Lashon Hakodesh (The Holy Tongue) and Magen Avraham: Parshat Lech Lecha
Torah From the Holy Land Torah: Lashon Hakodesh (the Holy Tongue) יג וַיָּבֹא֙ הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאַבְרָ֣ם הָֽעִבְרִ֑י וְהוּא֩…
October 23, 2015
Writings
Thoughts & Torah
Sam loves to write on a number of subjects — from prayer leadership and Jewish stories, to Torah reflections and travel experiences.
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Exploring Good Davening
Thoughts on prayer leadership, creating meaningful and potentially transformative prayer communities. Subscribe to get new posts directly in your inbox.
June 24, 2025
Praying Your Announcements - Part 2
Matching tone, allowing breath, and techniques for delivering them
May 27, 2025
Praying Your Announcements - Part 1
Tips and Tricks Calling Pages and Giving Kavannot
April 21, 2025
Late For Kiddush
How do we hold a spiritual container when we're on a time clock?
March 14, 2025
Distracted Davenning
What should we be thinking about when leading prayer?
March 13, 2025
Reflections on the Fast of Esther
How her model might help us through chaotic and troubling times.
March 4, 2025
One Hour, One Melody
All you need is one
Archive
From the Blog
Shedding the Fur Coat and Faith: Parshat Noah and Tov lhodot
Torah – A Tzaddik in a Fur Coat Chassidic master Rabbi Mendel of Kotzk once referred to a…
October 16, 2015
Bereshit: A Primordial Light and Yotzer Or: Parshat Bereshit
Torah – Bereshit: A Primordial Light Have you ever gazed longingly at the sky on a star filled…
October 9, 2015
The Key To Youth and the Aleinu: Parshat Vzot Habrachah: Torah From the Holy Land
The Key To Youth – V’zot Ha’brachah וּמשֶׁ֗ה בֶּן־מֵאָ֧ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּמֹת֑וֹ לֹא־כָֽהֲתָ֥ה עֵינ֖וֹ וְלֹא־נָ֥ס לֵחֹֽה: (דברים לד:ז)…
September 25, 2015
Directing Our Eyes, Ears, and Heart to God: Parshat Haazinu: Torah and Tefillah
Torah – Directing Our Eyes, Ears, and Heart to God מו וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ שִׂ֣ימוּ לְבַבְכֶ֔ם לְכָ֨ל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָֽנֹכִ֛י…
September 18, 2015
Loving at a Cost: Parshat Ki Teitzei
יח: וְזָֽכַרְתָּ֗ כִּ֣י עֶ֤בֶד הָיִ֨יתָ֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּפְדְּךָ֛ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ מִשָּׁ֑ם עַל־כֵּ֞ן אָֽנֹכִ֤י מְצַוְּךָ֙ לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה 18: You…
September 4, 2015
SHUL REVIEW: Raz’s Minyan / VaAni Tefillah (Friday and Saturday Morning)
Rating: 4/5 — Friday nights are wonderful and full of energy; Saturday mornings are rather lacking. Friday Night:…
November 14, 2014
SHUL REVIEW: Leader Minyan / Amika de-Bira (Saturday and Holidays)
Rating: 6/5 — My favorite Saturday minyan. Leader sings every page in the siddur, and every person is…
October 18, 2014
SHUL REVIEW: Yakar — Downstairs Minyan (Friday and Saturday)
Rating: 5/5 — Beautiful harmony that is perfectly resonant in their space. Friday Night: The room reverberated from…
September 26, 2014
SHUL REVIEW: Kol Rina / The Bomb Shelter Shul (Friday and Saturday Morning)
Rating: 5/5 — A beautifully sung Carlebach service that gave me chills more than once. Kol Rina is…
September 20, 2014
SHUL REVIEW: The Kotel (Friday)
It’s the Kotel. What more needs to be said? The Western Wall represents perhaps Judaism’s holiest site, where…
September 19, 2014
SHUL REVIEW: Kol Haneshama (Saturday Morning)
Rating: 2/5 — Bleh. One of Jerusalem’s rare Reform prayer communities. The sanctuary accommodates approximately 150 worshippers, though…
September 6, 2014