Rabbi Naomi Levy

Big Ideas for the Jewish Future: The Boomerang Effect

Published on November 9, 2006

Reaching unaffiliated Boomers who begin to ponder midlife.

A Prayer for Victims of Hurricane Katrina

Published on September 8, 2005

Are You watching, God?

Have You seen the innocent swept away?

Are You listening, God?

Have You heard their cries?

Be with them, God.

Be their strength and their comfort.

Let them know You are near.

Work through us, God.

Teach us to be Your messengers on earth.

Wake us up, God,

Show us how to help.

Use us, God, shine through us,

Inspire us to rebuild the ruins.

Open our hearts so we can comfort the mourning.

Open our arms so we can extend our hands to those in need.

Shake us out of our complacency, God.

Be our guide,

Transform our helplessness into action,

Our generous intentions into charity,

Turn the prayers of our souls into acts of kindness and compassion.

Amen.

God, Prayers and Keeping the Faith

Published on September 25, 2003

Rabbi Harold Kushner's son, Aaron, died two days before he turned 14 following a battle with a rare and horrific childhood disease.

A Great Personality

Published on April 17, 2003

In our Torah portion this Shabbat, Moses, who is closer to God than any other human being, pleads with God, "Show me Your presence."

Power of a Blessing

Published on December 19, 2002

If you were told that you had only a matter of days to live what would you do? Write out a will? Eat your favorite meal? Try to repair troubled relationships? In our Torah portion this Shabbat, Jacob knows he is dying. Faced with this knowledge, there is only one thing he wants to do: bless those he loves.

Show Me the Way

Published on September 12, 2002

Not long ago, a friend of mine called me and said, "Naomi, I need your help.

Yom Kippur

Published on September 20, 2001

And now comes Yom Kippur. We watch in horror and pain as people search desperately for their loved ones. We mourn as body after body is removed from the rubble. Our hope for recovering survivors diminishes by the hour. Our eyes are full of tears, our hearts are full of pain, and our minds reel in disbelief. Did this really happen? We feel helpless. We can't undo what has been done. We feel rage. We long to wreak vengeance upon this loathsome enemy who has no borders, and no heart.