Author Archives: rabbisteinman

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About rabbisteinman

I am a rabbi living in North America. I was ordained from HUC-JIR. This is my blog.

Don’t become paralyzed with fear

Posted on July 31, 2020 by rabbisteinman

My sermon from tonight, Parshat Va’etchanan, Shabbat Nachamu Don’t Become Paralyzed by Fear, in memory of Rep. John Lewis There is a tremendous amount of disappointment in our lives today. We’ve cancelled vacations, missed eating with friends at restaurants, there … Continue reading →

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My favorite teacher

Posted on July 29, 2020 by rabbisteinman

Dear AE (initials only for privacy), I saw your social media post announcing your retirement from teaching after an incredible 33 years. I know that we have not been in touch formally, though we are friends on Facebook. It seemed … Continue reading →

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What a Basketball Star Teaches about Antisemitism

Posted on July 21, 2020 by rabbisteinman

Here is my sermon from Friday night. As a kid growing up in Los Angeles there were many advantages. Surely one of them were the Los Angeles Lakers of 1987 and 1988. Playing center was the graceful Kareem Abdul-Jabbar whose … Continue reading →

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Passover 5780/2020

Posted on April 7, 2020 by rabbisteinman

Every time I open my refrigerator I can smell it. That pungent, spicy horseradish root is permeating the space and wafts out the fridge door every time I open it. Passover is coming and my maror (bitter herb) is ready. … Continue reading →

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Shabbat is almost here

Posted on March 13, 2020 by rabbisteinman

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for Shabbat. This week leaves me anxious and exhausted, my soul yearns to be refreshed. This week in the Torah we read, “The People of Israel shall guard Shabbat, observing Shabbat … Continue reading →

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What about parsnips?

Posted on April 18, 2019 by rabbisteinman

Dear MOM, I am so excited for Passover this year. The opportunity to celebrate with family and friends is so precious. And for some reason, Passover is becoming one of my favorite holidays (look out Sukkot). We are hosting Seder … Continue reading →

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Learning Torah in memory of a friend

Posted on January 12, 2019 by rabbisteinman

Reading this article brought a flood of wonderful memories. I was eleven years old when my family moved from Los Angeles to a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. My parents visited St. Paul a few times in preparation for our … Continue reading →

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Kol Nidre sermon and sermon song

Posted on October 18, 2018 by rabbisteinman

It took a  little longer than I’d planned, however here is a video of my Kol Nidre sermon, Embrace the “And” and the sermon song “Simple Song” by Leonard Bernstein sung by MY SISTER, the cantorial soloist. This video was … Continue reading →

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Embrace the “And”

Posted on September 20, 2018 by rabbisteinman

“Embrace the “And”,” my sermon for Kol Nidre 5779 is below. The part of the river used as a mikveh for ritual immersion was situated high atop a steep hill on the outskirts of Premishlan. When the road leading up to it … Continue reading →

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We’ve All Gone to Look for America

Posted on September 11, 2018 by rabbisteinman

Below is the text of my Rosh Hashanah morning sermon. Shana tovah, happy new year. Last winter I traveled to Washington, DC with six of our TBH teenagers to the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism’s L’Taken Social Justice Seminar. … Continue reading →

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