Rabbi Perkins' Sermons

Rabbi Perkins' most recent Shabbat sermons will be posted here.  Other sermons can be found in High Holiday Sermons or Sermon Archives (1998-2010).

In addition, sermons by guest speakers can be found here.

2018

      
December 8, 2018 Parashat Miketz "Do You Believe in Magic?"  
December 1, 2018 Parashat Vayeshev Even a Little Something Can Go a Long Way  
November 17, 2018 Parashat Vayetzei "Is Life Fair?"  
November 10, 2018 Parashat Toldot "Two nations struggling in the womb"  
November 3, 2018 Parashat Hayyei Sarah After Pittsburgh, What's Changed?  
October 27, 2018 Parashat Vayera Holy Chutzpah  
October 6, 2018 Parashat Bereshit Are Judaism and Evolution Compatible?  
October 1, 2018 Shemini Atzeret Just One More Day!  
September 22, 2018 Parashat Ha'Azinu Why Do We Sit in the Sukkah?  
June 16, 2018 Parashat Korach Korach the Populist   
June 9, 2018 Parashat Shelach Lecha "Forgive us, pardon us, grant us atonement"  
June 2, 2018 Parashat B'Ha'alotcha A Life-Changing Experience  
May 12, 2018 Parashat Behar-Behukkotai Three Approaches to Economic Inequality  
May 5, 2018 Parashat Emor What's in a name?  
April 28, 2018 Parashat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim "Don't Stand Idly By!"  
April 21, 2018 Parashat Tazria-Metzora Another Kind of Malignant Speech  
March 17, 2018 Parashat Vayikra Let My People Come  
March 10, 2018 Parashat Vayekhel-Pekudei Completing Creation  
February 17, 2018 Parashat Terumah "When Adar Enters, We Increase Our Rejoicing"  

2017

      
November 18, 2017 Parashat Toldot Study Sheet - A Gendered Look at Looking Through a Window  
October 28, 2017 Parashat Lech Lecha Who Was Abraham?  
July 1, 2017 Parashat Hukkat The Politics of Anger  
June 24, 2017 Parashat Korach Korach the Demagogue - Source Sheet  
June 10, 2017 Parashat Beha'alotcha "Things Fall Apart"
June 3, 2017 Parashat Naso Heroes Then and Now  
May 20, 2017 Parashat Behar Behukkotai "Proclaim Liberty Throughout the Land, Unto All Its Inhabitants Thereof"  
May 13, 2017 Parashat Emor Expressing True Love Toward the Living and the Dead  
January 28, 2017 Parashat Va'era "Liar, Liar"  
January 21, 2017 Parashat Shemot

"Is There a Blessing for the Czar?"

Study Sheet: The Duty, Opportunity and Challenge of Praying for the Government

 ​

2016

      
December 24, 2016 Parashat Vayeshev What Does the Joseph Story Have to Teach Us About Chanukah and Christmas?  
November 26, 2016 Parashat Hayei Sarah The Importance of Gratitude  
November 12, 2016 Parashat Lech Lecha Lessons for Our New President Elect from Abraham
May 14, 2016 Parashat Kedoshim Refraining from Being a "Scoundrel Within the Bounds of the Torah"  
April 9, 2016 Shabbat HaHodesh

Who Owns the Exodus?  Who Owns the Seder?  Who Owns the Haggadah? Who Owns the Hebrew language?

  
March 12, 2016 Parashat Pekudei Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohein Kook  
March 5, 2016 Parashat Vayakhel Vayakhel: "And he Assembled."  For Constructive or Destructive Ends?  

2015

      

November 28, 2015  

Parashat Vayishlach

Being Grateful Before, During and After Thanksgiving 

 
November 21, 2015 Parashat Vayetze Jacob the Refugee  
November 14, 2015 Parashat Toldot Sibling Rivalry and Religious Violence   
November 7, 2015 Parashat Hayei Sarah               How and How Not to Read the Bible  
October 24, 2015         Parashat Lech Lecha            It Isn't Easy  
October 17, 2015 Parashat Noach  
May 29, 2015 Parashat Naso When Paying Attention is Hard To Do  
May 9, 2015 Parashat Emor  
February 28, 2015 Parashat Tetzaveh Part 1
  Parashat Tetzaveh Part 2
February 7, 2015 Parashat Yitro Part 1
  Parashat Yitro Part 2
January 24, 2015 Parashat Bo  
January 3, 2015 Parashat Vayechi Study sheet for Parashat Vayechi- Jacob's Blessings  

2014        

      
December 6 Parashat Vayishlach Part 1
  Parashat Vayishlach Part 2
November 29 Parashat Vayetze Lessons from Ferguson, For Us and For Israel  

November 22

Parashat Toldot

  

October 25

Parashat Noach

  

October 18

Parashat Bereshit

 Are Curiosity and Religiosity Compatible?

