Category Archives: D’var Torah & Sermons
Sermon for Parshat Bo: And You Shall Bind Them
Parashat Vaera: Naming our Complex Emotions
Sermon by Rabbinic Intern Jacob Lipkin’s for Parshat Vaera, January 25, 2025
.ברוך אתה ה׳ אלוקינו מלך העולם, מתיר אסורים
Blessed are You, Hashem our God, Ruler of the World, who frees captives.
It might surprise you to hear, especially for those of you who have been gracious enough to give graciously of yourselves to Shomrei, that the most difficult professional challenge of my career did not take place in a synagogue. The most difficult work situation I’ve faced, and this is surprising to me as well, did not even include Jews! Continue reading
Sermon for Parshat Vayechi: The Forever Letter
Rabbi Julie’s sermon for Parshat Vayechi, January 11, 2025
When I was in college, my grandmother would write to me every few weeks. Her letters were handwritten on stationary in an elegant, loop-filled cursive that embodied a penmanship common for someone born at the turn of the century, in the early 1900’s. Though my hand-writing was a paltry simplification of hers, I knew how to write a handwritten letter. After all, email had just been invented and I didn’t know anyone in my parents generation, let alone my grandparents generation who used it. And long-distance phone calls were still quite expensive. In those days, college students actually checked their mailboxes everyday and I looked forward to receiving those letters. They were filled with the most mundane details. Dear Julie, Today I had lunch with Aunt Alma and went to my exercise class in the swimming pool. But they were also filled with so much love. It was my grandmother’s way of saying, I miss you, I’m thinking of you, I’m proud of you, I love you, even though those words were never actually written on the page. Continue reading
Sermon for Parshat Vayeshev: Humility in Unexpected Places
Rabbi Julie’s sermon for Parshat Vayeshev, December 21, 2024
I once heard a story about a freshman at the University of Colorado, Boulder who was struggling with her intro to chemistry class. The story probably stuck with me because I struggled with my intro to chemistry class in college. In fact, for many, many years afterwards I would have anxiety dreams involving the periodic table. This young woman, named Libby, was in the chemistry lab late one night, trying to follow the instructions of the experiment, but struggling to get it right. Continue reading
Parashat Vayetze: Jacob’s Adult Theology
Parashat Vayera – Redeeming Sodom
Parashat Lech Lecha – Post-Election: Ten Tests Ahead
Rabbi Julie’s sermon for Parshat Lech Lecha, November 9, 2024
When I first decided to speak about the 2024 presidential election this Shabbat, I wasn’t sure we would know the final outcome of the election. I am grateful that there will be a peaceful transition of power. I know we have a variety of feelings about the election, ranging from despair and numbness to jubilation and optimism. Though we are not a true ‘purple’ congregation, because we lean heavily towards the Democratic party, there are a significant number of Republicans at Shomrei and our votes were cast both for Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. So I will endeavor this morning to give an apolitical speech about one of the most important presidential elections in the history of the United States of America. Given how radically different, even mutually exclusive, the narratives are about the candidates and the significance of this election, I’m not sure it’s possible to successfully thread the needle. But I will try, and I hope when you judge my words, you will consider not only what I am saying, but also what I am refraining from saying. Continue reading
Yom Kippur Sermon, Curating a Memory Display Case for Our Loved Ones
Selecting a few items, and memories, from the complex life of a loved one is the best way to keep them from being forgotten.
This yizkor sermon was delivered at Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Montclair, NJ on Yom Kippur 5785 (Oct 4, 2024). An earlier version was given at the Jewish Center of Princeton on Yom Kippur 5775. Continue reading
Yom Kippur, Haftorah Introduction: Becoming a Community of Giving
Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova.
As we all gather this morning, in the midst of a meaningful fast and without that morning coffee I know I am missing right now…I have the privilege of talking to you about, what else? Food…and housing, and the basics of the blessings of what it means to have enough…
And thinking about our neighbors and friends who don’t. Continue reading