Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester

09/02/2026

Rabbi Goldsmith's Message:

The Torah teaches that every person - Jew and non-Jew alike, every human being - is created in the image of God. As such, it insists that we do not degrade one another. Deuteronomy commands that punishment for a person found guilty be carried out precisely as handed down, with not one extra lash, for that would degrade the person being punished. Even someone who has been put to death, the Torah commands that they be given a proper burial, so as not to shame them and not to shame the image of God in which they were created.

All of this - and so much more - makes the behavior and rhetoric of Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir antithetical to our religious tradition and to our morals as Jews and as human beings. His defense of so-called Hilltop Youth, Israelis who violently terrorize West Bank Palestinians, flies in the face of the rule of law. His deliberate upending of the status quo with repeated visits and prayer services on the Temple Mount recklessly inflames an already combustible religious conflict. His recent social media broadcast mocking a female Palestinian prisoner is a black mark on all of Israeli society.

If you read these weekly pieces, if you listen to my sermons, if you even drive by the temple, you know that I am a proud Zionist, a supporter of a free, democratic, Jewish State in our ancient homeland. You know that I encourage our congregants to find Israeli voices that speak to them, that speak to their vision for the Jewish state, and to support those Israelis. As a rabbi, I do not care if you support the Left or support the Right. I care that you stand with our people and care deeply about what kind of country Israel becomes. Arguing about Israeli policy? It's great! It is the main activity of Israelis themselves. But there must be lines even within the wide range of legitimate debate over Israel, and Itamar Ben-Gvir crosses them. His actions harm Israel and Palestinians alike. And when he humiliates and degrades other human beings, when he demands punishment for Palestinian lawbreakers while defending Israelis who break the law, he degrades the image of God within them - precisely the kind of degradation the Torah warns us against.

08/26/2026

Rabbi Goldsmith's Message:

As my son gets ready to start senior year of high school I’m struck by the relative nature of time. He is somehow 17 years old – that’s old! In less than a year he will go off to college – that’s fast! Of course, his age (or height – he’s 6’3’’!), is far less important than the fact that he is an impressive young man and an excellent conversationalist with real curiosity, thoughtful opinions, a good sense of humor, and a kind heart. But still, right now I’m a bit fixated on the time part of the puzzle. As anyone who has watched kids grow up knows, you blink and they’re big.

Of course, that is not just true of children. It is true of our lives, our nation, our people, our world:
The modern state of Israel is 78 years old.
America is 250 years old.
The diaspora is 2,600 years old.
Our covenant is 3,800 years old.
On Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish calendar will mark 5,787 years.
Modern humans evolved 300,000 years ago.
The Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago.
The Big Bang was 13.8 billion years ago.

In the midst of all of that, 17 years isn’t much. But to me they mark the most meaningful years of life – fatherhood. And to my son, those 17 years are quite literally a lifetime - all he has ever known.

Placing ourselves on these various timelines can make us feel one of two ways. Either we are small and insignificant, just here for a microsecond relative to a great expanse. Or we are part of something much greater than ourselves, part of a story that long precedes us and will long outlive us. The way we weave ourselves into those stories makes our existence, in deeply meaningful ways, so much greater than the events of our daily lives. It makes us part of something eternal.

I like that glimpse of eternity. And I like just hanging out with my son as he enters his senior year of high school.

08/19/2026

Rabbi Goldsmith's Message:

A sliver of the moon rose over the White Mountains as the sun set. The setting was just beautiful: rolling farmland and forest, mountain creeks, some wispy clouds, and the stretched canvas of our tent. Just the place for a few last deep breaths before the busy season of the High Holy Days. Of course, fall is not only the Jewish busy season. It marks the beginning of school, the resumption of regular work hours, school sports, baseball playoffs - everything up and running again after a relaxing summer.

I am never more aware of the moon than at the end of the summer. Our Jewish calendar is a lunar one, and that sliver of moon marks the beginning of the month of Elul, the month that leads us to the High Holy Days. It is traditionally a time of reflection and preparation: reflection on the past year and preparation for the year to come. For rabbis, it also means contemplation of the issues of our day and the enduring concerns of the Jewish people. It means writing sermons and making sure everything is aligned and ready to go for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. And so, it is no surprise that the Elul moon looms large not only over the White Mountains, but also in my imagination: a combination of nervous anticipation, sacred purpose, and, frankly, stress.

But for this week, for these few days when I am blessed to camp in this gorgeous part of New Hampshire, I will allow nature’s cycles to connect me with something greater than worship logistics and writing deadlines. I will allow this beauty to fill my soul and remind me of those enduring truths that can never find full expression in words, that speak only the language of the soul.

May all of us find some of that peace and purpose as summer wanes, and may we bring that sense of spirit with us when we come together to welcome 5787 in just a few weeks.

08/12/2026

Rabbi Goldsmith's Message:

I’m in charge of the judges’ Maccabiah bling this year. Isn’t that a great sentence? It’s the kind of sentence that only makes sense at camp.

That, of course, is one of the joys of camp: the insider language, the code words that evoke joy and excitement and anticipation from everyone who goes to that camp. At its best, camp makes everyone feel part of something greater than themselves while still somehow intimate and close and communal. Alma maters and cheers, dining hall chants and bunk shenanigans, mascots and sayings - all of them identify people as members of that community, as insiders. A word or a bit of melody can evoke a whole world of meaning, crossing age groups and even decades, connecting one generation of campers to the next.

