Given the horrendous events in the world in the past 36-hours, my sermon from Friday night seems even more important to share. You can read it here.
Tonight as I lit the yartzeit candle the weight of 15 years without you, Mom, weighed me down. 15 years is a long time. You are missed and you are remembered so vividly. Your righteous indignation at the state of the world and what your daughters have endured would fuel you. And your pride would radiate for the world to see. Your granddaughter would delight you beyond your wildest imagination. You would be so proud of dad.
I miss you.
With humility, I share my High Holy Day sermons.
I invite you to read my sermon from Shabbat, click here.
Sacred Rituals: Texas BBQ & the Red Heifer, my sermon for Shabbat and the 4th of July can be found here.
Proud to partner with my friend and colleague Rabbi Josh Fixler on this op-ed opposing vouchers in the State of Texas published online today in the Austin-American Statesman. (This op-ed might be behind a pay wall. Apologies!)
Yachatz – Breaking the Middle Matzah
The fourth step of the seder is yachatz, breaking the middle matza. The larger piece will become the afikoman, the dessert of our seder. The smaller half is the reminder that there is brokenness in our world, in our community, and in ourselves.
May our broken world know peace. May the physical and metaphoric walls between people be broken down with cooperation and tolerance. May there be peace.
May communities that are fractured know wholeness. May individuals who disagree find pathways to respectful dialogue and bridge building. May there be kindness.
May this holy night remind each of us that we are precious to God and to one another. May we find strength deep inside to grant ourselves grace and compassion. May our requests for help find loving response.
At this moment of acknowledgment of division, pain, and hardship, we pray that through the course of this Seder night and the days of this holy time, that our ritual observance will provide for a measure of healing. Healing of heart, mind, and spirit. May there be wholeness even amidst the brokenness.
(Break the middle matzah and hide the afikomen).
Some folks asked for my sermon from Shabbat called Justice and Water. Click here to read it.
Here is the link to my Rosh Hashanah morning sermon.
If you want to watch it (fun fact — there were visuals) please go to minute 53ish at this link.
Rabbi Eleanor Steinman 