Shows
Jewish Quest24/5 - Chayei Sarah with Rabbi Marc SolowayRabbi Marc Soloway discusses the legacy of Sarah and the very contrasting responses of Abraham and Isaac to her death.Rabbi Soloway has been Bonai Shalom’s Spiritual Leader in Boulder, CO. since 2004, the same year that he was ordained at The Ziegler School for Rabbinic Studies at The American Jewish University in Los Angeles. His rabbinical training spanned six years in London, Jerusalem, and Los Angeles. Before that, he was an actor and storyteller in his native London, and developed and performed a spirited one-man show of Jewish stories called The Empty Chair, as well as a...
2024-11-2024 min
Dash of DrashFor Episode 116: For the Living - From Auschwitz To KrakowLive 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!
2023-07-0326 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 114: Creativity #4 - Animals, especially dogs!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.
2023-02-2226 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 113: Creativity #3 - Cloak Of Shadows with Rev Pedro and Rabbi MarcIn 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.
2023-02-1620 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 112: Creativity #2 - Poetry with Rev Pedro and Rabbi MarcPedro 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.
2023-02-1028 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 111: Creativity #1 with Rev Pedro and Rabbi MarcPedro, 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
2023-02-0522 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 107: Smiling behind a MaskI 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?
2020-05-1216 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 106: Counting Days, Making Days CountToday 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.
2020-04-2116 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 105: A Different Passover - DayenuSome reflections as Passover approaches on a very different holiday in the time of COVID19. Can we still have "dayenu" moments?
2020-04-0615 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 104: Keep BreathingI 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...
2020-03-2418 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 103: Distancing and ConnectingIn 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.
2020-03-1620 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 102: A Name and a Place - Honoring MLK's Legacy with Special Guest Reverend Pedro SilvaAs 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
2020-01-1516 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 101: Ancestral Healing with Rabbi Tirzah FirestoneAuthor, 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.
2020-01-0626 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 100: Godwrestling - Halacha and Aggada, Law and NarrativeIn 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.
2019-12-1022 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 99: Angel of Friendship with Rabbi Greg AlexanderGreg 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.
2019-12-0125 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 98 - Beyond Selfie - Kol Nidre 5780This 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.
2019-10-1721 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 97 - Trees, Animals And The Weather - Rosh HaShanah 5780This 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.
2019-10-1723 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 96 - Standing Up! Yom Kippur 5780This was a Yom Kippur sermon offered as a response to contemporary antisemitism and reflecting on some of my recent journeys.
2019-10-1726 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 95 - Water, Manna, Cloud - from Ramah in the Rockies with Rabbi Noah FarkasRecorded live at Camp Ramah in the Rockies, Rabbi Marc is joined by Rabbi Noah Farkas of Valley Beth Shalom in Los Angeles. They reflect on identity, leadership, unique personal gifts and so much more; all inspired by Parshat Hukkat (Numbers 19-22) and the experience of being up at camp.
2019-07-1030 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 94: The Space beyond Words with Natalie GoldbergThe space beyond words is no words. Silence. We so need more of it in this chattering world. Natalie Goldberg, author of Writing down the Bones and many other books, teaches writing as spiritual practice. Natalie has been a Zen practitioner and teacher for many years and in this conversation, she reflects on her search to find silence in her own Jewish lineage and how everything is practice, watching the mind.
2019-05-1519 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 93: Sensuality Of SpringAs well as the Season of Freedom, Passover is also known as the Festival of Spring, and spring is exploding with sensuality as the birds sing and the blossoms bloom and all of this is reflected in the liturgical themes of Pesach.
2019-04-2322 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 92: Beyond the Blemishes: Seeing Each other in CommunityCommunities can be complex because people are complex. It is so easy to judge, to dismiss, even to diagnose others when without the skills, knowledge or right to do so! The Torah readings of Tazria and Metzora (Leviticus chapters 12-15)speak of particular conditions, diseases, symptoms and part of the healing is that the Kohen, the Priest sees the person beyond their affliction. We are all imperfect and need to see each other beyond the blemishes.
