IKAR Sermons & Talks https://ikar.org en Sermons and talks from IKAR Rabbis and the IKAR community. https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/74e15102-7efd-11ec-b808-9799492807a5/image/1.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress IKAR Sermons & Talks https://ikar.org no episodic Sermons and talks from IKAR Rabbis and the IKAR community. IKAR Sermons and talks from IKAR Rabbis and the IKAR community. Sermons and talks from IKAR Rabbis and the IKAR community.

]]> IKAR ben@ikar.org Perverters of Justice and Pluralized Karma - Rabbi Sharon Brous The warnings famously issued in this parashah are not Biblical fantasy—they are living reality. When we allow powerful people to deceive, mock and instrumentalize those most vulnerable, when we cede to a norm of heartlessness, indifference and the perversion of justice, there is no end to the cruelties that will permeate our society. It’s time to wake up—to recognize this moment and movement for exactly what it is. Mon, 19 Sep 2022 15:49:18 -0000 Perverters of Justice and Pluralized Karma - Rabbi Sharon Brous full IKAR The warnings famously issued in this parashah are not Biblical fantasy—they are living reality. When we allow powerful people to deceive, mock and instrumentalize those most vulnerable, when we cede to a norm of heartlessness, indifference and the perversion of justice, there is no end to the cruelties that will permeate our society. It’s time to wake up—to recognize this moment and movement for exactly what it is. The warnings famously issued in this parashah are not Biblical fantasy—they are living reality. When we allow powerful people to deceive, mock and instrumentalize those most vulnerable, when we cede to a norm of heartlessness, indifference and the perversion of justice, there is no end to the cruelties that will permeate our society. It’s time to wake up—to recognize this moment and movement for exactly what it is. The warnings famously issued in this parashah are not Biblical fantasy—they are living reality. When we allow powerful people to deceive, mock and instrumentalize those most vulnerable, when we cede to a norm of heartlessness, indifference and the perversion of justice, there is no end to the cruelties that will permeate our society. It’s time to wake up—to recognize this moment and movement for exactly what it is.

]]> 1051 no The War Before the War - Rabbi David Kasher Sifting through a dense catalog of state regulations in search of some inspiration for the High Holy Days - with some help from the Ba'al Shem Tov and Abraham Maslow. Mon, 12 Sep 2022 02:42:07 -0000 The War Before the War - Rabbi David Kasher full IKAR Sifting through a dense catalog of state regulations in search of some inspiration for the High Holy Days - with some help from the Ba'al Shem Tov and Abraham Maslow. Sifting through a dense catalog of state regulations in search of some inspiration for the High Holy Days - with some help from the Ba'al Shem Tov and Abraham Maslow. Sifting through a dense catalog of state regulations in search of some inspiration for the High Holy Days - with some help from the Ba'al Shem Tov and Abraham Maslow.


]]> 826 no Like a Ripple - Rabbi Lebell We live in a vast, complex world. It’s beautiful, but wracked with devastation and suffering. Infinitesimal in the face of it all, one wonders how they could possibly make a difference. The first four words of Parshat Re’eh teach us that each individual’s presence does in fact have an impact on the wider community, and a single action can even tip the whole world toward good. Let’s choose to live like every single one of us matters, like the way we live can bring us closer to a healed, redeemed world. Tue, 30 Aug 2022 17:12:59 -0000 Like a Ripple - Rabbi Lebell full IKAR We live in a vast, complex world. It’s beautiful, but wracked with devastation and suffering. Infinitesimal in the face of it all, one wonders how they could possibly make a difference. The first four words of Parshat Re’eh teach us that each individual’s presence does in fact have an impact on the wider community, and a single action can even tip the whole world toward good. Let’s choose to live like every single one of us matters, like the way we live can bring us closer to a healed, redeemed world. We live in a vast, complex world. It’s beautiful, but wracked with devastation and suffering. Infinitesimal in the face of it all, one wonders how they could possibly make a difference. The first four words of Parshat Re’eh teach us that each individual’s presence does in fact have an impact on the wider community, and a single action can even tip the whole world toward good. Let’s choose to live like every single one of us matters, like the way we live can bring us closer to a healed, redeemed world. We live in a vast, complex world. It’s beautiful, but wracked with devastation and suffering. Infinitesimal in the face of it all, one wonders how they could possibly make a difference. The first four words of Parshat Re’eh teach us that each individual’s presence does in fact have an impact on the wider community, and a single action can even tip the whole world toward good. Let’s choose to live like every single one of us matters, like the way we live can bring us closer to a healed, redeemed world.

