Rabbi's Weekly Message
Saying Shema in Big Sky
July 27, 2026
Looking around our Bozeman Shul at Mincha on Tisha B’Av fascinated me AGAIN. Montanan Jews, along with Jews visiting from around the world, gathered to pray, connect and be inspired at the waning hours of our collective day of mourning. We prayed Nachem, asking G-d to comfort us with the ultimate solace which is the coming of Mashiach. We even had the honor of a visiting Bar Mitzvah boy, Ezra, being called to the Torah for the very first time just forty-eight-hours after turning thirteen. Seeing the different flavors of Jews gathered in unison, reminded me that while we do have our differences, more often than not we have so much in common. It’s convenient, and sometimes invigorating, to focus on what divides us but our oneness is the reality almost always.
Montana's Jewish voice
Quarterly Publication by Chabad-Lubavitch of Montana
A mashup of thoughts, ideas, news, and stories about this unique outpost of Jewish life in the West. Remote Jewish communities are as old as time, but this remote Jewish community is young, vibrant, and growing. Our saga draws on age-old Jewish values, quintessential Western grit, and the idealistic fire of four Chabad Families. Curious, complex, and committed, they model the highs and lows of being human, the relevance of being Jewish, and simmering, lasting courage to perservere.
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Totally Unexpected! Podcast
I love people and I love hearing their stories. I want to know who they are, how they got there, what didn’t go as expected, and what they did about it. That passion and curiosity led me to create “Totally Unexpected!” A podcast featuring interviews with guests who inspire me. Whether it’s the mom next door, the enlightened academic, or the maverick healer, I am here to learn about their unique contribution to our world.
Totally Unexpected! Blog
Welcome to Totally Unexpected! Where you can find my free flowing, stream of consciousness, unfiltered thoughts, and ideas. I process the twists and turns of life by sharing it with you. I hope this also helps you process your own struggles and joys.
I think of myself as a juggler: leading a Jewish community with my sushi loving husband, caring for my five rambunctious kids (who are adopted), and living in the Wild West of Montana, where it’s ALWAYS winter (or so it feels). It’s an art to be juggler, to live our fullest potential and still have very real lives. Not the perfect, glossy, manicured ones we so often encounter. I am here to be real.
I think of myself as a juggler: leading a Jewish community with my sushi loving husband, caring for my five rambunctious kids (who are adopted), and living in the Wild West of Montana, where it’s ALWAYS winter (or so it feels). It’s an art to be juggler, to live our fullest potential and still have very real lives. Not the perfect, glossy, manicured ones we so often encounter. I am here to be real.