2019-04-0913 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 91: "We All Belong" with Special Guest Sabrina SojournerHazan Sabrina Sojourner is a spiritual leader, cantor, activist and writer based in Maryland. The Torah in Vayikra (Leviticus) brings the categories of "Tahor" and "Tamei" often translated as "pure" and "impure." They cannot really be translated and refer to states of being inside and outside. As a Jew of Color, Sabrina reflects on how these terms refer to those on the margins and those inside the camp and how, ultimately, we all belong.
2019-04-0319 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 90: A Taste Of Kabbalah with Special Guest Daniel MattThe Zohar is the central work of Kabbalah, Jewish Mysticism and Professor Danny Matt spent 18 years translating it into English. He has also written about a dozen books on Kabbalah and taught all over the world as one of the most renowned scholars on the subject. Danny combines academic knowledge with deep and thoughtful spiritual wisdom and opens up this mystical world. He was a scholar in residence in Boulder and I had the privilege of spending some time with him and having this conversation about Kabbalah
2019-03-1918 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 89: CreativityOn a writing retreat in Santa Fe with Natalie Goldberg and Rob Wilder, I learned a lot about writing as a spiritual practice and the importance of details. This applies to all forms of creativity, including the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle/Sanctuary) in the desert, which begins in this week's parsaha, Terumah (Exodus 25:1-27:19). What does it mean to create? With the help of Natalie Goldberg and the German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, we explore that question.
2019-02-0619 min
No Such Thing: Education in the Digital AgeHigher Ed and the Role of a Computing CultureAt the top of the last episode you learned about Mark Guzdial. Mark is a Professor in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. After his talk at Cornell Tech's "To Code and Beyond" I had a chance to sit down with Mark and ask what questions had bubbled up while I listened to his talk live. Probably my most pressing question: what you're saying is great, but we've all seen professors like you on youtube - Mark is a brilliant, animated, ukelele playing Computer Science professor, who, from my time with him, seems as passionate about...
2019-02-0642 minNo Such Thing: Education in the Digital AgeComputing Education as a Foundation for 21 Century LiteracyThis is Mark Guzdial: he is a Professor in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan.This is his talk from "To Code and Beyond," a conference about education and computer science, hosted by Cornell Technion.Guzdial is a really important piece of this rubik's cube that is contemporary thought on computer science education. This talk is an important appetizer to the forthcoming episode, where Professor Guzdial and I dig into some of the topics he alludes to here. You'll notice that in the audio I intentionally made it sound like a hollow lecture...
2019-02-0438 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 88 Sinai and the Power of MythOn a seven hour road trip from Telluride, Colorado to Taos, New Mexico, listening to The Power of Myth with Joseph Campbell in conversation with Bill Moyers, I downloaded some revelations on Revelation at Sinai. How does the power of that myth impact us past, present and future?
2019-01-2417 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 87: Torah and the Blues with Special Guest Joey Weisenberg!Joey Weisenberg is one of the most inspiring voices in the contemporary Jewish music world and is the director of Hadar's Rising Song Institute risingsong.org and author of The Torah of Music. In the week of Shabbat Shirah, the Shabbat of Song, recorded live from then Ohalah Conference, join this amazing conversation about the blues, Jewish music and so much more. As the Israelites cross over the sea on their journey to freedom, they joyfully sing the Song of the Sea and the spontaneous act of singing comes from the journey to liberation.
2019-01-1435 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 86: Pharaoh's Heart, Our Hearts - A Conversation with Special Guest Rabbi Elyse FrishmanThis conversation was recorded at a very special gathering of rabbis in Vail, Colorado called the Oneg Conference. I am joined by Rabbi Elyse Frishman, editor of Mishkan T'Filah, the Reform Movement's prayer book published in 2007. Reflecting on this week's Parsha, Bo (Exodus 10:1–13:16)we talk about hard and soft hearts, vulnerability and much more.
2019-01-1023 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 85: Singing Through Chaos - live from New York with Special Guest Rabbi Aviva RichmanThis week I have been a participant in Hadar Institute's "Singing Communities Intensive." 100s of people gathered together at B'nai Jeshurun in Manhattan to sing, teach, learn and listen led by Joey Weisenberg and other amazing teachers. Rabbi Aviva Richman, a teacher of Talmud at Hadar, integrates heart and song into her teaching and, as we begin The Book of Exodus, we discuss the role of music and song through chaos and into redemption.
