Rabbi Sherman - Honorable Mensch-ion

As the Jews were enslaved in Egypt, we learn that their lives were embittered by hard labor, b’farech. The Rabbis give two interpretations. First, we were enticed to Egypt, b’peh-rach, with soft words. The hard labor did not begin until...

What is a community? One definition is “a feeling of fellowship with others.” What is sacred community? It’s a place where one comes to discover transcendence and a greater purpose than ourselves. Since the High Holy Days concluded, we have...

As we watch the rain drops fall in the west and the snowflakes fall in the east, we are reminded of the changing time of year. In Jewish tradition, we have blessings for all moments. We pray for a healthy...

In the midst of Hanukkah, this past Wednesday, I had the opportunity to join JNF-USA on a trip to Israel’s Negev, the south. We began in a Gaza envelope town called Ofakim, at the home of a woman named Ossi....

In conversation with a friend from New York this week, he told me, “Rabbi, life is easy, but living is hard.” When I asked him to elaborate, he said, “We are born into this world without a choice. That is...

As Jacob wrestles with the angel that leads to his transformation of taking the name Yisrael, we also must recognize that Jacob was injured in this struggle. Yes, the angel lost, but Jacob was also harmed in the encounter. Rabbi...

This weekend has some of the most travelled days of the year. We arrive at destinations to see family and friends, eat good food, and express our gratitude for community. Yet, we often do not prepare ourselves for what could...

I do not have the words to describe the feeling being in the Ziegler Sanctuary last night with 800 members of the Sinai Temple and Greater Los Angeles communities listening to the testimony of Omer Shem Tov. Omer is not...

Each and every day, we recite the Amidah and invoke the connection to our ancestors. Between each ancestor, we see the word Elohei, God of. The Rabbis ask, ״Why is the word Elohei found in between each ancestor? Can it...

The month of November is one of gratitude. Weeks away from Thanksgiving, we enter into the mindset of recognizing what we are thankful for, as human beings, as Americans, and as Jews. In the upcoming week, we will observe Veterans...