I got up early to go for a run Round the city’s walls I spun. Getting out on my feet was lots of fun, But also kind of awful because of the humidity and sun. We all got together at the cafe below the Airbnb. Then made our way to Pisa, Italy. There’s more than […]
About Rabbi Benjamin Zober
Posts by Rabbi Benjamin Zober:
Italy 6/15
Today (6-15) was our first full day in Italy. We started the day in Pisa, where we landed last night. Our accommodations were sparse, but a nice shower, a clean bed, and a working A/C unit (and extra 50 cents) were all we needed. After packing up, we made our way to a little cafe. […]
Actual Sabbatical
Dear Friends, As you may have heard, we are weeks away from our sabbatical. This means a few things: We have been here for seven years already! We will be out of the office and off-duty for four months and The congregation gets four months to explore and grow on its own without meddlesome rabbis […]
Rabbis in the Community
Dear Friends, Since Rabbi Sara and I began working and living in Reno, we have been aware of the severe shortage of affordable housing. In our early days here, we partnered with interfaith groups and many of you joined us as we lobbied in Carson City, staffed overnight shelters, and worked for change. Sadly, the […]
Light in Darkness
Dear Friends, As often was the case, the rabbis were arguing. Shammai argued that we should light 8 candles on the first night of Chanukah, and count down, lighting one fewer candle each night. Hillel, on the other hand (or foot as was his wont), believed we should start with one and build up. As […]
Invitation to Mourn
Dear Friends, Whenever I had a challenge or crisis in my life, I turned to my dad. So now as I mourn his death, I am at a particular loss. Among the many things he inspired in me was a love of Judaism and an appreciation for its wisdom. Lately, I find myself encountering our […]
In Every Generation
Dear Friends, As we prepare for Pesach, we are incredibly excited. Not only for our congregational seder, where we will gather and celebrate together. Not only for all of the traditions and foods that make Passover unique. We are excited because this year we will be using our new congregational Haggadah for the first time. […]
Purim Gets It Right
Dear Friends, Judaism gets a lot of things right. I know that as a rabbi, I am supposed to say that, but I truly believe that while there are many ways to do some things, a lot of the ways Judaism leads us are good ones. Take, for example, mourning. Our customs are designed to […]
Jew in the Pew (or guest room)
Dear Friends, A belated L’shanah Tovah to all of you! I was so disappointed to be unable to celebrate the High Holy Days with all of you. Certainly, I want to thank everyone who pitched in (especially at the last minute) to lead services and make sure everything happened on schedule – even if not […]
The Start of Something
Dear Friends, “I don’t make New Year’s resolutions,” said the DJ on the radio. He went on to explain that making promises on an arbitrary date was silly and that one could make a resolution at any time. I would have loved to ask him, “so do you make resolutions at another time? Do you […]