2018-12-2615 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 84: Life in DeathThe Book of Genesis ends again with Parshat Vayechi, which means "and he lived," but is actually talking about Jacob's death. It is the second parsha in Bereshit whose title refers to life, but tells of death, which invites us to see the life that comes out of death through legacy and memory. This also marks the second anniversary of Dash of Drash! Mazaltov
2018-12-2020 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 83: EncounterAnd Judah approached Joseph - vayifgash alav. These are the opening words of Parshat Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27) and describe a profound moment of encounter that is not just about the intensity of this moment that leads to a breaking of a mask and a reconciliation, but any deep encounter that we have in our lives.
2018-12-1315 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 82: Spoken WordsA selection of some spoken word poetry written over the last month in Alabama, Warsaw, Auschwitz, Krakow, Berlin and Prague. Even though the words reflect some darkness, they come with a blessing and hope of Hanukkah light as that festival approaches!
2018-11-2818 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 81: Jews, Czechs, Poles, Jacob and Esau - Live from Prague!I have had the amazing gift of time in Warsaw, Krakow, Auschwitz, Berlin, Prague and Thereseinstadt in the last couple of weeks. Of course, I have seen absolute horror that defy the imagination, but I have also seen hope and renewal. In Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4-36:43), the Torah describes a reconciliation of Jacob and Esau, but the rabbis are not sure if it is really that.
2018-11-2115 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 80: Angels And AuschwitzI visited Auschwitz for the first time last week and am still processing that whole experience, which has left a lasting imprint on me. In Parshat Vayetze (Genesis 28:10 - 32:3), there are several references to HaMakom - the place, which can be any place where we are conscious. Jacob happens upon a "random place" and lays down his head and dreams of a ladder with angels ascending and descending. He awakes and says "manorah hamakom hazeh - how awesome is this place." After many years, wives, children later, he sets off on another journey and is accompanied by angels; they punctuate...
2018-11-1422 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 79: Alabama And Akeida - Sacrificing our ChildrenI had a very powerful week in Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama. I was part of a delegation of 35 rabbis and other Jewish leaders with T'ruah - A Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, visiting the Legacy Museum and The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, both created by the Equal Justice Initiative. In Parshat Vayera in the Torah, we read the painful story of Akedat Yitzhak, the binding of Isaac. This episode reflects on how this morally problematic story mirrors contemporary issues of racial injustice.
2018-10-2323 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 78: Towers in the Sky with Special Guest Dr. Michael KaganThe stories in Genesis are full of depth, mystery and profound lessons for each generation. Parshat Noah begins with the story of the catastrophic flood and ends with tale of The Tower of Babel. Michael Kagan, a friend and teacher in Jerusalem, shares some deep insights on this Babel story its comment on human civilization in a conversation with Rabbi Marc. Apologies if the sound quality is not as good as usual.
2018-10-1238 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 77: Creation Of Adam - Good or Bad?This week we begin the Torah over again with Bereshit, Genesis. Adam, the first human, was created on the sixth day, seemingly as the pinnacle of creation before the first Shabbat. The eternal question is whether the creation of humanity was a good thing or not.
2018-10-0317 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 76: The Shofar's VoiceEvery morning for the month of Elul, leading us into the New Year, it is traditional to blow and hear the shofar whose voice is supposed to wake us up. There is so much meaning and mystery in those sounds. This episode shares a few of them.
2018-08-2814 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 75: Are you Satisfied?It can be hard to feel satisfied in this world that screams at us that we always need more! There is an important relationship between satisfaction and gratitude and the power of blessings. The rabbis of the Talmud invite us to say 100 blessings a day and one of the sources is from this week's Torah portion, Ekev, which says "you will eat, you will feel satisfied and you will bless God for the good land that has been given to you" (Deuteronomy 8:10). We explore the connection between sustenance, appreciation and blessing.
2018-08-0219 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 74: Ayn Od - Nothing ElseIn Parshat Etchanan, the second portion from Devarim, the Book of Deuteronomy, along with the Shema and second version of the Ten Commandments, we are introduced to the concepts of devekut, cleaving to Godliness, and ayn od milvado; there is nothing other than God. Does this mean that if we are spiritual, we transcend all the grossness of our physical world? It means so much more than that.
