historically, the Jews of Salonica held a beautiful tradition at the end of Sukkot and Simchat Torah. As the final prayer of Adon Olam began, the melody would transition to a minor tone. The children would...

At Sinai Temple’s Dor Chadash (programming and community for families with young children) Sukkot program, the kids made edible Sukkot out of graham crackers, candy and frosting. The little, yummy booths were adorable: chocolate smeared on the “walls”, pretzels serving...