Jewish Relationships Initiative

Jewish Relationships Initiative Jewish Relationships Initiative, JRI, is a not-for-profit Corp., committed to engagement and outreach into the Jewish community of seekers.

Shabbat Shalom – Parsha Nitzavim-VayelechAs we approach this Shabbat in Elul, we are reminded of everyone's importance; ...
09/03/2026

Shabbat Shalom – Parsha Nitzavim-Vayelech

As we approach this Shabbat in Elul, we are reminded of everyone's importance; we all stand in covenant, responsible. ...

As we approach this Shabbat in Elul, we are reminded of everyone’s importance; we all stand in covenant, responsible. So Choose life. Debbi Friedman’s beautiful music, shared by Cantor…

Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech — How Do You Say GoodbyeHow do you say goodbye when you already know how the story ends? Moses...
09/02/2026

Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech — How Do You Say Goodbye

How do you say goodbye when you already know how the story ends? Moses has one day remaining....

How do you say goodbye when you already know how the story ends? Moses has one day remaining. Since Nitzavim-Vayelech falls on the last Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, the text positions him exactly …

Rashi and DiscernmentI have a wonderful dog. His name is Rashi (if you know, you know), and he holds his post on the sof...
08/31/2026

Rashi and Discernment

I have a wonderful dog. His name is Rashi (if you know, you know), and he holds his post on the sofa in my study, keeping watch over the road and the property below....

I have a wonderful dog. His name is Rashi (if you know, you know), and he holds his post on the sofa in my study, keeping watch over the road and the property below. He announces the mail carrier. …

This Is Not a Security Problem(This Essay was published in the Jewish Exponent on July 27, 2026 and reprinted here) Each...
08/28/2026

This Is Not a Security Problem

(This Essay was published in the Jewish Exponent on July 27, 2026 and reprinted here) Each time I enter the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, I stop at the security checkpoint....

(This Essay was published in the Jewish Exponent on July 27, 2026 and reprinted here) Each time I enter the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, I stop at the security checkpoint. T…

Shabbat ShalomWe are to tell our story as an act of gratitude. “Ki Tavo commands us to bring our first fruits and tell ...
08/28/2026

Shabbat Shalom

We are to tell our story as an act of gratitude. “Ki Tavo commands us to bring our first fruits and tell our story — not as boasting but as gratitude....

We are to tell our story as an act of gratitude. “Ki Tavo commands us to bring our first fruits and tell our story — not as boasting but as gratitude. Andra Day rises because the story she carries…

The Night They Rewrote the President’s HouseIn the middle of the night this past July, National Park Service crews remov...
08/27/2026

The Night They Rewrote the President’s House

In the middle of the night this past July, National Park Service crews removed the panels at the President’s House on Independence Mall and replaced them with a different version of the story....

In the middle of the night this past July, National Park Service crews removed the panels at the President’s House on Independence Mall and replaced them with a different version of the story. No a…

You’ve Made It- a message of Ki TavoYou've made it. I remember standing in a robe I'd never worn before, waiting for my ...
08/25/2026

You’ve Made It- a message of Ki Tavo

You've made it. I remember standing in a robe I'd never worn before, waiting for my name to be called at ordination and receive my Smichah....

You’ve made it. I remember standing in a robe I’d never worn before, waiting for my name to be called at ordination and receive my Smichah. Five years of arduous struggle with text and …

Shabbat ShalomAs we welcome Shabbat and read from Ki Tetzei, the musical connector is Lecha Dodi. Based on a verse from...
08/21/2026

Shabbat Shalom

As we welcome Shabbat and read from Ki Tetzei, the musical connector is Lecha Dodi. Based on a verse from Isaiah, we are told "Dont be ashamed" despite the trials of the week, welcome the comfort of Shabbat....

As we welcome Shabbat and read from Ki Tetzei, the musical connector is Lecha Dodi. Based on a verse from Isaiah, we are told “Dont be ashamed” despite the trials of the week, welcome …

The Kippah on My Head Is Not a Target on My BackShould I take off my kippah? I first asked myself that question years ag...
08/19/2026

The Kippah on My Head Is Not a Target on My Back

Should I take off my kippah? I first asked myself that question years ago, before a trip to Hungary....

Should I take off my kippah? I first asked myself that question years ago, before a trip to Hungary. Viktor Orbán was reaching for power by invoking an old script, the anti-Semitic tropes his count…

What Happens to the Stragglers? Parsha Ki TetzeiWhy does a portion overflowing with civil law stop, in the middle of eve...
08/18/2026

What Happens to the Stragglers? Parsha Ki Tetzei

Why does a portion overflowing with civil law stop, in the middle of everything else, to tell you how to build your roof?...

Why does a portion overflowing with civil law stop, in the middle of everything else, to tell you how to build your roof? When you build a new house, Torah says, put a ma’akeh, a guardrail, on the …

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