2018-07-2618 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 73: Antisemitism, Tisha b'Av and Statistics with Jonathan Boyd ED of JPRThe third Jonathan from London is Jonathan Boyd who is the Executive Director of the Institute for Jewish Policy Research (http://www.jpr.org.uk) in London. Jon, a good friend, uses statistics wisely and carefully to define trends in the Jewish community. As Tisha b'Av, when we commemorate destruction and loss, approaches, this discussion reflects primarily on what the research shows about antisemitism today.
2018-07-1731 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 72: Refugee Journeys Past and Present - with Rabbi Jonathan WittenbergTowards the end of The Book of Numbers, there is a list of 42 places on the Israelite's journey as they approach their new home. It is reminiscent of the wanderings of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers of which there are some 65 million in our world today. Marc's mentor, teacher and friend Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg of New North London Synagogue, has been an important activist and together they reflect on a Jewish approach to the desperate situations facing immigrants and refugees in our times.
2018-07-0922 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 71: The Film Maker and the Rabbi: Jonathan Glazer, Screen Writer/Director, in ConversationThe film maker Jonathan Glazer is Rabbi Marc's oldest friend and for years, they have enjoyed conversations on where art, religion, spirituality and culture meet and diverge. They met at JW3, London's Jewish Community Center, and talked for hours. On the Jewish calendar, we find ourselves in a period of three weeks of mourning as we approach Tisha b'Av, commemorating the destruction of two Temples in Jerusalem and other catastrophes. Among their discussions, Jonathan and Marc talk about destruction, loss and human brutality through the lens of Jonathan's new film project on Auschwitz and our troubling world.
2018-07-0431 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 70: Leadership and Transition with Rabbis Gavriel Goldfeder and Salomon GruenwaldIn Parshat Hukkat (Numbers 19:1-22:1), Miriam and Aaron die and Moses is told that he will not lead the people into the Promised Land. Recorded live at Ramah in the Rockies, Rabbis Gavriel Goldfeder and Salomon Gruenwald join Rabbi Marc for a lively conversation about the transitions in leadership. Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder works at MIT Hillel and has a website and publishing house called "Alternodox." Rabbi Salomon Gruenwald is Associate Rabbi at the Hebrew Educational Alliance in Denver.
2018-06-1926 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 69: Truth Or Power?In Parshat Korach (Numbers 16:1-18:32), the leadership of Moses and Aaron is challenged and the source of that challenge is Korach. He seems to have some sound arguments, but does he really? We learn most not from the challenge, but from the response of Moses. Is this incident about truth or power?
2018-06-1317 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 68: Havdalah, Prayer, Soul, Salvation - A Conversation with D of D Producer Sari LevyAfter a little break of a few weeks, Dash of Drash producer Sari Levy has some burning questions about havdalah, the soul and so much more. Join the conversation.
2018-06-0532 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 67: Downloading Torah in Jerusalem - Shavuot Special with Rabbi Ruth Gan KaganThis episode was recorded on a recent trip to Jerusalem before the current explosion in violence and the relocation of the US Embassy. The rabbis make a distinction between earthly and heavenly Jerusalem and these reflections on the power of Shavuot from the heart of the world have the hope of heaven and the prayer of healing. Rabbi Ruth Gan Kagan is the founding Rabbi of Nava Tehila in Jerusalem and shares her musical vision of prayer and insights on this Holiday of receiving the gift of Torah, zman matan Torataynu.
2018-05-1524 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 66: Yesod - Connection, Balance and #metoo with special guest Reverend Marie-Elsa BraggThis week is the sixth and penultimate week of the counting the Omer. It is Yesod, which is about foundation, connection, sexuality and integrity in relationship. We also end the third book of the Torah this week, Vayikra (Leviticus), with so many laws and rituals of purity, the body and blood. A woman priest and a male rabbi reflect on some of these themes in this painfully disturbing, confusing and empowering times of #metoo and more.
2018-05-1022 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 65: Transparency - The Week of HodThis week's parsha (Emor) includes the instruction to count 50 days, the period known as Sefirat HaOmer. In the Torah, this is an agricultural ritual linking the barley harvest to the wheat harvest marking each day with a special wave offering of barley; for the rabbis it marks the journey from freedom of slavery in Egypt to accepting the covenant of the Torah at Sinai (Pesach to Shavuot); and for Kabbalists it is a period of deep spiritual refinement with each day representing a quality of profound significance. Recorded on the 31st day of counting the Omer, Tiferet of Hod, this...
