Rabbi Joe Black Music

Today was a vitally important day in the struggle to ensure Abortion Care for all in Colorado. Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom is a coalition of faith leaders, community activists and concerned citizens who have been working to ensure that Reproductive Health Care will be affordable and available to all citizens of our State.  I was asked to speak last January at the kickoff

In the Torah portion that we read last shabbat, Parashat Shemini, we come across a strange and previously unknown concept – that of אש זרה (Eysh Zara) – a “strange fire”  offered up by Aaron’s sons. According to our text, Nadav and Abihu brought their firepans to the altar after the Mishkan (Tabernacle) was dedicated and proffered an offering to God that had not been commanded. As a result

  Our God and the God of all people:God of the Left and God of the Right God of the Judged and God of the Jurist God of the Doubter and God of the Driven God of those who have no God: We are living in troubled times. We are part of a nation divided and a legislative body that finds it difficult to come together in spite of our differences. Divisions and distrust permeate everything that

Our God who calls us to reflect on who we are and why we are here: This morning, we come together in this sacred place as we near the half-way point of our legislative session.  We marvel at the passage of time while simultaneously feeling the anxiety of the layers of unfinished business that loom in front of us.  In a world that all too often demands unyielding perfection from its

Our God who dwells on High.Our God who walks in the street.Our God whose voice rolls down like thunder.Our God who we find in the doubts that plague us in the middle of the night.Today is the 29th of February. This day that only occurs every 4 years reminds us that, in our desire to find order in the chaos of the cosmos, we need to adjust our calendars so that we might continue to number our

 Our God and God of all people: God of the rich God of the poor God of the refugee God of the soldier God of the homeless God of the comfortable God of those who have no God…   Today would have been my mother’s 98th Birthday.  It also happens to be the birthday of our nation’s 1st president, George Washington. Last Monday, our country celebrated President’s Day where we

I spent this past weekend in St. Louis, MO where I attended Songleader Bootcamp (SLBC) – a yearly celebration of Jewish music, spirituality, and leadership. This is the 5th year that I have been honored to serve as a Core Educator at SLBC. In that role, I taught classes, helped to lead services, shared my music, and helped to create a sacred community. This year’s SLBC was filled with many

Our God and God of all people. We know you by many names: God of mercy, God of Justice, God of Salvation, God of all Humanity But this morning – let us call you God of Love…..Today is February 15th. Yesterday was Valentine’s day. Some here today – the more cynical among us - might think that a day set aside to focus on love is a ploy to sell chocolate and flowers. And they may be right.

 I recently heard from a colleague serving a medium-sized congregation on the West Coast that he is very afraid to talk about Israel from the pulpit. He fears the reactions he might receive from his community. If he is supportive of Israel’s war in Gaza, there are many who will condemn him for supporting the “genocide” of the Palestinian people.  On the other hand, if he is critical,

Each week, as we read the news, it becomes increasingly difficult to come to terms with the reality that is unfolding in Israel and Gaza. The situation of the Palestinian population becomes more dire every day.  We hear reports of the destruction and devastation of huge amounts of territory controlled by Hamas. The casualty reports continue to grow. The IDF has unequivocally shown that