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Steven Moskowitz

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Apr 26, 2018, 11:38 PM

Natalie, Speak Out!

Below is a letter I penned to Natalie Portman. Dear Natalie, Let me first say what a big fan I am of yours. I have followed your career from one of your very first movie roles in “Heat,” the best cops...

Apr 12, 2018, 11:37 PM

History’s Trauma

Central to the Passover seders we recently celebrated is the telling of our people’s slavery in Egypt. We proclaim, “We were slaves.” We are to imagine that our ancestors’ experience is our own. One might think that the experience of...

Dec 3, 2017, 3:59 PM

Cycling and Jerusalem Dreams

The Giro d’Italia is the 21-day professional cycling Italian grand tour held every year in May. This year the first three days are being held in Israel. Day one is an individual time trial in Jerusalem. Day two travels...

Oct 1, 2017, 6:36 AM

Fashioning the sacred

This past summer I was fortunate to travel to Israel and in particular Jerusalem where I studied at the Shalom Hartman Institute. I remain grateful for my congregation’s recognition of how important it is for its rabbi to renew his...

Jul 7, 2017, 6:03 AM

Sailing on Dreams

Today, I am grateful to have rediscovered a twofold blessing. First of all I am thankful to my congregation and its leaders for recognizing that its rabbi must renew his learning and refresh his spirit every year. I do so by attending...

Jun 30, 2017, 3:38 AM

Disagreements and Likes

There is a disturbing trend that is becoming ever more prevalent. It centers on disagreement. We have forgotten how to debate. We surround ourselves with like-minded people. With the click of a mouse we can unfriend those with whom we...

Apr 28, 2017, 5:38 AM

Miracles and Prophecies

We celebrate Israel's independence on fifth of Iyyar, this Tuesday. Although the modern state of Israel was founded on May 14, 1948 (5 Iyyar 5708) Jewish resettlement of the land began much earlier. Throughout the centuries, there were small...

Dec 23, 2016, 12:09 AM

Peacemaking, Eventually!

The story of Hanukkah is a story of zealotry. The Maccabees took up arms against the mighty Syrian-Greek army. They eventually defeat them and rededicate the Temple. Hanukkah means dedication. The Maccabees also battled against their coreligionists who were enamored...

Oct 14, 2016, 10:40 PM

UNESCO’s Every Grain of Sand

Elie Wiesel said: “hen, too, there are the Palestinians to whose plight I am sensitive but whose methods I deplore. Violence and terrorism are not the answer. Something must be done about their suffering, and soon." Once again Palestinian methods...

Aug 5, 2016, 12:02 AM

Mattot or Masei and Fraying Threads

Diaspora Jewry and Israel are out of sync. In fact we have been reading different Torah portions. Since the concluding Shabbat of Pesach Israeli Jews have been reading the portion ahead of that in the diaspora. Let me explain. In...

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About Me

Rabbi Steven Moskowitz is the rabbi of Congregation L'Dor V'Dor, formerly the Jewish Congregation of Brookville and the Oyster Bay Jewish Center, a community serving Long Island's North Shore. He began his rabbinical career in 1991 at the 92nd Street Y in New York. He travels every summer to Jerusalem to learn at the Shalom Hartman Institute where he is a Senior Rabbinic Fellow. Rabbi Moskowitz is married to Rabbi Susie Moskowitz and is the father of Shira and Ari.