]]> 1057 Even When You’re Far Away, I’m Right Here - Rabbi Sharon Brous As we prepare to bring our oldest to college, I feel for Moses, struggling to say goodbye to his own children as they stand poised to enter the Promised Land, knowing this is a journey they must take without his guiding presence by their side. Somehow, amidst the confused, rambling contradictions, Moses helps b’nai Yisraelremember what matters most, and reminds us just what we need to hear as well. Mon, 22 Aug 2022 15:24:00 -0000 Even When You’re Far Away, I’m Right Here - Rabbi Sharon Brous full IKAR As we prepare to bring our oldest to college, I feel for Moses, struggling to say goodbye to his own children as they stand poised to enter the Promised Land, knowing this is a journey they must take without his guiding presence by their side. Somehow, amidst the confused, rambling contradictions, Moses helps b’nai Yisrael remember what matters most, and reminds us just what we need to hear as well. As we prepare to bring our oldest to college, I feel for Moses, struggling to say goodbye to his own children as they stand poised to enter the Promised Land, knowing this is a journey they must take without his guiding presence by their side. Somehow, amidst the confused, rambling contradictions, Moses helps b’nai Yisraelremember what matters most, and reminds us just what we need to hear as well. As we prepare to bring our oldest to college, I feel for Moses, struggling to say goodbye to his own children as they stand poised to enter the Promised Land, knowing this is a journey they must take without his guiding presence by their side. Somehow, amidst the confused, rambling contradictions, Moses helps b’nai Yisraelremember what matters most, and reminds us just what we need to hear as well.

]]> 1154 no The Prayer Problem - Rabbi David Kasher Stories from Rabbi Kasher’s early prayer days. A rabbinic list of ten types of prayer. And a prayer reframe from the Sfas Emes. Sun, 14 Aug 2022 19:42:57 -0000 The Prayer Problem - Rabbi David Kasher full IKAR Stories from Rabbi Kasher’s early prayer days. A rabbinic list of ten types of prayer. And a prayer reframe from the Sfas Emes. Stories from Rabbi Kasher’s early prayer days. A rabbinic list of ten types of prayer. And a prayer reframe from the Sfas Emes. Stories from Rabbi Kasher’s early prayer days. A rabbinic list of ten types of prayer. And a prayer reframe from the Sfas Emes.

]]> 1297 no The Transformative Power of Shared Grief - Rabbi Sharon Brous Tisha b’Av is a day of communal grief-- we fast, lament and hold the memory of the greatest catastrophes the Jewish people have endured. The danger in revisiting the tragedies of generations past is that our rituals foster a distorted self-perception, a feeling of eternal victimization. Instead, we must remember because grief is an expression of love, because there is an urgent moral message in the stories of our suffering that we must hear today, and because we are drawn again and again, through our collective grief, into Sun, 07 Aug 2022 19:54:54 -0000 The Transformative Power of Shared Grief - Rabbi Sharon Brous full IKAR Tisha b’Av is a day of communal grief-- we fast, lament and hold the memory of the greatest catastrophes the Jewish people have endured. T Tisha b’Av is a day of communal grief-- we fast, lament and hold the memory of the greatest catastrophes the Jewish people have endured. The danger in revisiting the tragedies of generations past is that our rituals foster a distorted self-perception, a feeling of eternal victimization. Instead, we must remember because grief is an expression of love, because there is an urgent moral message in the stories of our suffering that we must hear today, and because we are drawn again and again, through our collective grief, into Tisha b’Av is a day of communal grief-- we fast, lament and hold the memory of the greatest catastrophes the Jewish people have endured. The danger in revisiting the tragedies of generations past is that our rituals foster a distorted self-perception, a feeling of eternal victimization. Instead, we must remember because grief is an expression of love, because there is an urgent moral message in the stories of our suffering that we must hear today, and because we are drawn again and again, through our collective grief, into

]]> 1297 no We’ll Find Water - Rabbi Morris Panitz What’s the first step of a spiritual journey? According to the Me’or Einyaim (18th century Hasidic Master), it’s not a grand gesture or a dramatic departure. Instead, it’s the recognition that we’re disconnected, spiritually dehydrated and yearning for something more. Once that realization is acknowledged and felt, the journey has already begun. We’ll find the water we need. Sun, 31 Jul 2022 16:19:37 -0000 We’ll Find Water - Rabbi Morris Panitz full IKAR What’s the first step of a spiritual journey? What’s the first step of a spiritual journey? According to the Me’or Einyaim (18th century Hasidic Master), it’s not a grand gesture or a dramatic departure. Instead, it’s the recognition that we’re disconnected, spiritually dehydrated and yearning for something more. Once that realization is acknowledged and felt, the journey has already begun. We’ll find the water we need. What’s the first step of a spiritual journey? According to the Me’or Einyaim (18th century Hasidic Master), it’s not a grand gesture or a dramatic departure. Instead, it’s the recognition that we’re disconnected, spiritually dehydrated and yearning for something more. Once that realization is acknowledged and felt, the journey has already begun. We’ll find the water we need.