September 6

Parashat Ki Tetzei

Labor Day and the Jews

  

June 21

Parashat Korach

Doing the Right Thing for the Right Reasons

  

June 14

Parashat Shelach Lecha

Are We Part of the "Evil Congregation"?

  

May 16

Parashat Behukkotai

"Que Sera, Sera!" v. "Do the Right Thing!"

  

April 12

Shabbat HaGadol

"Notes for Shabbat HaGadol drashah"

  

April 5

Parashat Mitzorah

"Maintaining Pure Homes"

March 29

Parashat Tazria

"Why Do We Eat Matzah?"

March 8

Parashat Vayikra

"Let's Celebrate"

March 1

Parashat Pekudei

"Looking Back and Looking Forward"

February 15

Parashat Ki Tissa

"The Importance of Character"

February 8  

Parashat Titsaveh

"The Importance of Doing It All the Time, Every Day"

January 18

Parashat Yitro

"What Would Yitro Say?"

  

January 4

Parshat Bo

"Taking the Initiative: Reflections on Ariel Sharon"

  
       

2013

      

December 14

Parashat Vayechi

"What's So Special About the Number 17?"

  

December 6

Parashat Vayiggash

"A Tribute to Nelson Mandela"

  

November 2

World Series Reflections

"What They Said -- And What They Didn't Say"

  

October 12

Parashat Lech L'cha

"What Do Janet Yellen and Scarlett Johansson Have in Common?"

  

 

Temple Aliyah Welcomes You!

Temple Aliyah is an egalitarian Conservative congregation in Needham, Massachusetts, with a warm and inviting atmosphere.  We are a dynamic and diverse community that embraces people of all ages, backgrounds and lifestyles.  With the guidance of Rabbi Carl Perkins, we encourage our members to enrich their Jewish lives, to enhance their Jewish identities, and to engage in lifelong learning.

Join us for Shabbat services and schmooze during kiddush following services. Check out the exciting Temple Tots programming for our youngest members.  Attend the Rabbi's Adult Education classes. Participate in one of our many Social Action projects. Become a member of our Sisterhood or Men's Club.    

Not a member?  We invite your family to join our family!

Join Us

Did you know...?

Major League Baseball season opens this week, the earliest in history! Did you know that Temple Aliyah’s B’nai Mitzvah Tutor, Hazzan Linda Sue Sohn, had the honor of singing the Star Spangled Banner at Fenway Park on Mother’s day in 2009? And listed among his most exciting moments as a sports fan, Temple Aliyah President David Farbman savors the memory of being at Fenway Park for Jon Lester’s no-hitter on May 19, 2008. And, if that's not enough Jewish baseball trivia, Rabbi Gordon’s favorite way to unwind after a busy day is to watch the Red Sox. Why not share your favorite baseball moments today?

Want to learn more fun facts about Aliyah? Click here!

If you have a fun fact about Temple Aliyah you’d like to share with our community, please email [email protected].

Shabbat and Weekday Services

 

Shabbat Morning Services  9:15 am
Sunday Morning Minyan* 9:00 am
Monday Morning Minyan   7:00 am
Weekday Evening Minyan*  7:30 pm

* During the summer, minyan meets on Monday morning, and Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

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Under the direction of our Adult Education Committee and as part of our commitment to lifelong learning, Temple Aliyah offers a wide range of opportunities for our members and others to enrich their Jewish lives throughout education.  Click here to see all of our current Adult Education offerings.

Sisterhood welcomes all women of our community, sharing our passion for Judaism, our families and ourselves. We invite you to learn more about becoming part of our amazing community. Whether you're looking for camaraderie, spiritual connection, social action, or the opportunity to get involved, Sisterhood is here for you. Click here to see our full calendar of events for 2018-19.