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.
In this Shabbat sermon recorded live on June 27, 2025, Rabbi Antman uses the story of Korach’s rebellion to reflect on the tension between certainty and curiosity in today’s polarized world. Exploring how Jewish tradition has historically responded to dissent, he challenges us to resist binary thinking and instead embrace the “white space” — the unanswered questions and complexities that lead to deeper wisdom. How can we learn to hold space for nuance, especially in times of conflict and division? Rabbi Antman invites us to wrestle thoughtfully, with humility and integrity.
In this Shabbat sermon, recorded live on June 20, 2025, Rabbi Gellman asks, "What do grasshoppers, ancient spies, and self-doubt have in common?"
Rabbi Gellman explores the "grasshopper mentality" from this week’s Torah portion, where fear and internalized smallness nearly derail a people on the brink of promise.
Drawing from Torah, midrash, pop culture, and modern justice movements, Rabbi Gellman invites us to reimagine how we see ourselves and how often we assume we are too small to make a difference.
Recorded live on June 13, 2025, Rabbi Conover delivers a Shabbat sermon that wrestles with the weight of Jewish memory in the face of present-day crisis. As tensions rise in the Middle East and fears awaken generational trauma, Rabbi Conover asks: What do we do with all that we carry?
In this Shabbat sermon, recorded live on June 6, 2025, Rabbi Scott Gellman of Temple Sholom of Chicago explores "The Nazir's Dilemma: Choosing Engagement Over Extremism in the Face of Rising Hate." Reflecting on recent acts of violence targeting Jewish communities, Rabbi Gellman draws lessons from Parashat Naso and the figure of the Nazir to address the challenges of extremism—both outside and within the Jewish world. He urges listeners to find a sacred balance between withdrawal and active engagement, emphasizing the importance of community, resilience, and moral clarity during turbulent times.
Recorded live at Temple Sholom of Chicago on May 30, 2025, this special Pride Shabbat episode uplifts the voices of LGBTQ+ community members and their journeys toward authenticity, acceptance, and pride.
Through three incredible personal stories , we hear what it means to be proudly Jewish and proudly queer—how spiritual communities can be places of affirmation, how identity evolves, and how simply living openly is a sacred act of resistance.
Happy Pride.
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, Rabbi Max Antman, and Cantor Sheera Ben-David come together for a Shavuot-inspired conversation. Drawing from the story of Ruth and Sarah Hurwitz’s Here All Along, they explore what it means to choose Judaism in today’s world through ritual, community, family, and lifelong learning.
This sermon was recorded live at Temple Sholom of Chicago on Shabbat, May 23, 2025. Rabbi Scott Gellman reflects on the dangers of seeking simplicity in a world that demands nuance. Responding to recent tragedies and media misrepresentations, he explores how Jewish tradition urges us to hold complexity with compassion. From the devastating shooting at the Jewish Museum to the misinformation around humanitarian crises, Rabbi Gellman challenges us to look past the headlines and engage with depth, empathy, and integrity.
In this sermon from Shabbat on 5/16/2025, Rabbi Conover invites us to pause and pay attention—to the world around us, to the sacred within us, and to the God who meets us where we are. Through the lens of Lag BaOmer, Sefirat HaOmer, and timeless Jewish teachings, Rabbi Conover explores how cultivating gratitude, even in subtle and imperfect moments, can lead us toward purpose, transformation, and a deeper connection to the Divine.
As she reminds us: “You matter. Your life has purpose. There’s more waiting for you.”
Listen in and take a step toward that glorious future—one day at a time.
