Mishkan Blog
This Is Not The Time To Give Up
This sermon was delivered at our Friday Night Shabbat service on November 8th. You can listen this sermon on Contact Chai podcast or watch it on Mishkan's YouTube channel. **** Perhaps it was naive of me to go to bed on Tuesday with a sense of optimism. We all knew it...
You Are Not Alone
Many of us woke up this morning to a pit in our stomach and at a loss for words. Almost 70 people joined us this morning in our minyan to sing, breathe and pray through the incredulity, fear and uncertainty of this moment and a sense of foreboding at what the years...
The Book of Meh — Guest D’var by Aidan Gilbert
This d'var was delivered at our 5785 Yom Kippur service. You can watch it now on Mishkan's YouTube channel or listen on Contact Chai podcast. **** Shabbat shalom and Good Yontif. On Rosh Hashanah it is written, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed: How many shall pass...
Fertility Journey — Guest Speaker Reflection by Stephanie Goldfarb
These remarks were delivered at Mishkan's 5785 Rosh Hashanah service. You can watch them on Mishkan's YouTube channel or listen on Contact Chai podcast. **** At this time last year, and for the last four years, I sat in high holiday services trying my very best to...
Expressing Our Gratitude — High Holidays 5785
Your High Holiday Experience Thank you so much for choosing to spend your High Holidays with Mishkan Chicago! Whether you watched the live-stream, attended the in-person service, or dropped into one of our family programs, we would love to hear your feedback about...
No Bad Jews — R’Steven Yom Kippur Sermon
This sermon was delivered at Mishkan's 5785 Yom Kippur service. You can watch it on Mishkan's YouTube channel or listen on Contact Chai podcast. **** When I’m out and about and other members of the tribe find out what I do for work, nine times out of ten they’ll tell...
Sabbatical and Sustainability — R’Lizzi Kol Nidre Sermon
This sermon was delivered at Mishkan's 5785 Kol Nidre service. You can listen to this sermon on Contact Chai podcast or watch the sermon on Mishkan Chicago's YouTube channel. **** In December of 2016, for the last episode of the year on John Oliver’s show Last Week...
We Cannot Let Our Grief Tear Us Apart — R’Lizzi Rosh Hashanah Sermon
This sermon was delivered at Mishkan Chicago's 5785 Rosh Hashanah service. You can listen on Contact Chai podcast or watch on Mishkan's YouTube channel. **** About a week after October 7th, I found myself sitting at the kitchen table of our Board Chair, Lisa, and I...
What Did You See That Made You Want To Be A Jew? — R’Steven Erev Rosh Sermon
This sermon was delivered at our 5785 Erev Rosh Hashanah service. You can watch it on YouTube or listen on Contact Chai podcast. **** A few months ago, Mishkan welcomed 30 (!) brand new Jews into our people. They finished the conversion process in August, either at...
We Are Commanded To Love
The saddest day of the Jewish calendar is followed by one of the most joyous. In this moving sermon delivered at our August 17th Saturday Morning Shabbat service, Rabbi Steven examined why this is and how the abundant love of Tu B’Av can overcome the excessive hatred...
City of Refuge: Balancing Justice and Compassion
At our August 3rd Saturday morning service, Rabbi Steven delivered a drash about the biblical concept of the city of refuge, places where those accused of manslaughter could seek asylum. In a modern context, how do we balance justice and compassion? How can we employ...
Learning From My Experiences As A Maggie’s Place Intern
Over the last year, I have worked as an intern at Maggie's Place, Mishkan's center for social services. As I prepare for the next stage in my educational journey, I wanted to offer some insights I have learned along the way. I am pursuing a Masters in Social Work and...