The story of Esther hangs on the question of whether to reveal one’s identity in public no matter the consequences. In light of current events, Rabbi Cosgrove urges us to stand up for our values and to commemorate Purim with heroic generosity to aid the Jews, and all the people, of Ukraine.
February 05, 2022
Amnesty, Israel, Apartheid
Occasion(s) / T’rumah
Rejecting the assertions of the recent Amnesty International report on Israel and Palestine, Rabbi Cosgrove envisions the kind of report that could bring the sides closer, not further apart.
January 22, 2022
Teyku
Occasion(s) / Yitro
The Talmud teaches that irreconcilable differences of opinion will be resolved when Elijah the Prophet arrives to announce the Messianic age. Noting the toxic divides of our age, Rabbi Cosgrove teaches that we must learn to hear opinions that differ from our own.
January 15, 2022
Stride Toward Freedom
Occasion(s) / B’shallah
When do we peak in our life work? Reflecting on the life of Martin Luther King, Rabbi Cosgrove suggests we are all ever at the shores of the sea taking a stride toward opening the next vital chapter of our lives.
December 04, 2021
Father and Son
Occasion(s) / Mi-ketz
Why didn’t Joseph write home to his father? Rabbi Cosgrove reviews the possible answers, suggesting that when we are open to hearing the perspectives of others, we can pass blessings from one generation to the next.
November 20, 2021
Gender, Intermarriage, and Jewish Identity
Occasion(s) / Va-yishlah
Why are we more confident that a child born to an intermarried Jewish woman will identify Jewishly more readily than the child of an intermarried Jewish man?
November 06, 2021
Parents Weekend
Occasion(s) / Tol’dot
What makes for successful parenting? Rabbi Cosgrove teaches that unlike the example set by our biblical ancestors, parents can love children equally and infinitely, but differently.
October 16, 2021
Rebel Without a Cause
Occasion(s) / Lekh L’kha
How do you show that you are a Jew? Rabbi Cosgrove reminds us that we are heirs to Abraham, the iconoclast founder of our people. We must be true to that heritage and proudly assert our Jewish identity.
October 02, 2021
Purple Rain
Occasion(s) / B’reishit
What is the theme of our people’s story? As we open the Torah to read once again about the beginning of humanity, Rabbi Cosgrove teaches that our history is a story of persistence in response to setbacks. Faith in the future and in ourselves is as essential today as ever.
September 28, 2021
Why Do We Say Kaddish?
Occasion(s) / Shemini Atzeret, Yizkor
For whom do we recite Kaddish? Rabbi Cosgrove introduces and explains a variety of answers from through the ages and concludes that beyond all, when we say Kaddish, we form a link in the chain linking one generation to the next.