]]> 809 no In Praise of Old Age - Rabbi David Kasher The Legend of Serah bat Asher. And a commandment we too often overlook. Sun, 24 Jul 2022 18:45:29 -0000 In Praise of Old Age - Rabbi David Kasher full IKAR The Legend of Serah bat Asher. And a commandment we too often overlook. The Legend of Serah bat Asher. And a commandment we too often overlook. The Legend of Serah bat Asher. And a commandment we too often overlook.

]]> 1136 no SERMON Brown M&Ms - Rabbi Joseph Shamash Recovery and Bilaam’s addictive tendencies. Mon, 18 Jul 2022 21:37:28 -0000 SERMON Brown M&Ms - Rabbi Joseph Shamash full IKAR Recovery and Bilaam’s addictive tendencies. Recovery and Bilaam’s addictive tendencies. Recovery and Bilaam’s addictive tendencies.

]]> 808 no Desire Revisited - Parshat Beha'alotcha The Israelites have begun complaining. They say they miss the meat and melons they had back in Egypt. Really?! After God freed them from slavery and is raining down manna from heaven?! These ungrateful wretches! Disgraceful. But, then again…are really they so different from us? Tue, 21 Jun 2022 20:58:29 -0000 Desire Revisited - Parshat Beha'alotcha full IKAR The Israelites have begun complaining. The Israelites have begun complaining. They say they miss the meat and melons they had back in Egypt. Really?! After God freed them from slavery and is raining down manna from heaven?! These ungrateful wretches! Disgraceful. But, then again…are really they so different from us? The Israelites have begun complaining. They say they miss the meat and melons they had back in Egypt. Really?! After God freed them from slavery and is raining down manna from heaven?! These ungrateful wretches! Disgraceful. But, then again…are really they so different from us?

]]> 1106 no There Were Twelve Flags of Israel - Shabbat Bamidbar Thoughts on the dangers and the blessings of flag-waving Tue, 07 Jun 2022 16:46:03 -0000 There Were Twelve Flags of Israel - Shabbat Bamidbar full IKAR Thoughts on the dangers and the blessings of flag-waving Thoughts on the dangers and the blessings of flag-waving Thoughts on the dangers and the blessings of flag-waving

]]> 906 no Restored with Love: Lessons from Megilat Rut - Rabbi Keilah Lebell In such a turbulent time we need to remember what love looks like. The unique mutual devotion of the biblical heroines Naomi and Ruth teaches us that our interpersonal relationships can have transformative and healing power — for us, our descendants, and the human community. Thu, 02 Jun 2022 22:54:20 -0000 Restored with Love: Lessons from Megilat Rut - Rabbi Keilah Lebell full IKAR In such a turbulent time we need to remember what love looks like. In such a turbulent time we need to remember what love looks like. The unique mutual devotion of the biblical heroines Naomi and Ruth teaches us that our interpersonal relationships can have transformative and healing power — for us, our descendants, and the human community. In such a turbulent time we need to remember what love looks like. The unique mutual devotion of the biblical heroines Naomi and Ruth teaches us that our interpersonal relationships can have transformative and healing power — for us, our descendants, and the human community.

]]> 801 no On Mourning and Lag b’Omer - Rabbi Ronit Tsadok After the tragic shooting in Buffalo rooted in White Supremacy and hate, we look to the Omer, a time on the Jewish calendar associated with mourning. The themes of Lag b’Omer offer some guidance on what our society needs. Tue, 24 May 2022 16:26:58 -0000 On Mourning and Lag b’Omer - Rabbi Ronit Tsadok full IKAR The themes of Lag b’Omer offer some guidance on what our society needs. After the tragic shooting in Buffalo rooted in White Supremacy and hate, we look to the Omer, a time on the Jewish calendar associated with mourning. The themes of Lag b’Omer offer some guidance on what our society needs. After the tragic shooting in Buffalo rooted in White Supremacy and hate, we look to the Omer, a time on the Jewish calendar associated with mourning. The themes of Lag b’Omer offer some guidance on what our society needs.


