Discover a New Approach to Spiritual and Rabbinic Counseling
“You not only provided guidance, teaching and ever-important questioning during my conversion; you also gave me the tools to find a place of peace and ways to connect with God, the universe, and my own self in very difficult times.”
Welcome to the Hive Mind
After nearly three decades of shared work behind the scenes, I’m stepping forward to claim my place as Rebbitzen—this time on my own terms. Jon and I have always shaped Jewish life together, and now we’re choosing to name that truth openly: our work doesn’t just overlap, it multiplies.
The “one-person solution” problem
What Does Good Faith Look Like in Jewish Life?
“Good faith partners don’t quote scripture at each other.” Working with people from multiple faith backgrounds, I often say this and find general agreement among accomplices in justice work. Jewish teachers regularly cite sacred sources, from the Five Books of Moses all the way through current writings. Many Jews quote texts all the time and do much more than say: “Look, I have a source to back up my argument.” As a rabbinic colleague pointed out, we try not to do this “at” each other, so much as with one another.
How to Be an Accomplice for Justice (Part 2)
Continuing conversation with serious race consciousness between Pastor Wylie Hughes and Rabbi Jonathan Freirich. Covering: - The Black-Jewish Alliance - what happened to it and how to revive it? - Public Discourse - can civil conversation return to civic life?
Becoming Accomplices for Justice (Part 1)
Accomplices for Justice - Take One
A new conversation - Pastor Wylie Hughes and Rabbi Jonathan Freirich, joined by Nanette Massey - live on FaceBook and more to come on Wednesday, February 28, at Noon Eastern Time.
From the place where I am right
“From the place where we are absolutely right, flowers will never grow in the spring,” and that place “is trampled, hardened”. The great Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai (1924-2000) depicted this place and then offered this poetic solution “doubts and loves make the world rise like dough”.
We are in the process of destroying one another with our insistence on being right.
Presidents Day and our Voice
American politics continues to seem to disappoint us as we pursue justice together.
We are called to live with chutzpah
As relevant today as it was in 2017, a call from Reform rabbis and Rabbi Jonathan Freirich to stand up in the face of injustices multiplying all around us, to live everyday with Chutzpah.
Be Brave and Connect
We are afraid to connect. I mean really connect. Sit down with one another and talk and listen. Share our hopes and dreams, fears and worries, in a real way, show up unannounced to help in a time of need. We are desperate to get past our normal discussion points - work, the news, kids and grandkids, the Panthers - and we are ill-equipped.
Creation starts with brokenness
All beginnings start with brokenness - feeling broken is the start of creation for the world and for all of us.
Our Names - Yom Kippur Sermon 5773
Our names help define us and we can redefine them too. As Jews we inherit many names, including these: Hebrew, Israel, and Jew. Each of them offers us a message of hope and transformation.
Wrestling with discomfort - sermon for Rosh Hashanah 5773
Can we be like Jacob the God-wrestler instead of Jacob the deceiver?