Dash Of Drash

Live from Krakow - Rabbi Greg Alexander from Cape Town, SA joins his old friend and study partner Rabbi Marc as they reflect on an extraordinary few days of riding and reconnecting following the 60 mile ride from Auschwitz to Krakow, Shabbat in Krakow, Ruah - the Jewish Cultural Festival and so much more!

Recorded on Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day - a complicated day politically, celebrating the capture of Jerusalem in 1967 from Jordan. Inspired by the chorus of Naomi Shemer's song Yerushalayim shel Zahav (Jerusalem of Gold), I wrote a poem called "I am a Violin for all your Songs," read here. May we see peace in Jerusalem in our lifetime!

Rev Pedro and Rabbi Marc continue their 7 part exploration of creation and creativity in this episode about animals, especially dogs and all that they bring us.

In this third episode on creation with Pedro and Marc, we reflect on the theme of darkness and shadow and how it plays into the creative process.

Pedro and Marc delve deeper into creativity focusing on the power of poetry. They each share one of their own poems and someone else's and discuss the rich world of words.

Pedro, a Black pastor, and Marc, a white rabbi are embarking on a creative adventure together, based on their friendship and musings on art, religion, justice and love inspired by the relationship between Rev Martin Luther King Junior and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. As they work on developing a performance piece together, they reflect on the process in 7 episodes, mirroring the 7 days of creation

This is the first Dash of Drash for several months and we hope it brings you joy. As a tribute to the Vietnamese Buddhist teacher of mindfulness and the month of Adar, whose promise is of increased joy and the Chinese New Year, this offering is a reflection of the beauty and complexity of cultivating joy.

I recently revisited a very special place from my childhood called Burnham on Crouch in the County of Essex on the east coast of England. Some very profound reconnecting with the river, the landscape and dear old friends produced these words. Not the usual fodder of A Dash of Drash.

A reflection on entering the Days of Awe and the possibility of returning to the land of our soul. Whatever that means.

I have been pondering how you smile from behind a mask on the trail. I wrote a piece about it shared here, recorded on Lag Baomer where there is much reflection about eyes and mouths. What will happen when we come out of the isolation of our caves?

Today can so easily feel like yesterday and tomorrow, especially right now. Making each day count, imbuing every day with meaning is hard but important. The annual counting ritual of the 49 days of the Omer between two harvest, between redemption and revelation can help us create a daily and deeply personal map for this strange, uncertain journey we are on.

Some reflections as Passover approaches on a very different holiday in the time of COVID19. Can we still have "dayenu" moments?

I stumbled upon a profound meditation practice taught by Reb Zalman about connecting to Divine Breath, which is offered here. These are very difficult and frightening days for most of us as our worlds get smaller and we are confined to our homes. We begin the third book of the Torah this week, Vayikra/Leviticus with its details of animal sacrifices. The first word is written in the Torah with a small alef. This is a time when we need prayer and other spiritual practices to keep us balanced and whole. Let's breathe together and offer whatever ways we can to come close in these diminished moments.

In these frightening, surreal days as our world changes in the face of Covid 19, the language of the moment is social distancing. Of course we have to keep ourselves physical apart to contain this virus, but is that the right language? I offer some reflections on how we might navigate this new moment in our lives and our world.

As we begin the Exodus narratives in the Torah, Reverend Pedro Silva, Minister at the First Congregational Church in Boulder, and a friend and interfaith colleague, in conversation about name, place, freedom and more in honor of the legacy of Rev Martin Luther King, Jr. Here is a link to Pedro's song New Me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnqLEGRjQeQ&feature=youtu.be

Author, psychotherapist and spiritual leader Rabbi Tirzah Firestone in discussion with Rabbi Marc about ancestral trauma and healing as we end Bereshit/Genesis, the first book of the Torah with its complicated family dynamics. Reb Tirzah's newest book Wounds into Wisdom, Healing Intergenerational Jewish Trauma, was published last year to great acclaim for its compelling insights into these subjects.

In this week's Torah portion, Vayishlach, Jacob wrestles all night long with an angel of God and, in his victory, gets a new name and a new identity - Yisrael - the one who wrestles with God. Wrestling with God can mean so many different things to each of us. In this episode (100!) the focus is on the dynamic tensions that exist in religious and spiritual life.

Greg and Marc started their rabbinical journey together over 20 years ago in London. Rabbi Greg Alexander is rabbi of Temple Israel in Cape Town, South Africa and has just finished a sabbatical with his family in New York City, where Greg and Marc spent time together. In this episode, they reflect on havruta, spiritual friendship, angels, dreams, light and ladders.

This Kol Nidre sermon delves into the selfie culture and how to transcend it, Greatly inspired by Will Storr's book Selfie and Michael Pollan's book How to Change your Mind.

This Rosh HaShanah sermon inspired by Greta Thunberg, Jonathan Safran Foer and others, expresses the urgency of the climate crisis and calls for physical and spiritual action. Since giving the sermon, out community has collectively planted close to 2,000 trees.