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May 4, 2021, 6:13 PM

Carry the pain, hold the blame

It was particularly challenging to prepare my sermon this past Shabbat. On Friday, the news of the unfolding tragedy in Meron was like a black storm cloud that hovered over us all day. The pain still cuts so deep. What...

Apr 2, 2021, 7:49 AM

Dayenu! When Enough is Enough

Singing the 15 stanza-long hymn Dayenu is one of the most iconic components of the Passover Seder. In the song, we praise G-d for 15 acts of kindness that He bestowed upon the Jewish People, from taking the Jews...

Jan 8, 2021, 8:21 AM

Three Lessons from a Shameful Protest

Wednesday, January 6, was a difficult day for the citizens of the United States of America. In truth, the past year has been filled with troubling events - riots, lootings and shootings. Each act of violence is despicable and...

Sep 18, 2020, 9:20 AM

When the Shofar is Silenced During a Pandemic

There are many reasons (many!) why this year’s Rosh Hashanah will be different from last year’s Rosh Hashanah. One reason was predictable. Last year we blew the shofar twice; once on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and once on the...

Jul 29, 2020, 9:57 PM

He Shuts Out My Prayer

Rav Moshe Isserles records a lesser-known custom in the laws of Tisha B'Av: When reciting Kaddish after reading Megilat Eikah, the following sentence is omitted: תִּתְקַבֵּל צְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן דְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל קֳדָם אֲבוּהוֹן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן May the prayers and the...

Aug 8, 2019, 5:46 AM

Shabbat, Tisha B’Av, and the key to Jewish survival

Shabbat table. (Shutterstock)

A fashion designer once said, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” While there is truth to this statement throughout the year, it is particularly accurate this Shabbat, known as Shabbat Chazon, the...

Jan 28, 2019, 10:52 AM

Learning from Failure: We Can Do Better with Our Converts

Integrating Jewish converts into mainstream Jewish life has been a perennial challenge. The roots of the issue appear in the Torah itself. This past Shabbat, in synagogues throughout the world, we read how Jethro, inspired by all of G-d’s wondrous...

Nov 5, 2018, 6:29 AM

Searching for Light after Terror

This has been a trying time for the Jewish People. Eleven innocent Jews were savagely murdered while attending services on Shabbat morning. What is there to say in the face of such sadness, darkness and gloom? This past week's Torah...

Sep 30, 2018, 9:07 AM

One Confirmation Hearing — Three Jewish Lessons

I, along with millions of others, was glued to my screen watching Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing. Beyond the general fascination and intrigue, I believe there are three meaningful Jewish lessons to be learned from this painful episode. The first lesson...

Mar 23, 2017, 10:53 PM

No Ordinary Graduation

By many accounts, the future seems uncertain for the Jewish People. Anti-Semitism is on the rise, Iran’s nuclear ambitions continue and here in the United States, we face an unprecedented polarized political environment that threatens the stability of the...

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About Me

Rabbi Zev Goldberg is the rabbi at Young Israel of Fort Lee in Fort Lee, NJ.

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