Rabbi Leah Fein reflects on the story of Amalek and the Torah’s command to remember, exploring how moments of coldness and despair can challenge our hope. As we journey through Elul toward the High Holy Days, she invites us to consider what has warmed us, what has cooled us, and how we can move forward together with renewed possibility. Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, cu...

What do we really mean when we say "Torah"? In this week's Shabbat Message, Rabbi Leah Fein explores a deceptively simple question with surprisingly rich answers. Beginning with the opening of D'varim (Deuteronomy), she reflects on Torah as more than a sacred scroll or a collection of texts—it is, at its heart, a teaching meant to guide, inspire, and remain accessible across generations. Join us as we consider how each of us is invited to discover our own relationship with Torah and the wisdo...

As we conclude the Book of Numbers with the double Torah portion Matot-Mas'ei, we reflect on the Israelites' 42 journeys through the wilderness and what they teach us about honoring every stage of our own lives. Through Cantor Lisa Peicott's personal story of letting go of years of baby gear and embracing a new season of family life, this episode explores how even our most difficult moments shape who we become. Join us for a conversation about memory, transition, gratitude, and making space f...

As graduation season invites us to reflect on what lies ahead, this week’s Torah portion reminds us that while uncertainty is inevitable, we can choose curiosity, courage, and faith over fear. Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history. Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard Temple Website: wbtla.org Youtube: Wilshire Boulevard Temple Instagram: wilshireboulevardtemple

As summer begins and new adventures lie ahead, this week’s Torah portion reminds us that growth often requires leaving behind what is familiar and embracing the possibilities that come with change. Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history. Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard Temple Website: wbtla.org Youtube: Wilshire Boulevard Temple Instagram: wilshireboulevardtem...

The smells of barbecue and sweet Moroccan treats wafted through the air as I walked through Gan Sacher (Sacher Park) in Jerusalem in the days after Passover, during the years I was living in Israel. Thousands of people would spend the day there, commemorating Mimouna, the North African celebration that marks the end of the holiday. Most years, Mimouna is a giant public celebration in Israel. But this year is different. Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on...

Monday was a day we’ve been looking forward to for a long time: moving day. On Monday morning I sat alone in our apartment, surrounded by boxes, and breathed a deep sigh of relief. It was 10:26 AM and the movers were scheduled to arrive at 10:30 AM. Everything was done and ready just in time. And then I remembered…the mezuzot! Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, cust...

Vayikra, the opening portion of the Book of Leviticus, discusses the first details of the sacrificial system that the priests will operate on behalf of the Jewish people. The text describes the particular sacrifices that will be offered, what is being offered, how the priests will carry out the ritual, and the reason that one makes an offering. While the system certainly seems obsolete and foreign to us today, the primary purpose of sacrifice in the ancient world was to address an issue and c...

Imagine: You are an ancient Israelite, and all you have ever known - all your recent ancestors have ever known - is oppression. You witnessed the plagues and the sea splitting and you fled for your life into the wilderness. And now, three months later, you are gathered at the foot of Mt. Sinai together with your fellow Israelites. Morning dawns, thunder and lightning begin, a dark cloud descends on the mountain, the shofar is sounded, and everyone collectively trembles. You see a stack...

Ran Gvili’s funeral was a moment unique among all others, but the collective need to rise to the next chapter is a feeling familiar to the Jewish people. It is on full display in the Torah portion we read this week. At the core of Parashat Beshalach are two songs, sung not when Pharaoh first freed the people from Egypt, but after they crossed the sea and the waters closed in on the Egyptian armies that had been pursuing them. Finally, they were on the other side. Finally, after a long and tor...