For years, Rabbi Arthur wondered why we continue to read one of the most terrible chapters of Torah: the Israelites’ genocide of the Midianites. But a few years ago, he realized a reason to keep it.

Rabbi Arthur looks at the implications of the biblical story of the birth of the whole human species takes an everyday medical event as a model for the Creation of Humanity.

Rabbi Nate asks, on this Tu B’Shvat, as the proverbial sap (in each of us) and the physical sap (in some climates), begins to rise again in the trees, might we understand that sap as the substance of imagination? Some opportunities for action and connection follow…

In Chapter 3 of Ancient Torah for the 22nd century, R’ Arthur continues his new look at the Creation Story.

R’ Arthur continues his “Torah of Questions”, with a second chapter looking at the Creation Story.

In this moment we are grateful to be able to share with you some touchpoints of inspiration and opportunities for action to help meet the moment, as we reach to history to reaffirm our commitment to stand for each other and for justice, finding opportunities to meaningfully and collectively cultivate wholeness.

R’ Arthur on creating “a Torah of Questions, not of answers” for the 22d century, starting now.

However long it takes, we will never stop pursuing and praying for the thriving of all creation, including all humans in Israel and Palestine. May yesterday’s agreement be a step in that direction, regardless of future back-steps that may occur.

The Shalom Center is proud and humbled to share, in collaboration with Dr. Susannah Heschel, a Heschel reader featuring timely, hand-selected prophetic texts from her father, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, along with a live webinar next Thursday, where Dr. Susannah Heschel and Rabbi Nate DeGroot will be in conversation on those texts and this moment.

Our Hanukkah narrative typically focuses only on the post-solstice period, the Festival of Lights. What about the pre-solstice period, the Festival of Darkness?

“There is a strong current that asserts that social justice urgency requires the speediest of responses,” writes Rabbi Nate, as he considers what it means to disrupt that current.

R’ Arthur reflects on the role of “Prophetic Envoy”, and the mottos newly guiding him in “speaking to the best of how I can hear the Spirit, as close as I can get my ears and heart and soul to hear its music.”

Robert Kuttner of The American Prospect writes, “More Trump screwball nominations are going down, and he belatedly agrees to let the FBI vet nominees—meaning that still more will fall.”

Barton Kunstler, Ph.D., raises the question, “What constitutes effective political action that works without our toppling into chaos?” The answer is a multi-prong list of suggested actions that all fall under the heading, “Resistance is just another word for constructive policy”.

Torah urges us to be especially careful to “Justice, justice, shall you pursue” — “even or especially when it seems to be running away from you,” added the Rabbis.

We may well face a new attempt by power-holders to smash much of what we have created. How do we prevent this?

Democracy, by Leonard Cohen

We may not know exactly what comes next, but we do know it’s not back to what has been.

Two weeks ago tonight we hosted The Great “Save-In,” our Hoshanah Rabbah actifest that marked Reb Arthur’s transition to Prophetic Envoy and mine to Director, as well as the world at a crossroads. And while there were a variety of crossroads we had in mind in planning that event, it was the national election that was most present in our thinking. Well, here we are. Two weeks later. Election day.

R’ Arthur shares an excerpt of a recent thought-provoking piece by Rick Perlstein, columnist for The American Prospect.