What I love about URJ Eisner Camp - where I am spending this week on the rabbinic faculty - is that so many of those songs and code words and traditions are, in fact, Jewish. Campers debate the best melody for Mi Chamocha, argue about which group did the best Shabbat service dance, and vie to read Torah at services. They do all those things for the same reasons that campers at any camp long to participate. But here, the traditions are also the traditions of our people, and they can become gateways to lifelong Jewish connection.

When these campers are 20 at Hillel, 30 at a young Jews event, or 40 at a new synagogue; when they recite a snippet of a prayer or hear a few bars of an Israeli folk song, it will awaken a connection not only to our people, but to the glowing warmth and joy of their days at camp. That is why I spend time during the summer at Jewish camp - to help plant those seeds for the Jewish future. And, of course, camp isn’t the only place we plant those seeds. Every joyful Jewish memory we create - at camp, at home, or in our congregation - becomes something our children can carry with them.

Oh, I also spend time at Jewish camp to provide the judges’ Maccabiah bling - the light-up bracelets, fidget toys, and glowing necklaces we wear as we judge the color war dances and cheers. Because, in addition to being filled with meaning and depth, camp is also silly and fun!

08/07/2026

08/05/2026

Rabbi Goldsmith's Message:

The words of Reb Nachman of Bratzlav:

"May it be my custom to go outdoors each day among the trees and grass - among all growing things - and there may I... enter into prayer, to talk with the One to whom I belong."

This Friday, we will gather as a congregation in the spirit of Reb Nachman and in the spirit of all who find nature to be a source of spirituality and meaning. Sitting on the beach in Rye, surrounded by the sand and waves, the beach grass and the birds, we will welcome Shabbat with the joy of song, community, reflection, and prayer.

The warmth will come not only from the heat and humidity (which are certainly real!) but even more from the sense of togetherness and the opportunity to reconnect with fellow congregants in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable. Our Shabbat on the Beach is always a highlight of the summer, and this year it will be even more meaningful as we welcome Cantor Isaac Sonett-Assor. Don't miss this opportunity to sing with our new cantor before the High Holy Days.

See you there!

P.S. Yes, yes, I know the forecast says it might rain. It says that every year! If we need to move the service to our sanctuary, we'll send an email shortly beforehand. But I've got faith that the weather will cooperate.

07/29/2026

Rabbi Goldsmith's Message:

It is not every day that you get to sit with an extraordinary musician, hear them perform a wide range of music, ask them anything, and, as if that weren't enough, enjoy a nosh together. Well, this Sunday at 3:00pm, you can do exactly that with our new cantor, Isaac Sonett-Assor, right here at Emanu-El.

Through music ranging from Jewish liturgy to pop, musical theater to some of his own original compositions, Cantor Isaac will help us discover the Jewish wisdom and inspiration that can be found across musical genres.

This intimate gathering is a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know the clergy person who will help lead our congregation in the sanctuary, the classroom, the boardroom, and throughout the life of our community.

What a wonderful way to end your weekend! RSVP here: https://tinyurl.com/3dsn9c74, and join us for an inspiring and uplifting Sunday afternoon.

07/22/2026

Rabbi Goldsmith's Message:

One of the great joys of congregational life is helping to shape the next generation of Jewish leaders. Every few years, we welcome a new rabbinic intern to Emanu-El, giving our congregation the opportunity to hear a fresh voice while providing an aspiring rabbi with meaningful, hands-on experience in congregational life.

I am delighted to introduce our new Rabbinic Intern, Jonathan Kabiri. Jonathan grew up in Modi’in, Israel, where he was raised in the Reform movement. Before entering rabbinical school at Hebrew Union College, he spent nearly a decade with Seeds of Peace, helping young people from regions of conflict develop leadership skills, build relationships across divides, and engage in meaningful dialogue. Jonathan now lives in Tarrytown with his wife, Eden, and their daughter, Leah Or.

Over the coming year, you will see Jonathan on the bimah, in our Religious School classrooms, teaching adults, working with b’nei mitzvah students, and participating in many aspects of congregational life. I hope you will introduce yourselves, welcome him warmly, and help make Emanu-El an important part of his rabbinic formation.

Finally, I want to express our gratitude to all the donors to the Offit-Sekulow Memorial Internship Fund, whose generosity makes this internship possible. Their vision not only keeps alive the memory of Danny Offit and Gene Sekulow, it also allows us to invest in the future of Reform Judaism by helping prepare the next generation of rabbis while enriching our own congregation with new voices, perspectives, and ideas.

Please join me in welcoming Jonathan and his family to Congregation Emanu-El. I know we will all make them feel right at home.

07/15/2026

Rabbi Goldsmith's Message:

My rabbinical school, Hebrew Union College, did a lovely profile of me focused on mentorship. A few nice quotes from the article are below and you can find the full text here: https://tinyurl.com/sw2wrzem.

“He describes rabbis as falling somewhere on a spectrum between serving Torah and serving people, and he’s candid that he lands closer to the people end, using what he calls '3,000 years of religious technologies' in service of his congregants’ lives. He tries to model that ethos for his interns, but he’s equally intentional about not imposing it. His real goal, he says, is to give them room to figure out where they fall on that spectrum themselves, rather than simply replicating him.”

“Goldsmith is candid about what keeps him grounded through the harder parts of the job. His approach, one he actively teaches his interns: 'Take the work seriously, and don’t take yourself too seriously.’”

07/10/2026