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A Message from Marc

Marc's Message

Marc Baker headshot
CJP's President and CEO, Rabbi Marc Baker, writes and teaches about leadership, community, and civic life, bringing the voice of Jewish tradition to contemporary issues.

 

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Celebrating Our Humanity, Flaws and All

Dear Friends,

The other day during a meeting, I made a comment that was off base — not offensive, but wildly incorrect. Later, a colleague who was present sent me a text that said, “So you’re human. We should celebrate!” Her text was a light-hearted way to make me feel better, but i…

Staying in the Tragic Gap

Dear Friends,

As we emerge from the intensity of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur into the joy of Sukkot, I often feel a combination of relief, lightness of being, and lingering reflection.  

This year, I’ve been thinking about what it takes to stay in what Parker Palmer calls the “tragic…

Beginning Again

Dear Friends, 

Last week was an emotional milestone for my family: My wife and I dropped off our oldest son at college for the first time. It was an experience filled with many emotions, including sadness about letting go and excitement about the possibilities that lie ahead.

I’ll never…

Remembering to Grieve

Dear Friends,  

To be human is to experience loss and pain. 

The question, according to the writer Parker Palmer, is not whether our hearts will break, but rather how they will break. 

This Sunday is the saddest day of the year on the Jewish calendar. Tisha B’Av commemorates the des…

Creation and Tikkun

Dear Friends,
  
We are heading into the Fourth of July weekend with so many reminders of the brokenness of our country and our world. This year, as we celebrate the birth of this nation and the anniversary of our freedom and independence, we also see examples of the fragility of our democ…