Rabbi Dan Wolpe's Spiritual Sparks

07/26/2021

Please note this page is no longer in use.
Those interested should join https://www.facebook.com/Flushing-Fresh-Meadows-Jewish-Congregation-100359408202186/

01/30/2020

I will no longer be posting on this page. Please join me at https://www.facebook.com/Flushing-Fresh-Meadows-Jewish-Congregation-100359408202186/

Welcome to the Flushing Fresh Meadows Jewish Center's Facebook post! Check here every day for a quote of the day! See pinned post for what you can expect! Also, tell us what you'd like to see!

01/28/2020

Listening to people of color talk about their experiences on NPR, and I once again come to this conclusion:

Those of us who are NOT POC, may sympathize and empathize with those who we are, but we CANNOT ever fully understand what they go through. That’s why it is incumbent upon us to listen, and to listen so that we can understand better, not so we can respond.

My prayer is that we all do better in that regard.

01/19/2020

Tomorrow is Martin Luther King day. I ask all of my Jewish friends, and I had to remind myself of this, please don’t post about what a friend to the Jews he was, or how Heschel marched with him. This isn’t about us and we should not make it about us, and there are times when we—sometimes unwittingly—make it about us every single year. Let us post about Dr. King and Dr. King’s message.

Full disclosure: I had intended to post the remarks I made at an MLK commemoration four years ago. When I started writing this post, I realize that that would be me making it about me. I know there is a great temptation to do that, but let us all try not to.

01/10/2020

Shabbat Shalom.

This week, we finish the book of Beresheet (Genesis) by reading the last parasha, Vayechi. In parshat Vayechi, Jacob gathers his sons around him and gives them their final blessings.

It is a beautiful scene, but it had me wondering, how many of us—since we don’t know when we are going to die—pass away without telling our children what we think they need to know? How many of us die with the unsaid word or thought?

Let us make a commitment this weekend that if there is something we are waiting to tell our children, we will no longer wait. Let us tell them now, so that the words are never left unsaid.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Dan Wolpe is the rabbi of the Flushing Fresh Meadows Jewish Center, a noted educator, and a produced and published playwright. Please feel free to comment on and/or share any of his sparks.

01/06/2020

Some thoughts on today’s rally:

From what I understand, they were expecting about 10,000 people, and 25,000 showed up. Because of that, it wasn’t so much a march as it was a slow crawl against anti-Semitism. 🙂 But as my friend and colleague, Rabbi David Wise said, “This is a good reason to not be moving.

People of all colors, all faiths and all beliefs were there. It was a powerful and inspiring sight.

With that said, I must say the following, and I think most of you will agree with me, and those who don’t, well, you’re entitled to your opinion, no matter how wrong it is. 🙂 There were many politicians on the dais. And as they were announced, no matter which political party they belonged to, there were people who booed them. When someone comes to stand with you against the people who hate you, even if you disagree with them passionately, it is wrong to boo. Vote against them, protest their policies, canvas foe their opponent. But when someone stands beside you, it is the wrong time to boo.

With that said, it was an inspiring event.

עם ישראל חי!

01/03/2020

Something positive as we enter Shabbat.

"I stand in solidarity with Jewish Community members during this tragedy and condemn all acts of hate," said Anthony Beckford.

01/02/2020

Shabbat Shalom.

Perhaps there is no greater story of forgiveness than the story of Joseph and his brothers. His brothers threw him in a pit, sold him into slavery, told his father he was dead, and yet, when he had seen that his brothers had changed, he cried and forgave them all.

Many people have been too stubborn to forgive a lot less. And yes, there are offenses that cannot be forgiven, and yes, one need not forgive someone who has shown no remorse, but the list of unforgivable offenses should be very short. After all, there is not one among us who has not done something wrong, there is no shame in admitting that, and great strength in forgiving others. This Shabbat, as we read the story of Joseph, let us ask, "Who has wronged me that it is time to forgive?" and let us forgive.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Dan Wolpe is the rabbi of the Flushing Fresh Meadows Jewish Center, a noted educator and a produced and published playwright. Please feel free to comment on/share any of his posts.

01/02/2020

Yesterday, I received a beautiful note from an old student of mine whom I have not seen in several years. She was letting me know how important it was for her to be Jewish and to be a part of the Jewish community. It was a beautiful note and I treasure it deeply.

It is for her, for every student I’ve ever had, and for every student that I ever will have, that I will not hide my Judaism just because there’s an uptick in anti-Semitism. I will not refrain from wearing a yarmulke, I will not refrain from introducing myself as a rabbi, and I will walk proudly as a Jew—as I always have.

I. Will. Not. Hide.

12/24/2019

I usually keep my private page and this page separate. However, I wrote something on my private page that I would like to share with the readers of this page:

As I wrote my annual post wishing my non-Jewish friends merry Christmas, I was struck once again by the fact that I live in a place and time where I can have non-Jewish friends. With all the problems in this country, let’s never forget the ultimate goal—to create a world where we don’t just tolerate differences, but are grateful for them, learn from them and celebrate them.