by hazzantzius | Apr 2, 2010 | Sermon
One of my favorite movies of all time is “The Matrix.” It is a story of a dystopian future in which humanity has been taken over by computers. The catch is that the humans are completely unaware of their captivity. People’s brains are all plugged into a...
by hazzantzius | Jan 29, 2010 | Music, Sermon
The Psalmist wrote: “Shiru Ladonai Shir Khadash.”—“Sing unto God a New Song.” This evening, we have experienced new songs and new expressions to words we say week in and week out. We change the music of our prayers not because the words of our prayerbook...
by hazzantzius | Aug 21, 2009 | Sermon
I love the sound of cicadas in the summer. It is the tell-tale sign that it’s August. The cicada’s song is a mating call, but doesn’t sound that romantic to the human ear. If anything, it can be described, according to entomologist Gaye Williams, as “a million baby...
by hazzantzius | Jun 26, 2009 | Sermon
I hate restrictive diets, don’t you? I’ve been on my fair share of them: No sugar, no flour, no yeast, no dairy. No fun! Sometimes it’s necessary due to some health concern, sometimes for losing weight, but when I limit the variety of food in my daily routine, I...
by hazzantzius | Sep 30, 2008 | Sermon
Last night, Jews around the world, like many of us, gathered in homes for a festive New Year meal. Tables resplendent with tzimmes and kugel, brisket and chicken, wine and candles were adorned with white tablecloths, fine silverware, and surrounded by family and...
by hazzantzius | Aug 15, 2008 | Sermon
The following story was relayed to me by Ann Kibbel Schwartz, an educator with whom I worked in Omaha, Nebraska: So a young student of mine was asked to rise and recite the “Shema” in English. The youngster rose and proudly said: “Hear O Israel; The Lord is our God....
by hazzantzius | Jul 11, 2008 | Sermon
I’m a political junkie. As soon as CNN goes to commercial, it’s MSNBC, the occasional peek at FOX news, and then back to CNN. I go to the CNN website several times a day. I’m looking at tracking polls, listening to political analysis, reading commentaries…...
by hazzantzius | Apr 25, 2008 | Sermon
As long as I’ve lived here, I have been impressed with this community of New Rochelle. In an era of urban sprawl, people moving into Manhattan, out of Manhattan, over to Brooklyn, up into Connecticut… the New Rochelle residents have by and large remained...
by hazzantzius | Mar 25, 2008 | Cantorial, Sermon
Recently, I traveled with our synagogue’s Confirmation Class to Washington D.C. for our annual trip to the Religious Action Center (R.A.C.). During the trip, there were three interesting experiences I had: The first came during a welcome speech given by one of the...
by hazzantzius | Nov 3, 2007 | Sermon
The following speech was delivered at a peace rally in New Rochelle: I stand here before you not as the voice of my synagogue, nor as the voice of any movement, organization, or branch of Judaism. Rather, I am here to join the voice of Judaism to the other...
