• Living in a Barbie World

    5784 Rosh HaShanah Sermon | Tulsa, OK

    “…AI can engage with the Torah, but God has commanded us to be more like Jacob, to wrestle with it. It is not about obtaining perfection in our Torah knowledge but rather the learning process.”

    Sermon Text

  • Speak Out, Speak Up - Tetzaveh

    Temple Israel | Tulsa, OK.

    “…I don’t know about you, but I am utterly depleted. I am tired of my religion being used as a sword for hatred. I am tired of something that means so much to me, used to hurt innocent Jewish, queer, or indigenous people. Really anyone who is seen as ‘other.’ I once drew strength from the words of our Tradition, and now, they scare me.”

    D’var Torah Text

  • Forced to Feel: Shabbat Achrei Mot- Kedoshim

    Congregation Anshe Emeth | Piqua, OH.

    “We learn in this week's parshiot that we should love our neighbor as ourselves, yet as humans with free will, how can God tell me to love anyone, let alone to love my neighbor?”

    D’var Torah Text

  • Finding Yourself - Lech Lecha

    Temple Israel | Tulsa, OK

    “…Lech L'cha, often, is a lonely journey. We must shed the weight of the previous expectations for our lives in the name of 'finding ourselves.'

    Sermon Text

  • The Jewish Slaver - Mishpatim

    Temple Israel | Tulsa, OK

    “…After escaping bondage in Egypt, we now learn that in our new society, we are to be proper slave owners. Does anyone else feel uncomfortable about this? With this addition to our parsha, it becomes unclear whether the Torah condemns the act of slaveholding.”

    D’var Torah Text

5th-Year HUC-JIR Sermon: Shabbat Vayetzei

“It is our jobs as clergy and future clergy, to shepherd our congregants on this path of connectedness to the Eternal One, and to provide opportunities for meditation, mindfulness, and traditional prayer practices.”

Sermon Text

The Prayers of My Heart

Please enjoy this sample of liturgical poetry that I have written to accompany me as I lead and participate in prayer

  • Ready to Engage

    Holy Author, whose story is enticing,

    You have given us song so that we may praise Your sacred name,

    and You have given us space to ready ourselves to be in conversation with You. 

    So often our lips utter thoughts not fully formed. 

    Our gratitude, so often mixed with resentment.

    But hear us, Mighty Scribe,

    You, who gives us a chance to ponder,

    A chance to reflect, a chance to prepare.

    Here we are on the precipice of time,

    Leaving the space of internal congestion,

    As we embrace our conversation with You.

    Life has been hard, life has been wonderful,

    We just need to be heard.

    Here we are, a bookmark between the noise and the conversation,

    Ready to engage.

  • Eternal is Your Love

    Eternal is Your loving kindness for the House of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah.

    Blessed are You who watches over us each night.

    When our eyes grow heavy,

    as the night slowly illuminates by light lifetimes away,

    We meditate on your mitzvot, on Your Torah, and on Your laws.

    Light has rolled into darkness,

    and we whisper our appreciation,

    for another day to love, to grow, and to learn.

    Blessed is the Divine Architect,

    who lengthens our days and shows love to Your people, Israel.

  • You are my Neshama

    You are my neshama, the Eternal Flame of my heart,

    I sit here, my mouth open wide in preparation for speaking Your praise.

    Blessed are you, the One who was in relationship with my mothers and fathers.

    I am filled with awe as I draw closer to Your Majesty.

    Each droplet of rain, each sparkle of the evening stars reminds me,  of You -

    My Infinite judge.

    With my breath, I pray to You, Oh Adonai -

    See me favorably as you did with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

    Cherish my contributions as you did with Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah,

    Trust in my strength as you did with Shiphrah and Puah –

    As they delivered the deliver who was slow with tongue as I am this evening/morning.

    Grant me the wisdom to lead with conviction like my mothers Miriam and Deborah,

    Or as I find myself like Joseph in disputes with my brothers and sisters.

    You are showing me Your path, my Eternal Flame –

    Together We will walk,

    Onwards towards holiness.