Recorded live on Oct. 3, 2025 | Shabbat Ha’azinuIn this Shabbat sermon, Rabbi Gellman connects the ancient words of Ha’azinu—“this is not a trifling thing for you; it is your very life”—to a deeply contemporary call for justice and compassion in Chicago. Reflecting on a recent federal raid in the South Shore neighborhood, Rabbi Gellman explores what it means to live out Torah through proximity, empathy, and action. He invites us to transform faith from theory into shared breath—building a “sukkah of peace” that shelters all our neighbors.
In this Yizkor sermon recorded live on Oct. 2, 2025, Rabbi Antman reflects on memory, loss, and the enduring “ripples” our loved ones leave behind. Drawing on the wisdom of Torah, midrash, psychology, and personal family stories—including his late Aunt Cynthia’s influence—he explores how the lives of those we cherish continue to shape us long after they are gone. Through remembrance, ritual, and the legacies we carry forward, Rabbi Antman invites us to honor those who inspired us and to let their echoes guide us into the future with love and reverence.
In this Yom Kippur sermon recorded live on Oct. 2, 2025, Rabbi Gellman reflects on the crisis of disconnection facing young men today and the broader challenge of building compassionate communities in uncertain times. Drawing on his grandfather’s wisdom, Jewish texts, and the research of Robert Putnam and Richard Reeves, Rabbi Gellman contrasts a culture that prizes toughness with a Jewish call to “walk like a mensch.” He explores how patience, curiosity, and vulnerability can become the true hallmarks of strength—helping us all nurture connection, emotional intelligence, and sacred community.
In this Kol Nidre service recorded live on Oct. 1, 2025, Rabbi Conover reflects on how anger, conflict, and the need to be “right” have fractured conversations in Jewish life—especially around Israel and Gaza—and invites us to rediscover the holiness of whispers, empathy, and listening. Drawing from Yehuda Amichai’s poetry, Hillel’s teachings, and the voices of both Jewish survival and universal justice, Rabbi Conover calls for a Judaism rooted in both courage and compassion. The service concludes with Cantor Sheera Ben-David leading a stirring anthem, weaving music and prayer into a vision of healing, unity, and hope.
In this Rosh Hashanah sermon recorded live on Sept. 23, 2025, Rabbi Shoshanah Conover explores the meaning of hope in uncertain times. Drawing on the instinct of elephants protecting their young during an earthquake, her encounter with a political psychologist in Jerusalem, and George Frederick Watts’ evocative painting Hope, she reminds us that true hope is not blind optimism, but active courage. Rabbi Conover challenges us to make music with the “one remaining chord,” and to preserve the future together through community, resilience, and faith.
In this Erev Rosh Hashanah sermon recorded live on Sept. 22, 2025, Rabbi Max Antman reflects on feelings of learned helplessness in a world in crisis. Drawing on the stories of Moses, Esther, and our prophets, he reminds us that Jewish tradition never demands perfection or certainty. Through teshuvah (turning), tefillah (discernment), and tzedakah (righteousness), we are called to overcome despair and step forward, however imperfectly, to help mend a fractured world.
In this Shabbat Shuvah sermon recorded live on Sept. 26, 2025, Rabbi Conover reflects on the spiritual work of teshuvah—turning, returning, and growing into who we are meant to be. Through stories of Sir Edmund Hillary’s determination, journal entries from her rabbinical school years, and a haunting Holocaust art exhibit by Marian Kołodziej, she explores the courage it takes to revisit both our failures and our moments of light. Rabbi Conover reminds us that the gates of repentance remain open—for forgiveness of others, of ourselves, and for the growth that still lies ahead.
In this sermon recorded live on Sept. 19, 2025, Rabbi Gellman explores how hope and responsibility are always within reach—“not in the heavens… nor beyond the sea,” but “in your mouth and in your heart.” Drawing on Parshat Nitzavim, Pirkei Avot, and the rhythms of Elul, he reframes overwhelm into action: the work of teshuvah and community care as daily, doable steps. With the High Holy Days approaching, Rabbi Gellman invites us to use our voices, choose blessing, and practice the hard—but possible—mitzvot that make repair real.
In this sermon recorded live on Sept. 12, 2025, Rabbi Antman reflects on the power of storytelling—how family narratives, Torah, and Jewish tradition shape our identity and our moral compass. Drawing on Parshat Ki Tavo, Rashi’s teaching to “tell with a full voice,” and the writings of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, he challenges us to consider the story of this past year as we enter the High Holy Days. Storytelling, he reminds us, is not only memory—it is a spiritual imperative that guides how we live and who we become.
In this sermon recorded live on Sept. 5, 2025, Rabbi Conover explores what it means to make—and keep—our vows in the season of Elul. Drawing on Deuteronomy, Ecclesiastes, and Rashi, she contrasts “under-promising” with Judaism’s call to aspirational commitment, urging us to act on pledges that honor our moral character: welcoming the stranger, caring for the sick, and respecting our elders. With the High Holy Days approaching, Rabbi Conover invites us to revisit unfinished promises and fulfill them with urgency, so that—as Kol Nidrei nears—our words align with our deeds and light is “sown for the righteous.”
