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For We Were Strangers
“From generation to generation, each person should consider themselves personally liberated from Egypt.” For we were all strangers in the land of Egypt. In 1934, my grandmother was becoming a stranger in a land she no longer recognized, living in Berlin under Nazi rule. As a young child of 11, she was still allowed to…
From “I” to “We”: The Sacred Balance of Self and Community on Americas 250th
Rosh Hashanah 5786-2025 Once there was a small village preparing for the king’s visit. The townspeople decided to fill a giant barrel with wine and present it to the king upon his arrival. They concluded that each family of the town would bring one flask filled with wine and pour it into the giant barrel…
Preserving Jewish Peoplehood
Rosh Hashanah 5786-2025, Congregation Sukkat Shalom In early June, I stood with Missy and 17 Sukkat Shalom community members in the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca in Toledo, Spain, where Jews were persecuted and expelled 600 years ago. I could see the pain in everyone’s eyes. For four days we had toured places where…
Seek the Light
originally sent as a congregation email to Sukkat Shalom, February 28,2025 Friends, These past two weeks have brought unimaginable grief to the Bibas family, to Israelis, to Jews, and to lovers of peace around the world. Watching the heinous release ceremonies of the hostages enflames anger and rage within us, darkening our world. As he…
Embracing the Paradox of Love
Congregation Sukkat Shalom Yom Kippur 5785/2024 Our Torah begins with the story of creation: “In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth, the earth was chaotic and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water— God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God…
Finding Comfort in Community
Rosh Hashanah 5785/2024 The day started like any other. Sun peeking in through the blinds, Aiden standing in front of my face asking me to wake up. I took him downstairs, made coffee, poured him a cup of milk, and read our usual litany of books about trucks, dinosaurs, and unicorns. Later that morning I…
Balancing Compassion and Anger
Friday, April 26, 2024. I’ll never forget the time I attended a major summit on racial justice in Denver as a young rabbi. I had been working with local clergy in the area for many months, and we gathered to codify a document charging our community to continue to fight racism. Wearing my kippa, I…
Our Hope For Israel Will Not Be Lost
Pedaling from one Reform Synagogue to another we learned that the government does not financially support Reform congregations and therefore they need to raise money to establish a true alternative to the ultra-orthodox rabbinic authority. A problem that persists today. Years ago I was once biking in Israel though the forests outside of Jerusalem. Wearing…
Waiting for Elijah
“Behold, [says God], I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of the great and awesome day of God.[1]” Eliyahu Hanavi, Eliyahu Hatishbi, Elyahu Hagiladi, Bimherah Yavo Elenu Im Mashiach Ben David. Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah the Giladite, May he soon come to us, with Messiah, the son of…
The Crisis in Israel
a sermon delivered on March 3, 2023 This past Monday, Elan Ganeles, who grew up in West Hartford was murdered on his way to celebrate the wedding of his best friend’s sister. He was traveling on a road through the West Bank that is one of the primary roads to get to the Dead Sea,…
Do Not Send Them Away Empty-Handed
Delivered Yom Kippur Morning, 5783/2022Congregation Mishkan Israel, Hamden, CT Sarah bent down and dipped her rag into the bucket of blood. She slowly started painting her doorpost which turned a dark, burnt red color. As she dipped her rag again she wondered, will we really go free tomorrow? As the blood dripped down the door…
Confronting Antisemitism Together
Delivered on Kol Nidre 5773 | 2022 On May 3, 2019 following the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and subsequently the attack at a Chabad in Ponway, California, I gave a sermon during which I announced that we would hire an armed guard to protect us. May 3rd, 2019 was the…
Why Israel?
Rosh Hashanah Morning 5783/2022Congregation Mishkan Israel, Hamden, CT 75 years! Next April we will celebrate Israel’s 75th birthday. I’m sure our local celebrations will feature Falafel, Israeli Salad, hummus, and Israeli music. While we will acknowledge that Palestinians call this day their “Catastrophe, the Nakba,” and for them this is a day of mourning, we…
Planting for the Future by Counting our Blessings Today
Rosh Hashanah 5783 – 2022 “How awesome is this place – מַה־נּוֹרָ֖א הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה!” (Ma Norah HaMakom HaZeh!) It is awesome to see everyone, we are so glad that you are here both in person and online. In our Torah we find Jacob, wary from a long journey, seeking a comfortable place to rest. He…
We Will Rise Up
I stand before you as a white male rabbi. As a rabbi, I could speak about the Jewish laws that not only permit but may even require an abortion if a woman’s life is in danger. (Mishneh Oholot 7:6) Whether she is in physical, mental or economic danger, in Judaism the fetus becomes a rodef,…
I Will Bereave You
Two weeks ago I gave an impassioned sermon about the right to be who we want to be, to love who we want to love, and to have autonomy over our bodies. I felt sad afterward. These aren’t the sermons I want to give. I want to stand on the bima and tell you it…
The Jewish Family
We are a family that welcomes everyone who wants to proudly participate with us in spreading love, meaning and purpose to those who so choose.
We Will Long Endure
For now we place our trust in ourselves, through vigilance and action. We remember every time we blot out Amalek’s name that we are still here. We are still here and the Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Spanish Monarchy, Nazis, are no more. We blot out their memory but we never forget that we endured and will…
The Arithmetic of Failure
Since the pandemic began, we have been a society fixated on numbers. First we were concerned about the raw numbers of people getting sick, and then hospitalized, and then those who have died from COVID. Looking at individual numbers are important for each of these represents a soul who has become sick, a person who…
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Rabbi Brian Immerman 