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Vayeitzei - What Are We Supposed to Learn?
Different people approach the Bible with different needs. Some read the book in order to learn the history of our people (reading the...
rabbiaustinzoot
Dec 4, 20223 min read


Representation Matters...Except When It Doesn't
When the original Black Panther came out, it instantly became my favorite Marvel movie. The hero was a badass, the action was...
rabbiaustinzoot
Nov 28, 20223 min read


Toldot: A Guide to How To Do Thanksgiving The Wrong Way...
Generally, when we read the Bible, we are looking for lessons about how we can live a more fulfilling, meaningful, moral life. But the...
rabbiaustinzoot
Nov 24, 20223 min read


Chayei Sarah: What's Money Between Friends?
We aren’t supposed to play favorites, but I think Genesis is the best book in the Bible. There is so much nuance to each of the stories,...
rabbiaustinzoot
Nov 20, 20223 min read


Jason Heyward is the Cub We Didn't Know We Wanted
On November 2nd, I texted to wish my father a happy anniversary. It had been six years since the night in Wrigleyville when we celebrated...
rabbiaustinzoot
Nov 15, 20223 min read


Vayera 5783 - Seeing God in the World
Abraham finished last week’s Torah portion with a self-operated circumcision, so it would make sense that this week, in Parashat Vayera,...
rabbiaustinzoot
Nov 10, 20223 min read


Lech Lecha 5783: Abraham as the prototype for the MCU?
What do you create next after you’re done making the greatest cinematic conclusion in the history of entertainment? Marvel Studios is...
rabbiaustinzoot
Nov 1, 20222 min read


Finding Balance Without Rocking the Boat (or Ark)
Only two weeks into the reading of the book of Genesis, you’d wonder whether or not God had much of a plan when creating humanity. The...
rabbiaustinzoot
Oct 28, 20223 min read


A Grateful Rabbi
Dear Valley Temple, Thank you. This is the busiest season of our year, and I feel an obligation to let you know how meaningful this past...
rabbiaustinzoot
Oct 9, 20223 min read


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Oct 7, 20220 min read


rabbiaustinzoot
Sep 29, 20220 min read


Communication and Compassion Can Counteract Quiet Quitting
There is a story we tell in our community about three bricklayers. One day, a person comes walking up the street and sees them busy at...
rabbiaustinzoot
Sep 17, 20224 min read


The Game Nobody Can See: The Future of Baseball Is Streaming
For years, we’ve been hearing about the constant initiative to make baseball more accessible to a new generation of fans. From extra...
rabbiaustinzoot
Sep 9, 20223 min read


Working Face to Face
Six weeks ago, I reached out to ReformJudaism.org to ask if I could write a couple of blog posts for their site. It is not secret that I...
rabbiaustinzoot
Aug 26, 20223 min read


Taking Back the 4th
My favorite summer tradition is celebrating the 4th of July at camp. I deck myself out in red, white, and blue, and make some truly...
rabbiaustinzoot
Jul 4, 20223 min read


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Jun 30, 20220 min read


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Jun 23, 20220 min read


rabbiaustinzoot
Jun 20, 20220 min read


The Generalist - Top Gun:Maverick
Who ever decided that fan service was a bad thing? It’s no small task to try to recreate the magic of a movie made a quarter-century ago....
rabbiaustinzoot
Jun 17, 20223 min read


rabbiaustinzoot
Jun 15, 20220 min read
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