]]> 525 no "I am a private person." - Rabbi David Kasher A Jewish response to the recently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion intending to overturn Roe v. Wade. Find the transcript on our website: https://ikar.org/sermons/im-a-private-person/ Sun, 15 May 2022 17:45:00 -0000 "I am a private person." - Rabbi David Kasher full IKAR A Jewish response to the recently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion intending to overturn Roe v. Wade. A Jewish response to the recently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion intending to overturn Roe v. Wade. Find the transcript on our website: https://ikar.org/sermons/im-a-private-person/ A Jewish response to the recently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion intending to overturn Roe v. Wade. Find the transcript on our website: https://ikar.org/sermons/im-a-private-person/

]]> 833 no The Question of Jewish Identity - Rabbi David Kasher  Reflections after a recent trip to Israel. Wed, 04 May 2022 16:56:10 -0000 The Question of Jewish Identity - Rabbi David Kasher full IKAR Reflections after a recent trip to Israel.  Reflections after a recent trip to Israel.  Reflections after a recent trip to Israel.

]]> 1027 no The Unsung Heroines of Our Liberation Story - Rabbi Tova Leibovic-Douglas Our Passover story was made possible by a quiet revolutionary spirit manifested through four female archetypes. Mon, 18 Apr 2022 20:19:14 -0000 The Unsung Heroines of Our Liberation Story - Rabbi Tova Leibovic-Douglas full 5782 IKAR Our Passover story was made possible by a quiet revolutionary spirit manifested through four female archetypes. Our Passover story was made possible by a quiet revolutionary spirit manifested through four female archetypes. Our Passover story was made possible by a quiet revolutionary spirit manifested through four female archetypes.

]]> 719 Leaving Egypt in a Warming World - Rabbi Morris Panitz Egypt is not just a place. It’s our addiction to fossil fuels, our extractive relationship to the Earth, our rendering of Creation solely and soullessly as an instrument for greed.  In each generation, every individual must see themselves as though they left Egypt, which begs the question: on the road to freedom, what will each of us do to leave Egypt behind us?     Sun, 10 Apr 2022 20:03:28 -0000 Leaving Egypt in a Warming World - Rabbi Morris Panitz full IKAR Egypt is not just a place. It’s our addiction to fossil fuels, our extractive relationship to the Earth, our rendering of Creation solely and soullessly as an instrument for greed. In each generation, every individual must see themselves as though they left Egypt, which begs the question: on the road to freedom, what will each of us do to leave Egypt behind us? Egypt is not just a place. It’s our addiction to fossil fuels, our extractive relationship to the Earth, our rendering of Creation solely and soullessly as an instrument for greed.  In each generation, every individual must see themselves as though they left Egypt, which begs the question: on the road to freedom, what will each of us do to leave Egypt behind us?     Egypt is not just a place. It’s our addiction to fossil fuels, our extractive relationship to the Earth, our rendering of Creation solely and soullessly as an instrument for greed.  In each generation, every individual must see themselves as though they left Egypt, which begs the question: on the road to freedom, what will each of us do to leave Egypt behind us?    


]]> 942 no Covid Torah - Rabbi David Kasher One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that we have all become better readers of Leviticus. Source sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nKrbAHi8Kx9U8WJSm8nJC2vSPRn_XLRTIwxs5qdJI0g/edit Sun, 03 Apr 2022 18:43:33 -0000 Covid Torah - Rabbi David Kasher full IKAR One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that we have all become better readers of Leviticus. One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that we have all become better readers of Leviticus. Source sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nKrbAHi8Kx9U8WJSm8nJC2vSPRn_XLRTIwxs5qdJI0g/edit One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that we have all become better readers of Leviticus.

Source sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nKrbAHi8Kx9U8WJSm8nJC2vSPRn_XLRTIwxs5qdJI0g/edit



]]> 1201 no The Complicated Wisdom of Jewish Time - Rabbi David Kasher Reflections on mourning from Moed Katan and Parshat Shemini. In memory of Steven J. Kasher, Z"L.  Sun, 27 Mar 2022 17:03:00 -0000 The Complicated Wisdom of Jewish Time - Rabbi David Kasher full IKAR Reflections on mourning from Moed Katan and Parshat Shemini. In memory of Steven J. Kasher, Z"L. Reflections on mourning from Moed Katan and Parshat Shemini. In memory of Steven J. Kasher, Z"L.  Reflections on mourning from Moed Katan and Parshat Shemini. In memory of Steven J. Kasher, Z"L. 