2018-05-0117 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 64: The Streets of Jerusalem with Special Guest Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi FeigelsonThis episode comes live from Jerusalem in a period that some call "the Israeli High Holidays," moving from Yom HaShoah, commemorating the Holocaust, to Yom HaZikkaron, memorial day for the fallen soldiers and victims of terror and Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day. This year marks Israel's 70th birthday. Rabbi Marc's teacher and friend Reb Mimi (Rabbi Doctor Reb Mimi Feigelson) has recently moved back home to Jerusalem after 16 years living in the US. She teaches and mentors rabbinic students. Together Reb Mimi and Rabbi Marc reflect on the implications of Israel at 70 and Jerusalem in particular.
2018-04-1624 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 63: Judaism, Wilderness and Healing - A Passover Journey with Jory Hanselman from BamidbarAs our Jewish calendar takes us on the journey from slavery to freedom to receiving the Torah on Sinai, join a conversation at BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy with its director Jory Hanselman. BaMidbar, the nation's first Jewish wilderness therapy program, integrates Jewish learning and values into an intensive backcountry, therapeutic experience. During Passover, students embark on a physical and metaphorical journey as they explore the things that bind them, and finding a healthy pathway forward. Jory Hanselman and Rabbi Marc Soloway discuss the uniquely Jewish approach BaMidbar takes to mental health and recovery.
2018-04-0323 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 62: Passover Mysteries with Special Guest Michael Kagan from JerusalemThe process of preparation and the practice of Pesach can be intense, and is really intended to be a journey of liberation. Michael Kagan from Jerusalem is an old friend and the author of The Holisitc Haggadah (KTAV Publishing), which is a fascinating guide to the inner journey that the Pesach Seder offers us. Join Rabbi Marc and Michael as they delve into some of the mysteries of this powerful holiday.
2018-03-2029 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 61: Proximity and Purity - with Dena Weiss from HadarThe transition from the Book of Exodus to Leviticus can feel abrupt in its move from dramatic narrative to bloody sacrifices. It is too easy to dismiss the details of these priestly rituals as alien relics of an ancient world. Dena Weiss, head of the Beit Midrash (House of Study) at Hadar in New York, in conversation with Rabbi Marc, shares insights on contemporary resonances of the themes of the sacrificial cult.
2018-03-1420 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 60: Dreamers and BuildersThe Book of Exodus closes with the vision of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) becoming manifest, being built and completed under the leadership of architect and builder-in-chief Betzalel. Moses has been the visionary and now needs the practical skills of the craftsmen. This relationship reminds us the importance of different skills and complimentary personalities in teams.
2018-03-0915 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 59: Memory, Absence and PresenceThe Shabbat before Purim is called Shabbat Zachor, where we are reminded of the obligation to remember what our arch enemy, Amalek, did to us on our way out of Egypt. This is a reflection on the power and complexity of memory, including remembering Bev Goodman who died this week without memory and how we remember the victims of the shooting massacre in Florida.
2018-02-2220 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 58: Generous Hearts"Let them take offerings for Me; every person whose heart is generous..." With this instruction from Parshat Trumah (Exodus 25-27), the detailed spiritual work of constructing a Mishkan (Tabernacle) and Mikdash (Sanctuary) begins and occupies many, many verses of the Torah. What does it mean to have a generous heart and how do we build sacred space?
2018-02-1419 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 57: ImpeccabilityAfter the ecstatic and transformative moment of revelation at Sinai, Parshat Mishpatim (Exodus 21-24) calls on us to pay close attention to the details of our lives and the impact we have on others and the world around us.
2018-02-0817 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 56: Torah from SinaiThe mountain is smoking, there is thunder and lightning and all the people are trembling as the sound of the shofar grows louder and louder....Then God descends and speaks words. This moment on Mount Sinai where Torah is revealed is so defining. What really happened? Parshat Yitro, Exodus 18-20, moves the people from their exodus into a covenantal relationship.
2018-02-0120 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 55: Until the Sun Rises - Dedicated to Koby GruenwaldWith the devastating, untimely death of 13 year old Koby, the son of Rabbi Salomon and Melanie Gruenwald, the stories of exodus, redemption, salvation and miracles all seem so obscure and the questions that arise are different and challenging. It is more about taking the gentle next steps than it is about finding meaning. Through the lens of the stories of Parshat Beshallach (Exodus 13;17-17:16), this episode is dedicated to the memory of Koby.