In this episode, recorded live on Aug. 29, 2025, Rabbi Gellman traces why Reform Jews gather on Friday nights—rooted in compassion for workers who couldn’t attend Saturday services—and connects that history to Jewish leadership in America’s labor movement. From Torah’s call, “Justice, justice shall you pursue,” to the struggles of garment workers and today’s fights against wage theft and unsafe conditions, this sermon weaves text, history, and moral urgency into a call to build a holier, fairer economy.
In this sermon recorded live on Aug. 22, 2025, Rabbi Conover connects daring leaps of faith from her summer adventures to the spiritual courage of entering the month of Elul. Reflecting on Psalm 27, Nachshon’s bravery at the sea, and Aaron’s role as a peacemaker, she invites us to embrace this sacred season as a time to repair relationships, nurture kindness, and prepare our hearts for the new year.
In this episode of Beyond the Bimah, a special segment of Temple Sholom’s podcast where our clergy reflect on timely and meaningful topics, Rabbi Shoshanah Conover, Rabbi Scott Gellman, and Rabbi Max Antman unpack the power of the shofar, the weight of regret, and why Elul is the month to check your soul’s receipt.From ancient metaphors to real talk on teshuva and emotional readiness, this episode invites you to turn—toward growth, toward reflection, and toward a more intentional year ahead.Listen now, and let the soul-work begin
How do we carry the magic of Jewish camp—singing under the stars, joyful blessings around the table, the sound of Hebrew prayers woven with laughter and birdsong—into our daily lives once we’re back home? In this week’s sermon, recorded live Aug. 15, 2025, on Parashat Eikev, Rabbi Gellman of Temple Sholom invites us to explore the connection between joy, blessing, and action. Drawing from the spirited energy of OSRUI summer camp and the Torah’s call to “hear and do,” Rabbi Gellman reflects on how everyday rituals—friendship, song, gratitude, mitzvot—can extend the blessings of summer into the year ahead. Discover how to turn camp memories into meaningful practices, so joy becomes a renewable source of blessing for our homes, families, and community.
In this sermon recorded live on Aug. 8, 2025, Rabbi Antman reflects on a personal encounter that revealed how labels like “Zionist” and “Anti-Zionist” can erase the richness of a person’s story. Drawing on Parshat Va’etchanan, the Shema Yisrael, and lessons from Resetting the Table, he calls for resisting “the single story” by practicing deep listening across lines of division. Rabbi Antman urges the community to reject sinat chinam (baseless hatred), to make space for multiple truths in one voice, and to build relationships grounded in curiosity, receptivity, and shared humanity.
In this sermon recorded live on Aug. 1, 2025, Rabbi Conover reflects on the Book of Deuteronomy—a text of retellings and revisions—and how we, too, shape our stories in the hopes of leaving behind a meaningful legacy.What if the real beauty lies not in the perfect spin, but in the honest mess? Through personal stories, Torah wisdom, and poetic reflection, Rabbi Conover invites us to embrace the grit and the grace of our lives—and to consider what is truly worth repeating.
In this sermon recorded live on July 25, 2025, Rabbi Antman reflects on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the moral burden we carry as Jews witnessing the suffering of children. Drawing on personal memory, Talmudic wisdom, and prophetic vision, he explores the complex paradox of Jewish responsibility in the face of pain, politics, and fear.Rabbi Antman challenges us to remember that our tradition demands more than silence—that justice, dignity, and shared humanity must guide our actions.
In this Shabbat sermon recorded live on July 18, 2025, Rabbi Conover reflects on the spiritual and emotional challenges of waiting—whether for joyful milestones, painful commemorations, or peace that feels just out of reach. Drawing from Jewish tradition, personal stories, and the wisdom of the prophets, she explores how we can bring purpose, vision, and compassion to even the most uncertain seasons. As we mark the somber days leading to Tisha B’Av, Rabbi Conover reminds us that in times of waiting, we are called not to despair—but to be the light.
In this sermon recorded live from Shabbat on July 11, 2025, Rabbi Conover reflects on the devastating floods in Texas that claimed over 100 lives, including children at a beloved summer camp. Grappling with the age-old question—where is God when tragedy strikes?—she weaves personal stories, Jewish wisdom, and teachings from Rabbi Harold Kushner and Buddhist tradition to explore how we find meaning in suffering.Rather than searching for unanswerable reasons, Rabbi Conover challenges us to respond with compassion, presence, and action. What does it mean to be God’s hands in a world still shaped by chaos?
In this Shabbat sermon recorded live on July 4, 2025, Rabbi Gellman explores the story of Moses striking the rock in Parashat Chukat and what it reveals about leadership, doubt, and divine compassion. From the Israelites' desperate thirst in the desert to today's global water crisis, Rabbi Gellman draws powerful connections between Torah and our responsibility to respond to the world’s most urgent needs.