]]> 1154 no Don’t Look Away - Rabbi Morris Panitz You know the cycle. Front page headlines retreat to the back pages and eventually disappear from both the paper and our attention. Even the most horrifying headlines, those emerging from the brutal war in Ukraine, risk being ignored in the frenetic pace of our news cycle. We must not turn away. Even in the absence of a clear political path forward, we need to keep our hearts open to the stories, pleas, and suffering of the Ukrainian people, responding with empathy, advocacy, and resources. Tue, 22 Mar 2022 18:03:19 -0000 Don’t Look Away - Rabbi Morris Panitz full IKAR Even in the absence of a clear political path forward, we need to keep our hearts open to the stories, pleas, and suffering of the Ukrainian people, responding with empathy, advocacy, and resources. You know the cycle. Front page headlines retreat to the back pages and eventually disappear from both the paper and our attention. Even the most horrifying headlines, those emerging from the brutal war in Ukraine, risk being ignored in the frenetic pace of our news cycle. We must not turn away. Even in the absence of a clear political path forward, we need to keep our hearts open to the stories, pleas, and suffering of the Ukrainian people, responding with empathy, advocacy, and resources. You know the cycle. Front page headlines retreat to the back pages and eventually disappear from both the paper and our attention. Even the most horrifying headlines, those emerging from the brutal war in Ukraine, risk being ignored in the frenetic pace of our news cycle. We must not turn away. Even in the absence of a clear political path forward, we need to keep our hearts open to the stories, pleas, and suffering of the Ukrainian people, responding with empathy, advocacy, and resources.

]]> 382 Fostering Possibility - Rabbi Susan Silverman In this drasha we explore how Esther and Moses overcame their resistance to action, when that action involved risk; Serah bat Asher and Ruth's capacities to draw strength and purpose from the past and imagine themselves as agents of a better future; and how all their stories shed light on our lives and world today, particularly in relation to our responsibility for the children in the LA County Foster Care system. Mon, 21 Mar 2022 17:22:00 -0000 Fostering Possibility - Rabbi Susan Silverman full IKAR In this drasha we explore how Esther and Moses overcame their resistance to action, when that action involved risk; Serah bat Asher and Ruth's capacities to draw strength and purpose from the past and imagine themselves as agents of a better future; and how all their stories shed light on our lives and world today, particularly in relation to our responsibility for the children in the LA County Foster Care system. In this drasha we explore how Esther and Moses overcame their resistance to action, when that action involved risk; Serah bat Asher and Ruth's capacities to draw strength and purpose from the past and imagine themselves as agents of a better future; and how all their stories shed light on our lives and world today, particularly in relation to our responsibility for the children in the LA County Foster Care system. In this drasha we explore how Esther and Moses overcame their resistance to action, when that action involved risk; Serah bat Asher and Ruth's capacities to draw strength and purpose from the past and imagine themselves as agents of a better future; and how all their stories shed light on our lives and world today, particularly in relation to our responsibility for the children in the LA County Foster Care system.

]]> 945 no All Life is Sacred - Rabbi Morris Panitz To maintain that only certain expressions of humanity are sacred, that some lives are inherently more valuable than others, is fundamentally incompatible with the truths of our tradition and the core principles of a moral society. As we face the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine alongside a growing refugee crisis worldwide, we must heed the call of our tradition to love the stranger, opening our hearts and borders to all those in need of safe refuge. We are all made in the image of God, interconnected and morally accountable to one another. Mon, 07 Mar 2022 18:16:40 -0000 All Life is Sacred - Rabbi Morris Panitz full 5782 IKAR We are all made in the image of God, interconnected and morally accountable to one another. To maintain that only certain expressions of humanity are sacred, that some lives are inherently more valuable than others, is fundamentally incompatible with the truths of our tradition and the core principles of a moral society. As we face the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine alongside a growing refugee crisis worldwide, we must heed the call of our tradition to love the stranger, opening our hearts and borders to all those in need of safe refuge. We are all made in the image of God, interconnected and morally accountable to one another. To maintain that only certain expressions of humanity are sacred, that some lives are inherently more valuable than others, is fundamentally incompatible with the truths of our tradition and the core principles of a moral society. As we face the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine alongside a growing refugee crisis worldwide, we must heed the call of our tradition to love the stranger, opening our hearts and borders to all those in need of safe refuge. We are all made in the image of God, interconnected and morally accountable to one another.

]]> 626 no A Technologically Reflective People - Rabbi David Kasher A sermon on our relationship to technology (in which Rabbi Kasher gets his dates confused and accidentally adds a year to the pandemic!) Mon, 28 Feb 2022 02:00:00 -0000 A Technologically Reflective People - Rabbi David Kasher full IKAR A sermon on our relationship to technology (in which Rabbi Kasher gets his dates confused and accidentally adds a year to the pandemic!) A sermon on our relationship to technology (in which Rabbi Kasher gets his dates confused and accidentally adds a year to the pandemic!) A sermon on our relationship to technology (in which Rabbi Kasher gets his dates confused and accidentally adds a year to the pandemic!)

