Hazzan Asa Fradkin

Taking a Step Back

August 13, 2021

As many of you know, Sarah and I recently returned from an anniversary trip to Paris. Our 15th anniversary finally prompted us to visit the city of light, as its …

Against Capital Punishment

July 9, 2021

When I was in high school, my history teacher taught us American civics, government, and all about our justice system. One particular class sticks out in my mind. It was …

Israel is in the Headlines

May 14, 2021

Israel is in the Headlines. You’ve seen the video, read the devastating reports and felt the grievance that the Jews under rocket fire seem to matter infinitely less to our …

Israel is 73

April 16, 2021

Israel is 73   One of my favorite Israeli broadcast channels is Can 11. They feature intimate interviews with trauma survivors, historical and cultural analyses of holidays such as Pesach …

A practice within a practice

April 2, 2021

A practice within a practice It’s counting time. On the second evening of Pesach we began counting the Omer. What’s an Omer you ask? It’s an ancient allotment of wheat …

Prayer for the new month

March 12, 2021

64 million. That’s the number of Americans with one vaccine shot according to the Washington Post, as I sit here writing this week’s clergy blog. I got my first shot …

Let’s party like it’s 2020!

February 12, 2021

Let’s party like it’s 2020! The pandemic was supposed to be 6 weeks long. That’s not scientific fact or some politician’s wishful thinking, it’s just what we told ourselves. “It’ll …

Do you believe in Miracles?

December 11, 2020

Do you believe in miracles? I know we are all science abiding, small “l” liberals living in an “enlightened world” but really, do you? I know some of you out …

Escape

November 13, 2020

Escape   You know what it says in the news these days. We’re living in an apocalyptic political nightmare where the election is never over, the president refuses to concede …

Morning Meditation and the Ashram

June 12, 2020

Stumbled out of bed this morning. It was one of those “hit the snooze multiple times” type experiences. What’s wrong with me? I don’t need to make meditations at 8am. …