2018-01-2513 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 54: Heart Of DarknessPharaoh's heart is the dark center of the universe and it is also our heart if we are willing to look in the shadows. In Parshat Bo (Exodus 10-13), God says "bo el Paro - go to Pharaoh," not "come to Pharaoh," implying perhaps that God is right there in Pharaoh's heart of darkness. What does it mean to go to that scary place?
2018-01-1713 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 53: Divine Names with special guest Rabbi Andrew Hahn, The Kirtan RabbiThe Hebrew name for the Book of Exodus is Shemot, which means names. Along with the narratives of Pharaoh's hard heart, the deadly plagues and people unable to listen, there are some poignant passages about the power of names. Rabbi Andrew Hahn, Ph.D, also known as the Kirtan Rabbi (affectionately Reb Drew), joins Rabbi Marc in conversation about the centrality of names, especially the names of the Divine, and how they connect to our practice and to our hearts.
2018-01-1122 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 52: Exodus - Narrative and Law with Special Guest Professor Sam BoydAs we begin The Book of Exodus with its rich narratives of Moses, redemption and revelation, Rabbi Marc is in conversation with Professor Sam Boyd, a teacher of Bible at CU in Boulder. An academic, historical approach to these sacred scriptures may seem dry and antithetical to religious and spiritual understandings, but Professor Boyd's passion for these texts and their place in the ancient Near East is illuminating and surprisingly compatible with more traditional interpretations. A professor and a rabbi explore ways in which these narratives help us find meaning.
2018-01-0325 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 51: Muslims and Jews do ChristmasAs both the Book of Genesis and 2017 draw to a close, we reflect on an extraordinary Christmas Day with the Muslim Jewish Alliance of Boulder and how it connects to some of the themes of reconciliation in the Torah and in our world.
2017-12-2613 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 50: Reconciliation?This episode marks a complete cycle of a year of A Dash of Drash as Parshat Vayigash brings all the brothers and their father back together in a moving story of reconciliation. The story is never complete and, once again, we look at some of the hidden threads and patterns.
2017-12-2025 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 49: Hanukkah LightLighting Hanukkah candles is an act that so many of us do and there are many dimensions to the ritual; internal, external, spiritual, physical and more. Happy Hanukkah!
2017-12-1317 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 48: Weaving the Threads of the CoatAs we approach Hanukkah, we start the cycle of Joseph stories with Parshat Vayeshev (Genesis 37) and the coat and the dreams and the nightmares. There are some linguistic threads hidden in the tapestry of this story that reveal some deeper connections.
2017-12-0717 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 47: Dark Night Of The SoulJacob, about to confront his estranged brother Esau, wrestles all night long with a mysterious angel and, as dawn emerges, he is the victor and receives a blessing and a new name; Yisrael, the Godwrestler. We are all Jacob, we are all Yisrael as we struggle with past, present and future.
2017-11-3013 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 46: The Angels of ThanksgivingIn this week of American Thanksgiving, our Torah reading tells of Jacob's adventures that begin with the extraordinary dream of the ladder of angels. How do some of Jacob's stories connect to giving thanks?!
2017-11-2218 min
Dash of DrashEpsiode 45: Digging the Wells - A Zero Sum Game?In Parshat Toldot (Genesis 25:19-28:9), Rebecca gives birth to very unidentical twins, Jacob and Esau, who fight in the womb. There don't seem to be enough blessings to go around, even though these archetypes lead different nations. Meanwhile their father Isaac reopens the wells that his father dug, naming them in very revealing ways.
2017-11-1516 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 44: LovingkindnessWhen Abraham sends his servant, Eliezer, to find a wife for his son Isaac, it is clear to this faithful servant that the most important quality is hesed, kindness. He finds Rebecca at the well and she immediately offers water for the people and the camels, passing the test. Lovingkindness can be so simple and it can change destiny.
2017-11-0715 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 43: Abraham's Tent, Sodom's curseIn the continuing journey of Abraham and Sarah, Vayera, this week's parsha of vision and lifting eyes, there are two starkly contrasting stories of welcoming strangers. Hospitality, hachnassat orachim, is deep obligation in Jewish tradition and we learn much about it here.