]]> 858 no Redemption is Here… Now!!! What if the redemption our tradition intended was not that of some cataclysmic historical shift, but was about brief and fleeting moments of goodness and light that shine within the chaos and darkness that invariably surrounds us. Real moments with real meaning, and that neither could nor should last forever. Sun, 20 Feb 2022 19:25:49 -0000 Redemption is Here… Now!!! full 5782 IKAR Real moments with real meaning, and that neither could nor should last forever. What if the redemption our tradition intended was not that of some cataclysmic historical shift, but was about brief and fleeting moments of goodness and light that shine within the chaos and darkness that invariably surrounds us. Real moments with real meaning, and that neither could nor should last forever. What if the redemption our tradition intended was not that of some cataclysmic historical shift, but was about brief and fleeting moments of goodness and light that shine within the chaos and darkness that invariably surrounds us. Real moments with real meaning, and that neither could nor should last forever.

]]> 1751 no Just Holiness / Holy Justice - Rabbi David Kasher Wandering through the library of Jewish legal texts, the careful observer may take notice of a curious trend. For reasons unclear, many of the classic books of Jewish law take their titles from - of all things - the various pieces of the High Priest's clothing. Sun, 13 Feb 2022 20:25:55 -0000 Just Holiness / Holy Justice - Rabbi David Kasher full 5782 IKAR Wandering through the library of Jewish legal texts, the careful observer may take notice of a curious trend. For reasons unclear, many of the classic books of Jewish law take their titles from - of all things - the various pieces of the High Priest's clothing. Wandering through the library of Jewish legal texts, the careful observer may take notice of a curious trend. For reasons unclear, many of the classic books of Jewish law take their titles from - of all things - the various pieces of the High Priest's clothing.

]]> 972 no Love in the Time of Loss - Rabbi Morris Panitz We aren’t just shaped by the past.  It isn’t a one-way street, dead ending in the present. Our tradition asks us to continue to be in active relationship with our loved ones even after they die. Caring for the deceased means advancing their core values, their life work, and dreams. And it means upholding our responsibilities, both as individuals and a community, in the moments of most profound loss.   #hevrakadisha #mourningrituals #yahrtzeit #love&loss Sun, 06 Feb 2022 19:36:47 -0000 Love in the Time of Loss - Rabbi Morris Panitz full 5782 IKAR We aren’t just shaped by the past. We aren’t just shaped by the past.  It isn’t a one-way street, dead ending in the present. Our tradition asks us to continue to be in active relationship with our loved ones even after they die. Caring for the deceased means advancing their core values, their life work, and dreams. And it means upholding our responsibilities, both as individuals and a community, in the moments of most profound loss.   #hevrakadisha #mourningrituals #yahrtzeit #love&loss We aren’t just shaped by the past.  It isn’t a one-way street, dead ending in the present. Our tradition asks us to continue to be in active relationship with our loved ones even after they die. Caring for the deceased means advancing their core values, their life work, and dreams. And it means upholding our responsibilities, both as individuals and a community, in the moments of most profound loss.  

#hevrakadisha #mourningrituals #yahrtzeit #love&loss

]]> 837 no The Inner Whisper - Rabbi Sharon Brous On my final shabbat before sabbatical, we explore the connection between na’aseh v’nishmah—doing and discovering—and shmita, a periodic break in the rhythm of doing to digest lessons learned and deepen our roots as we prepare for the next chapter of our flourishing. Mon, 31 Jan 2022 18:17:56 -0000 The Inner Whisper - Rabbi Sharon Brous full 5782 IKAR On my final shabbat before sabbatical, we explore the connection between na’aseh v’nishmah—doing and discovering—and shmita, a periodic break in the rhythm of doing to digest lessons learned and deepen our roots as we prepare for the next chapter of our flourishing. On my final shabbat before sabbatical, we explore the connection between na’aseh v’nishmah—doing and discovering—and shmita, a periodic break in the rhythm of doing to digest lessons learned and deepen our roots as we prepare for the next chapter of our flourishing. On my final shabbat before sabbatical, we explore the connection between na’aseh v’nishmah—doing and discovering—and shmita, a periodic break in the rhythm of doing to digest lessons learned and deepen our roots as we prepare for the next chapter of our flourishing.

