Shabbat Greetings
Rabbi Malinger is currently on sabbatical until Monday, August 18, 2025. Even though he is taking the time to restore his spiritual wellness and taking a course to strengthen professional skills, he wanted to share different perspectives of the weekly Torah portion from his fellow rabbinic colleagues in the Reform Movement – please enjoy.
Rabbi Stacey Blank, Director of Leadership Development for the World Union for Progressive Judaism shares: For your God Adonai is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams and springs and fountains issuing from plain and hill; a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey; a land where you may eat food without stint, where you will lack nothing (Deuteronomy 8:7–8).
I imagine my ancestors reading these verses and dreaming. For them, life in the Land of Israel was an idea. For us, living in the Land of Israel is a reality. While they dreamed of entering the land, we fear losing the land. Later in this week’s Torah portion, Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25), Moses speaks about the conditions for living in the land: If, then, you obey the commandments that I enjoin upon you this day, loving Adonai your God and serving [God] with all your heart and soul… (11:13). This is followed by a series of blessings and curses.
I believe we learn from this opening that while the ability to defend ourselves is critical to our sovereignty, our existence in the land does not depend solely on our army or skill in fighting our enemies, but rather also on how we live in the land: love— giving without expectation of return; service— hard work even in the face of difficulties and disappointments; heart—seeking the truth within ourselves: soul—to see others not as objects, but as complete and full beings created in God’s image. We must build a healthy and supportive society in Israel and wherever we live.
These deeply transformative principles that transcend any specific place, and they carry profound implications for how we live—not just in Israel, but wherever we find ourselves. If the core values of love, service, truth, and seeing others with dignity and respect are integral to building a healthy and supportive society, then these principles can be translated into action wherever we live, including in the United States.
Here’s how we might bring these values to life:
1. Love, in this sense, means giving without counting the cost—whether it’s time, resources, or emotional support. In the U.S., this can manifest as engaging in community service or supporting causes that uplift the marginalized. Volunteering in local shelters, food banks, or providing mentorship to youth are ways of giving from the heart.
2. Service in the face of hardship means showing up, even when the world feels like it’s in turmoil. In the States, this could look like advocating for policies that uplift those who are struggling—whether that’s pushing for better healthcare, fighting for racial and social justice, or addressing economic inequality.
3. Living with heart means being willing to look inward, confront our biases, and seek personal growth. For us, as Jews, this is reflected in the ongoing process of teshuvah(repentance)—not just as a ritual act for the High Holidays, but as a lifelong commitment to self-improvement. In the U.S., this can take the form of regularly challenging ourselves to be better listeners, more inclusive, and more self-aware.
4. Seeing others as complete beings created in God’s image is a call for radical empathy and respect. In a society like the U.S., this can translate into standing up against dehumanization and bigotry in all forms—whether that’s racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, or Islamophobia. It’s about recognizing the inherent worth of every person, no matter their background or identity.
By embedding these values into everyday life—whether in our families, communities, or broader social and political engagements—we create a culture of living in alignment with our ideals. It’s not enough to just think about these values in the abstract; they must be reflected in how we engage with others, how we contribute to society, and how we support each other. This isn’t about grand gestures, but about small, everyday acts that weave together a fabric of love, service, truth, and respect for all people.
SHABBAT SHALOM