2017-11-0114 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 42: On the RoadSome reflections on some of the lessons of some recent travel adventures - lessons of the road! Lech L'cha in the Torah begins with instruction for Abraham and Sarah to leave all that they know and go on a journey to an unknown destination. This episode includes a beautiful blessing from John O'Donahue's book "To Bless the Space Between us."
2017-10-2414 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 41: Noah And GettysburgAfter a powerful day at Gettysburg National Park with rabbinic colleagues, a conversation with Rabbi Neil Blumofe, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Agudas Achim in Austin, Texas, reflecting on the bloody battle, Abraham Lincoln and Noah.
2017-10-1819 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 40: Hosting, Shaking, DancingAs the cycle of our sacred fall holidays comes to its conclusion, we reflect on the symbols and rituals through welcoming guests, shaking the lulav and dancing with the Torah. As soon as the cycle ends, we begin again.
2017-10-1115 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 39: Love ShackIn a terrifying world, what does it mean to enter into a Sukkah, into the Festival of Sukkot, which the rabbis call Zman Simchataynu, the Season of our Joy?
2017-10-0315 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 38: ConfessionThis week ends with Yom Kippur, the Holy of Holies on the Jewish calendar, known as Yoma in Aramaic, the day. The liturgical heart of this intensely powerful day is vidui, confession. What does it mean to confess? Gmar chatimah tovah - may we be sealed in the book!
2017-09-2615 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 37: Remembering And Birthing - Rosh HaShanahRosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year, begins on Wednesday night, September 20th. Among the many themes of this awesome day, are those of memory and birth, as we imagine the world being born and renewed. May we remember what is forgotten, find what is lost and birth all that is potential into the world for healing and renewal!
2017-09-1909 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 36: Ready or not...Are you ready? can we ever be? This week's double parsha Nitzavim-Vayalech begins with the power of everyone standing there, present and somehow ready to cross over, to return, to commit.
2017-09-1315 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 35: Joy?How do we have moments of celebration and joy even when the world feels so dark and scary? The Book of Deuteronomy mentions joy and joyful service 12 times and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks makes an important distinction between happiness and joy. Ki tavo, entering the Land of Milk and Honey, begins with the instruction to celebrate, with joy, the first fruits. What is that land for us and how can we serve in joy?
2017-09-0617 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 34: One ThingWhere do we focus our attention when there are so many demands pulling us in different directions? The month of Elul that leads us into the High Holidays is a time of teshuvah, return, but what are we returning to? Working on our own qualities, our relationships, the suffering in the world outside calling us? It can be overwhelming. Perhaps we need permission to pick one thing...
2017-08-2915 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 33: Truah - A Call to Justice with special guests Rabbis Jill Jacobs and Aryeh CohenRecorded at No Time for Neutrality: a T'ruah Rabbinic Convening in Berkeley, California with special guests Rabbis Jill Jacobs and Aryeh Cohen. Jill Jacobs is the Executive Director of T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human RIghts and Aryeh Cohen is professor of rabbinic literature at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, rabbi in residence at Bend the Arc and a former board member of T'ruah. In the week when the Torah demands us to pursue justice and we begin the month of Elul, join the conversation on Judaism and justice
2017-08-2221 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 32: View from Quandary PeakThe perspective and feeling at over 14,000 ft above sea level is exhilarating and gave some perspective on the world and on the Torah, which this week invites us to see the blessing and the curse and perhaps the delicate relationship between them.
2017-08-1613 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 31: Listening"How good it will be when you really listen!" This is how my teacher Reb Zalman translated the first words of the Torah verses that became the second paragraph of the Shema. Listening is so much more than hearing words.
2017-08-1114 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 30: Letting GoMoses has to climb a mountain to look out on the Promised Land and let go of any possibility of entering it, which has been his life's mission. Unfulfilled dreams can seem like a punishment, but letting go and embracing what is can be a great gift.
2017-08-0217 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 29: How can it be?This week we start the 5th book of the Torah, Devarim, Deuteronomy, and we are in the days that lead us to Tisha b'Av, when we commemorate the destruction of both temples in Jerusalem. The Book of Lamentations, read on that day, is called Eicha in Hebrew, which means "how can it be?" So, how can it be?