]]> 1311 no Keeping Open Our Doors and Our Heart – Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/keeping-open-our-doors-and-our-heart-rabbi-sharon-brous/ Jewish vulnerability is rooted in the enduring awareness of those who want to do us harm. And the world is full of goodness. We must learn to hold both. Sun, 23 Jan 2022 18:06:00 -0000 full 5782 IKAR Jewish vulnerability is rooted in the enduring awareness of those who want to do us harm. And the world is full of goodness. We must learn to hold both. Jewish vulnerability is rooted in the enduring awareness of those who want to do us harm. And the world is full of goodness. We must learn to hold both. Jewish vulnerability is rooted in the enduring awareness of those who want to do us harm. And the world is full of goodness. We must learn to hold both.

]]> 1053 no No Victory Until All Have Crossed the Sea – Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/no-victory-until-all-have-crossed-the-sea-rabbi-sharon-brous/ Mon, 17 Jan 2022 18:52:43 -0000 No Victory Until All Have Crossed the Sea - Rabbi Sharon Brous full 5782 IKAR 1166 no January 6th, One Year Later: Rep. Adam Schiff & Rabbi Sharon Brous Discuss the Democracy Crisis https://ikar.org/sermons/midnight-in-washington-rep-adam-schiff-rabbi-sharon-brous-on-the-democracy-crisis-and-what-the-hour-demands-of-us/ Mon, 03 Jan 2022 04:46:12 -0000 January 6th, One Year Later: Rep. Adam Schiff & Rabbi Sharon Brous Discuss the Democracy Crisis full 5782 IKAR 2099 no When I Close My Eyes, I See Fire – Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/vayehi-5782-when-i-close-my-eyes-i-see-fire/ Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:58:47 -0000 SERMON Vayehi 5782: When I Close My Eyes, I See Fire full IKAR 1170 no Symbolic Mapping – Rabbi David Kasher https://ikar.org/sermons/symbolic-mapping-rabbi-david-kasher/ Sun, 12 Dec 2021 23:32:27 -0000 Symbolic Mapping - Rabbi David Kasher full 5782 IKAR 916 no What Does it Take to Awaken the Conscience? [Abbreviated drash] – Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/what-does-it-take-to-awaken-the-conscience-abbreviated-drash-rabbi-sharon-brous/ Tue, 07 Dec 2021 04:37:38 -0000 What Does it Take to Awaken the Conscience? - Rabbi Sharon Brous full 5782 IKAR 425 no IKAR FAMILY STYLE – EP 1: A Hanukkah Scavenger Hunt https://ikar.org/sermons/ikar-family-style-ep-1-a-hanukkah-scavenger-hunt/ Wed, 01 Dec 2021 22:25:15 -0000 IKAR FAMILY STYLE - EP 1: A Hanukkah Scavenger Hunt full 5782 IKAR 488 no The Essence of Hanukkah: Creating Light or Kindling Fire? – Rabbi Morris Panitz https://ikar.org/sermons/the-essence-of-hanukkah-creating-light-or-kindling-fire-rabbi-morris-panitz/ Tue, 30 Nov 2021 02:26:23 -0000 The Essence of Hanukkah: Creating Light or Kindling Fire? - Rabbi Morris Panitz full 5782 IKAR 1059 no The Mystery of Jacob’s Jar – Rabbi Morris Panitz https://ikar.org/sermons/the-mystery-of-jacobs-jar-rabbi-morris-panitz/ Mon, 22 Nov 2021 17:28:38 -0000 The Mystery of Jacob's Jar - Rabbi Morris Panitz full 5782 IKAR 418 no Toward Collective Liberation – Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/toward-collective-liberation-rabbi-sharon-brous/ Mon, 22 Nov 2021 16:20:59 -0000 Toward Collective Liberation - Rabbi Sharon Brous full 5782 IKAR 1486 no A Brief History of Parsha Study – Rabbi David Kasher https://ikar.org/sermons/a-brief-history-of-parsha-study-rabbi-david-kasher/ Mon, 15 Nov 2021 21:10:07 -0000 A Brief History of Parsha Study - Rabbi David Kasher full 5782 IKAR 931 no The Danger of History Repeating – Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/the-danger-of-history-repeating-rabbi-sharon-brous/ Tue, 09 Nov 2021 23:06:16 -0000 The Danger of History Repeating - Rabbi Sharon Brous full 5782 IKAR 947 no The Limits of Suffering – Rabbi Morris Panitz https://ikar.org/sermons/the-limits-of-suffering-rabbi-morris-panitz/ Mon, 01 Nov 2021 20:29:08 -0000 The Limits of Suffering - Rabbi Morris Panitz full 5782 IKAR 1039 no Don’t Let Antisemitism Poison the Movement – Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/antisemitism-is-poisoning-the-movement-rabbi-sharon-brous/ Sun, 24 Oct 2021 16:32:21 -0000 Don’t Let Antisemitism Poison the Movement - Rabbi Sharon Brous full 5782 IKAR 1300 no What It Takes to Discover Our True Selves – Sammy Kanter, Rabbinic Intern https://ikar.org/sermons/what-it-takes-to-discover-our-true-selves-sammy-kanter-rabbinic-intern/ Mon, 18 Oct 2021 05:31:26 -0000 What It Takes to Discover Our True Selves - Sammy Kanter, Rabbinic Intern full 5782 IKAR 576 no When Doves Sigh – Rabbi David Kasher https://ikar.org/sermons/when-doves-sigh-rabbi-david-kasher/ Mon, 11 Oct 2021 03:23:56 -0000 When Doves Sigh - Rabbi David Kasher full 5782 IKAR 613 no This is the Natural Order: Grace, Gratitude, Generosity – Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/this-is-the-natural-order-grace-gratitude-generosity-rabbi-sharon-brous/ Thu, 07 Oct 2021 21:03:15 -0000 This is the Natural Order: Grace, Gratitude, Generosity - Rabbi Sharon Brous full 5782 IKAR 818 no A Time to Dance: Simchat Torah, The Last Happy Memory! – Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson https://ikar.org/sermons/a-time-to-dance-simchat-torah-the-last-happy-memory-rabbi-dr-bradley-shavit-artson/ Mon, 27 Sep 2021 00:42:36 -0000 A Time to Dance: Simchat Torah, The Last Happy Memory! - Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson full 5782 IKAR 1098 no Sukkot and the Garden of Eden – Rabbi Morris Panitz https://ikar.org/sermons/sukkot-and-the-garden-of-eden-rabbi-morris-panitz/ Fri, 24 Sep 2021 00:10:11 -0000 Sukkot and the Garden of Eden - Rabbi Morris Panitz full 5782 IKAR 912 no The Poetry of Torah – Rabbi David Kasher https://ikar.org/sermons/the-poetry-of-torah-rabbi-david-kasher/ Mon, 20 Sep 2021 00:26:14 -0000 The Poetry of Torah - Rabbi David Kasher full 5782 IKAR 979 no We Belong to One Another: Living in the Plural – Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/rabbi-sharon-brous-yom-kippur-sermon/ Sat, 18 Sep 2021 02:31:19 -0000 We Belong to One Another: Living in the Plural - Rabbi Sharon Brous full 5782 IKAR 1972 no The Angels Among Us – Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/rabbi-sharon-brous-kol-nidre-sermon/ Fri, 17 Sep 2021 20:17:27 -0000 The Angels Among Us - Rabbi Sharon Brous full 5782 IKAR 1700 no A Time to Mask and a Time to Unmask – Rabbi Doctor Dvora Weisberg https://ikar.org/sermons/a-time-to-mask-and-a-time-to-unmask-rabbi-doctor-dvora-weisberg/ Wed, 15 Sep 2021 18:58:35 -0000 A Time to Mask and a Time to Unmask - Rabbi Doctor Dvora Weisberg full 5782 IKAR 706 no From Deluge to Dove – Rabbi Tsadok’s Sermon https://ikar.org/sermons/erev-rosh-hashanah-5782-rabbi-tsadoks-sermon/ Thu, 09 Sep 2021 18:01:21 -0000 From Deluge to Dove - Rabbi Tsadok's Sermon full 5782 IKAR 827 no Searching for Faith – Rabbi David Kasher https://ikar.org/sermons/rosh-hashanah-day-2-5782-rabbi-david-kasher/ Thu, 09 Sep 2021 06:02:37 -0000 Searching for Faith - Rabbi David Kasher full 5782 IKAR 1474 no The Still, Small Voice – Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/rosh-hashanah-5782-rabbi-sharon-brous/ Wed, 08 Sep 2021 07:15:41 -0000 The Still, Small Voice - Rabbi Sharon Brous full 5782 IKAR 1731 no Midwives For a New World – Rabbi Morris Panitz https://ikar.org/sermons/midwives-for-a-new-world-rabbi-morris-panitz/ Tue, 07 Sep 2021 02:28:34 -0000 Midwives For a New World - Rabbi Morris Panitz full 5781 IKAR 569 no Got Any Stories to Tell? – Rabbi Ronit Tsadok https://ikar.org/sermons/got-any-stories-to-tell-rabbi-ronit-tsadok/ Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:38:32 -0000 Got Any Stories to Tell? - Rabbi Ronit Tsadok full 5781 IKAR 412 no