Justice for Jonathan Pollard

I gave this sermon at Temple B'nai Shalom in Braintree, MA, on January 8, 2010.

Justice for Jonathan Pollard

by

Rabbi Van Lanckton

Temple B’nai Shalom, Braintree

January 8, 2011 – 3 Shevat 5771

Jonathan Pollard has been locked up in jail by our government for 25 years. He is serving a life sentence without parole.

He went to jail when he was 31 years old. Now he is 56.

Christmas and Converts

I gave this sermon at Temple Emanuel in Newton, MA, on Saturday, December 25, 2010.

 44 years ago was the last time I celebrated Christmas.

I was 24 years old.

Four months later, I converted to Judaism.

Converting to Judaism is a journey that begins long before the day of the conversion ceremony. And that journey continues long after that day.

My journey began with losing faith in the Christian understanding of God. That happened at least eight years before I converted. I was looking for answers to deep questions about God and fairness. Christianity did not provide answers that satisfied me.