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Rabbi Thomas Louchheim's Blog

Our Name is How Others Define Us

05/17/2023 07:33:54 AM

May17

Rabbi Louchheim

Our spiritual congregation has a name. It does not define us. Rather others define us by it.   Our founding families are from two noble legacy synagogues in Pima County. We wanted to choose a name that reflected our mission and our coming together. Kol Ami, “All of My People” was a pretty good choice, I think.   I hope that every year our new Board will come to understand Kol Ami with a slight change in direction and perhaps...Read more...

Rabbi Louchheim’s D’var Torah 

05/10/2023 08:18:18 AM

May10

Rabbi Louchheim

  From the Kol Ami Annual Meeting  Sunday, May 7, 2023, 11am    Our Torah portion this week, B’har-B’chukotai, opens with God speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai. Instead of relating the commandments to the people, Moses is instructed to tell them to take a break: Six years you will work your fields and in the seventh – the Sabbatical Year – you will rest, and you will allow a strict rest to your fields and...Read more...

In Tribute to Israel's 75th Birthday

04/27/2023 07:28:34 AM

Apr27

Rabbi Louchheim

For the past several weeks, the legislative agenda of the Israeli government’s ruling coalition and the appointment of radical ministers to the government appeared to threaten Israel’s democracy and civil security. This has inspired the most powerful protest movement in Israel’s history. We were relieved to learn that Prime Minister Netanyahu finally responded by issuing a temporary pause to the legislation.   Nevertheless, there...Read more...

Thank God for Reform Judaism

04/18/2023 07:46:42 AM

Apr18

A few years ago, I read an article by one of my colleagues who stated that Reform Judaism has no guiding principles or ideology and that most Reform Jews barely practice or understand Judaism at all. Additionally, he views most Reform Jews as lacking Hebrew comprehension and understanding of Jewish history and its rituals. There may be truth in some of what he says, but he misses the point about what Reform Judaism truly means to...Read more...

Passover

03/22/2023 07:55:45 AM

Mar22

Rabbi Louchheim

The festival of Passover is just around the corner (first Seder is Wednesday, April 5) and is one of the most widely celebrated of all of the Jewish holidays. When one mentions Passover to a Jew they often are reminded of a dinner, a history, unusual foods, and fun. Thirty years ago I spoke to Rabbi Joseph Weizenbaum, z”l – the emeritus rabbi of Temple Emanu-El – about what he thought about Passover. He wrote an article in the bulletin...Read more...

Engaging a New Generation

03/03/2023 12:00:04 PM

Mar3

Rabbi Thomas Louchheim

Dear Friends,    Religious communities must re-evaluate what works and what does not as we engage with a generation of younger Jews who make up 20% of our population. Gen Z represents Americans who are between age 15 and 26. The Jews in this group have a high affiliation with family and family values and support their identity as cultural Jews and not religious Jews. Many are atheists and agnostics and have little knowledge of Jewish...Read more...

Fulfilling A Vision & A Dream

03/02/2023 05:00:55 PM

Mar2

Rabbi Thomas Louchheim

Below is a d'var Torah Rabbi Louchheim delivered at the January Board of Trustees Meeting on Parashat Bo.   “The Eternal spoke to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh….”   In Ukraine more than 200 years ago, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov delivered his sermon on Parashat Bo to a shivering congregation under a leaky roof. He told his community that Moses did not go to the person, Pharaoh, but went to paruah instead. Paruah, according to the...Read more...
Tue, June 6 2023 17 Sivan 5783