WORDS THAT BREATHE

A pre-Yom Kippur prayer by Rabbi Paul Kipnes for the volunteers, staff, clergy, and teams who carry a congregation through the High Holy Days.

Congregation Or Ami united to support Scott Sorrentino’s search for a kidney donor, inspiring hope, compassion, and the power to save a life.

When someone we love dies, Judaism offers the gift of shiva. But what happens when family, work, travel, health concerns, or distance make traditional shiva impossible? Rabbi Paul Kipnes explores meaningful Jewish practices that can help mourners honor a loved one, embrace grief, and find comfort when sitting shiva is not possible.

A ritual for before dipping the karpas into the salt water, we pause to reflect on what it means to hold both sweetness and sorrow.

In a fearful world, Judaism still calls us to bring blessing into brokenness. Rabbi Paul Kipnes asks: What does it mean to be a Jew today?

Jazz was my sanctuary that night in Chicago. Michelle and I had slipped into the Jazz Showcase , where saxophonist Bobby Watson , the...

In the beginning— before beginnings had breath— there was tohu vavohu, not just chaos, but collapse. Not just void, but the violence of...

A jazz club. A Torah whisper. A T-shirt with a prophet’s promise. Reflections from the CCAR rabbinic convention on listening for the sacred in unexpected places—and improvising our way toward hope.

A spoken word poem about facing the reality before our world

When I was in elementary school, my mom took me to visit a fire station. I cannot remember if it was a family outing, a school trip or...

“Wow! God was in this place, and I did not know it.” So declared our biblical ancestor Jacob as he awoke from a dream. Once a deceiver...

For the Calabasas City Council Reorganization Meeting And the Installation of Peter Kraut as Mayor Eternal One, Makor HaBrachot , Source...

This past Shabbat, I stood in two sacred spaces that illuminated the beauty, fragility and resilience of life. One moment, I found myself...

As parents, we spend years mastering the art of raising children. Guiding, protecting and nurturing them through childhood and...

Wow! God was in this place, and I did not know it.” Like Jacob, we often miss the Divine Presence all around us. This article explores how sand dollars, mezuzot, and nature help us rediscover the sacred in daily life.

Rabbi Paul Kipnes of Congregation Or Ami offers a heartfelt invocation at the Calabasas City Council Reorganization Meeting, celebrating the installation of Mayor Peter Kraut. Reflecting on leadership, unity, and the city’s vision, the prayer calls for compassion, courage, and a commitment to community care.

Sitting on a Fire Truck: A story of overcoming shyness and self-doubt, embracing self-acceptance, and fulfilling a childhood dream of sitting on a firetruck at 61 years old

Parenting adult children requires new skills and a fresh perspective. Drawing from Torah wisdom, expert insights, and personal experiences, Rabbi Paul Kipnes explores the joys and challenges of this transformative phase. Discover how to foster deeper, more authentic connections with your adult children to support this sacred work.

Reflecting on love, healing, and connection through the intertwined lives of a couple laid to rest together at their funeral and twin sisters celebrating their B’not Mitzvah. Discover the profound lessons of relationships and the tree of life.

“Rabbi, help! Thanksgiving’s approaching and we have relatives whose positions differ from my own—on what is happening between Israel and...