2017-07-2612 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 28: Love And HateThe force of hatred and intolerance between us is so powerful that it is the force that led to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem according to the rabbis. This negative energy is known as sinat chinam, baseless hate. So, what is the antidote? Baseless love is the answer given by Rav Kook.
2017-07-1916 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 27: Zealotry with special guest Rabbi Gavriel GoldfederCan a violent act lead to peace? Is zealotry ever a good thing or is it just another name for religious fanaticism? The character of Pinchas in our continuing narratives in the Book of Numbers invite all these questions. Rabbi Marc is joined by his old friend Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder, Senior Jewish Educator at MIT Hillel to discuss these questions and more.
2017-07-1023 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 26: Sacred Tents - Part 2 with special guest Reverend Marie-Elsa BraggReverend Marie-Elsa Roche Bragg and Rabbi Marc studied Jewish Mysticism together many years ago and Marie-Elsa is now an ordained Anglican priest and author. In this second part of their conversation, Marie-Elsa and Marc reflect on the spaces of holiness and how to prepare to enter and exit sacred environments.
2017-07-0421 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 25: Ritual Redux - With Reverend Marie-Elsa BraggReverend Marie-Elsa Roche Bragg and Rabbi Marc studied Jewish Mysticism together many years ago and Marie-Elsa is now an ordained Anglican priest and author. Hukkat in the Book of Numbers begins with a very mysterious ritual, which is the text that opens a lively conversation about the power and meaning of religious rituals across our faith traditions.
2017-06-2622 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 24: Truth To Power? With special guest Rabbi Jonathan WittenbergI am joined in this episode by my rabbi, friend and mentor Jonathan Wittenberg, senior rabbi of Masorti Judaism in the UK and an inspirational leader in many areas. Korach and his followers attempt a political coup in challenging the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Is there a time and place for rebelliousness? When must we speak truth to power? Two rabbis discuss these questions and more.
2017-06-2024 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 23: VisionHow do we see the world around us? How do we see ourselves? The eyes process information, but do not always give us the full picture and vision, insight and perception are often beyond physical sight. In this episode of Torah, Shlech L'cha, 12 spies are sent into the land to come back with a report. What they see and how they process the information is very revealing.
2017-06-1310 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 22: CravingsIn this week's episode of Torah, after experiencing miracle after miracle, the people complain and kvetch and demand meat. They crave it! What is the source of this craving?
2017-06-0911 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 13 - Jews and Food with Special Guest Farmer Becca Weaver from the Boulder JCCAs the Torah continues to describe the animal sacrifices, there is an invitation to think more deeply about the source of our food and its impact on animals, land and workers. Boulder has the only JCC in the world with a full time director of farming and sustainability, Farmer Becca, who joins Rabbi Marc in this conversation
2017-04-0321 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 10: Golden Calf - with special guest Maggidah Charna RosenholtzThe mysterious "sin" of the golden calf is seen as the ultimate transgression and betrayal, but there is so much hidden mystery in this narrative, which is explored in a dynamic conversation between one of Boulder's beloved teachers Maggidah Charna Rosenholtz and Rabbi Marc.
2017-03-1525 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 7: "Justice" with special guest Morah Yehudis FishmanBoulder's beloved teacher Morah Yehudis Fishman in conversation with Rabbi Marc about some of Judaism's unique perspectives of justice and judges.
2017-02-2223 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 6: Revelation with special guest Nigel Savage from HazonRabbi Marc is joined by the founder and CEO of Hazon, the largest faith-based environmental organization, in conversation about revelation on Mount Sinai and how that narrative continues to impact us as Jews today. Recorded live in the mountains at 10,000 feet!
2017-02-1526 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 3: Hard and Soft Hearts with special guest Jason ApptJason Appt, professor of contemplative psychology at Naropa University and Rabbi Marc Soloway talking about the hardening of Pharaoh's heart in the Book of Exodus and the practice of cultivating softer hearts.
2017-01-2627 min
Dash of DrashEpisode 2: Resistance with special guest Rabbi David Seidenberg neohasid.orgEpisode 2: Resistance with special guest Rabbi David Seidenberg neohasid.org by Rabbi Marc Soloway
2017-01-2020 min