Grand Plan

I was recently watching my nephews, and as happens with kids, they started getting a little unkind to each other. Armed with my years of experience as both a mother and a teacher, I confidently stepped in. I was ready to impart wisdom, mediate the conflict, and essentially "parent" them through the moment. It went miserably. They did not want my parenting, and frankly, my interference only seemed to frustrate everyone. I stepped back, contemplating how I could try again with a different...

A few weeks ago, I found myself in a conversation where a very strong, very negative opinion was quickly taking over the room. It was like watching a wave crash through the group. Everyone was suddenly agreeing, feeding off each other's anxiety, and validating the panic. Even though I felt differently in my heart, the pressure to just nod along and not make waves was incredibly heavy. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to stand still when everyone around you is rushing in the opposite...

At the end of Beha'alotecha, Miriam and Aaron discuss their brother Moses. Perhaps they were concerned. Perhaps they were confused by some of his choices. Perhaps they thought they understood his situation. Whatever their motivation, they were talking about their brother rather than to their brother. And the immediate reaction is incredible. God suddenly calls all three siblings, Miriam, Aaron, and Moses, to the Tent of Meeting. An urgent family meeting. God's response is not simply to...

Parashat Naso contains one of the most repetitive sections in the Torah. The leader of each tribe brings the exact same donation to the Mishkan. The silver bowl.The flour and oil.The offerings. Again and again, the Torah repeats the entire list. A human editor probably would have condensed the section dramatically:“The remaining tribes brought the same gift.” But the Torah does not do that. Each offering is listed separately.Each leader is named individually. Why? Perhaps because no act of...

On Shavuot, we celebrate Matan Torah. Thunder.Lightning.Revelation.An entire people standing at Sinai to receive the Torah. And yet, alongside the story of revelation, we read a very different text: Megillat Ruth. No miracles. No thunder. No dramatic public moment. Just people.Loss.Loyalty.Food.Conversations.Caregiving.Relationship. At first glance, Ruth can feel almost strangely quiet for Shavuot. Why pair the overwhelming revelation at Sinai with the deeply personal story of Naomi and Ruth?...

This past Shabbat, my extended family gathered at the Dead Sea for what we call “Bubbie Shabbat.” Years ago, my grandmother created this annual family reunion. Though she passed away eleven years ago, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren still gather together annually because of something she intentionally planted. As I looked around the table this year, at our big beautiful family, I was struck by how different everyone is. Different personalities. Different life paths....

This week’s Grand Plan learning is lovingly sponsored in memory of my dear aunt, Rita Calvo. May her memory be a blessing. From Roz Bornstein. Sometimes life does not go off course all at once. Sometimes it happens quietly. A little more distance.A little less clarity.A weakening of the relationships and values that once felt natural and strong. And suddenly lives are completely misaligned. Parshat Behukotai imagines exactly this kind of situation. The Jewish people have drifted far from who...

Parashat Emor, provides us with the structure of the Jewish calendar. All the major moments are here:Rosh Hashanah.Yom Kippur.Sukkot.Pesach. These are the moments we prepare for.The moments we want to get right.The moments that feel like they carry meaning. For grandparents, it is easy to feel like everything depends on them. The Seder.The meal.The visit. But then, right alongside these holidays, the Torah introduces something very different. The Ner Tamid.A constant light. And included in...

This week’s parashot, Acharei Mot–Kedoshim, take us into one of the holiest moments of the year: Yom Kippur. The Torah describes the service of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, as he moves between the people and the most sacred space, the Holy of Holies. And something striking happens. He changes his clothes.Five times. Why should the holiest day be spent in wardrobe changes? When he is with the people, he wears eight garments, layered, detailed. He represents the entire nation. But when he...