Rabbi Jon 's Website and Blog

July 3, 2026

Celebrating America at 250 — Or, The Daughters of Tzelophechad Meet the Founding Fathers (Parashat Pinchas 5786, the 4th of July!)

This is the draft of my words for Shabbat morning, July 4, 2026, the day of America’s 250th anniversary! The parasha (reading in the Torah) is Pinchas, and my link to that is chapter 27 of Numbers. Chapter 27 of Numbers begins: They came up close, the daughters of Tzeloph’chad, son of Chefer, son of… Continue reading

Calendar, Conservative Judaism, Current Affairs, Equality, Feminism, Freedom, History, Holidays, Numbers, Parashat Hashavua, Pinchas, Power, USA
July 2, 2026

Hope in America — Data Points and Torah (Chukkat-Balak 5786/2026)

This was my D’var Torah for June 27, 2026, a week before America’s 250th anniversary, for Parashiyot Chukkat-Balak. Though I don’t reference it specifically, Parashat Balak is an interlude in the complaints of the wilderness, a reassurance from the outside that despite the challenges the people are experiencing they are fundamentally blessed and their project… Continue reading

Balak, Calendar, Chukkat, Current Affairs, Exodus, History, Holidays, Hope, Leadership, Miryam, Moshe, Numbers, Parashat Hashavua, Power, Torah, USA
July 2, 2026

A Jewish Leap of Faith Into Our Democracy (Yom Kippur 5783/2022)

This was my Yom Kippur morning sermon for 5783 (2022). As with other Yom Kippur morning words of mine, I was speaking right after the Haftarah, which is mostly from Isaiah 58, and the final words here are from there. When we all stood at the foot of Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments,… Continue reading

Current Affairs, Election, Equality, Freedom, High Holidays, History, Inclusion, Justice, Midrash, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA, Yamim Noraim
July 2, 2026

Partners, Not Guests: Jews Building America, America Building Us (Yom Kippur 5780/2019)

This was my Yom Kippur morning sermon for 5780 (2019). As I generally do, I was jumping off from the spirit of the Haftarah of that day, which is mostly from Isaiah 58, and I conclude quoting the end of those prophetic words. One evening last fall I sat in the auditorium at Nashua High… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Equality, Freedom, High Holidays, Holidays, Holocaust, Inclusion, Terrorism, Tzedek, USA, Yamim Noraim, Yom Kippur, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
July 2, 2026

Why I Chose America

This is a D’var Torah I gave just before Independence Day 5776 (2016), for Parashat Sh’lach L’cha. I became an American for good the same year I had decided to become Israeli, and the same year I decided to become more observant, and the same year I pretty much decided to become a rabbi. I… Continue reading

#integratingamerica, Calendar, Conservative Judaism, Equality, Freedom, History, Immigration, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Justice, Parashat Hashavua, Sh’lach L’cha, Social Theory, Tikkun Olam, Torah, USA, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
June 25, 2026

Leadership For a New Generation (Parashat Chukkat 5784)

This was my D’var Torah for Parashat Chukkat on July 13, 2024. The comedian Karen Morgan has a bit called “Every Generation Explained.” She goes from the Silent Generation through the Boomers, Gen X, Millenials etc., and jokes about what it is about each generation that infuriates the other generations. So about the millenials, she… Continue reading

Chukkat, Current Affairs, Israel, Leadership, Numbers, Parashat Hashavua, Torah, USA
June 19, 2026

Exploring Equality as American Jews as We Approach 250 (Parashat Korach 5786)

Here is my current draft of a D’var Torah for this Shabbat on Parashat Korach. It’s one of many in this period leading up and beyond July 4, the 250th anniversary of the U.S.A. June 20, 1776, was a Saturday just like this year. On that day the town meeting in Natick, Massachusetts, unanimously approved… Continue reading

Books, Calendar, Current Affairs, Equality, History, Inclusion, Justice, Korach, Leadership, Numbers, Parashat Hashavua, Social Theory, Torah, Tzedek, USA
June 12, 2026

Kalev — Like a Heart But Even More (Parashat Sh’lach L’cha 5785)

This was my D’var Torah for Parashat Sh’lach L’cha on June 21, 2025. As I publish this a year later (5786/2026), I plan to iterate on very same focus in the synagogue this Shabbat. It’s early summer; Year 2 in the wilderness, the midbar. It’s been some weeks of the nation moving forward, and also… Continue reading

B’midbar, Calendar, Current Affairs, Gaza, GLBT, Hope, Immigration, Interfaith Dialogue, Israel, Jerusalem, LGBTQ+, Numbers, Parashat Hashavua, Patience, Sh’lach L’cha, Soul, Torah
May 29, 2026

How to Bless With Our Most Ancient Blessing (Parashat Naso 5786)

This is the draft of my D’var Torah for May 30, 2026, Parashat Naso. We are celebrating the arrival of a newborn so that’s both a good occasion for talking about this particular text, and referenced in my words. I want to start with a story that is in the top five of stories I… Continue reading

Blessing, History, Jerusalem, Naso, Parashat Hashavua, Parenting, Speech Ethics, Spirituality, Teens, Torah, Young Jewish Adult, Youth

Parenting
May 27, 2026

After Tel Aviv and Orlando (Parashat Naso 5776/2016)

These is a slightly edited version of the words I delivered these words as an introduction to the Torah reading at Shabbat morning services for Parashat Naso on June 18, 2016, on a day we celebrated a Bar Mitzvah in the congregation. Shabbat Shalom. It is so good today — הנה מה טוב ומה נעים… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Community Relations, Current Affairs, GLBT, Interfaith Dialogue, Justice, LGBTQ+, Love, Naso, Parashat Hashavua, Terrorism, Tikkun Olam, Torah, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
May 27, 2026

Three Takes on the Nazirite During a Hard Time (Parashat Naso 5781/2021)

This was the D’var Torah I gave for Parashat Naso, May 22, 2021. The references here are to the Covid-19 pandemic at that time, as well as the attacks by Hamas of that year and the fighting between Jews and Arabs within Israel proper that flared up in some places. I am leaving as they… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Gaza, Israel, Maimonides, Naso, Parashat Hashavua, Peace, Talmud, Torah
May 20, 2026

Three Meanings of “Commandment”

I gave this D’var Torah the week of Parashat Yitro and the Kitah Vav class service of the Beth Abraham Religious School, February 2, 2013. Though I was addressing the young people most directly, the words are for parents and all adults as well! This morning I’m giving my D’var Torah before we even begin… Continue reading

Education, Freedom, Holidays, Jewish Education, Midrash, Parashat Hashavua, Revelation, Shabbat, Shavuot, Study, Torah, Yitro, Youth