Yom Kippur Afternoon Speaker: Rabbi Rick Jacobs

We are honored to host Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, for our afternoon study session, "Eradicating Hate." 

Location: Beir Chapel, In-person only for Central Synagogue members and live-streamed.

At a time when our world is awash with hate, our spiritual health demands that we limit its corrosive toxins in our lives. Long before these days of increased anti-Jewish hatred and other forms of racism, our Jewish tradition taught that we are each capable of hateful words and deeds. While there are now vaccines for COVID, is there a vaccine for hate?  We will explore Judaism’s best strategies for eradicating hate from our hearts and communities by examining ancient and modern texts, including the rituals and texts of Yom Kippur. Rabbi Hillel famously said that the essence of Judaism is “what is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor…”  However, we know that’s easier said than done.