We’ve all heard Jewish caregivers kvell over their "exceptional" children — the doctors, the lawyers, the "tall and handsome" sons. And they're right to: Jews make up only 0.2% of the population, yet hold 20% of the world’s Nobel Prizes and the list of accomplishment goes on and on. Is it just good luck, or is it the way we’re raised? In this episode, Rabbi Amy breaks down the "Talmudic Checklist" — a six-point roadmap of parental obligations that ensures the next generation doesn't just survive, but thrives.

This sermon originally aired on May 8, 2026.

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For more information about Congregation Temple Israel, visit: www.ti-stl.org

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This podcast’s theme song, “Oseh Shalom,” is performed by Rob Aronson.

The world often embraces Jewish stories when they are tragic, memorialized in museums, or win Academy Awards — but as Dara Horn famously wrote, "People love dead Jews. Living ones, not so much." In this episode, the Rabbis explore the vital connection between our history of loss, our modern right to self-determination, and our future, where the ultimate act of defiance is living with unapologetic Jewish joy.

This sermon originally aired on April 17, 2026.

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For more information about Congregation Temple Israel, visit: www.ti-stl.org

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This podcast’s theme song, “Oseh Shalom,” is performed by Rob Aronson.

Having just commemorated Yom HaShoah, and in this moment of deep communal challenge and change, Rabbi Amy reflects on what it means to live openly as a Jew. Drawing on a personal experience, she speaks honestly about loss and isolation since October 7, while also sharing moving stories of unexpected allies and renewed commitment to Jewish life. Her message is a reminder that even in turbulent times, we are strong, we are resilient, and we are not alone.

This sermon originally aired on October 2, 2025.

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For more information about Congregation Temple Israel, visit: www.ti-stl.org

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This podcast’s theme song, “Oseh Shalom,” is performed by Rob Aronson.

Moses stands before the burning bush and receives the divine command to tell Pharaoh, "Let my people go," yet he repeatedly resists, citing a profound speech impediment. Yet, this story serves as a powerful reminder that while we are all deeply flawed and bound to fail, if God can entrust the leadership of a nation to a man who struggled to speak, we too are capable of achieving greatness despite our own imperfections.

This sermon originally aired on January 13, 2026.

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For more information about Congregation Temple Israel, visit: www.ti-stl.org

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This podcast’s theme song, “Oseh Shalom,” is performed by Rob Aronson.

When terrible things happen, we often look for where to place the blame - villains, ourselves, even God. This week’s Torah portion prompts us to ask the same question about how the Israelites went from having Joseph as Pharoah’s right-hand man to being entirely enslaved in Egypt just a short time later.

This sermon originally aired on January 9, 2026.

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For more information about Congregation Temple Israel, visit: www.ti-stl.org

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This podcast’s theme song, “Oseh Shalom,” is performed by Rob Aronson.

Drawing on Mark Twain’s famous observation of Jewish endurance, this sermon explores how the secret to Jewish continuity lies not in having all the answers, but in our commitment to passing down stories and planting for the future. Even in a modern world filled with uncertainty, rising antisemitism, and complex questions that feel impossible to answer, our tradition encourages us to find clarity in our purpose. Like the story of Honi and the carob tree, we are called to be a people that build and flourish for the next generation—planting seeds of meaning today so that those who follow us can taste the fruit tomorrow.

This sermon originally aired on January 23, 2026.

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For more information about Congregation Temple Israel, visit: www.ti-stl.org

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This podcast’s theme song, “Oseh Shalom,” is performed by Rob Aronson.

Jewish congregations, and Temple Israel specifically, have a long tradition of innovation and change. In the generation to come, we need to both appear more Jewish and make more Jewish appearances.

This sermon originally aired on December 5, 2025.

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For more information about Congregation Temple Israel, visit: www.ti-stl.org

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This podcast’s theme song, “Oseh Shalom,” is performed by Rob Aronson.

Throughout American Jewish history, there have been times when it seems that a switch flips in us that reminds us that our Judaism is our defining feature. Now is the time to embrace our particularism and go all in for Judaism.

This sermon originally aired on September 23, 2025.

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For more information about Congregation Temple Israel, visit: www.ti-stl.org

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This podcast’s theme song, “Oseh Shalom,” is performed by Rob Aronson.