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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Let My People Go

Dear Friends,
 
This week we remembered and celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In a time of profound brokenness, it is not clear whether the moral universe is bending, as Dr. King taught, toward justice. So how do we stay resilient, courageous, and strong enough to play our parts in ben…

Hope and “the Great Mistranslation”

Dear Friends,

“I know this might sound weird, but does any of this give you hope for the future?”

A friend and I were talking about the war in Israel, the uptick in antisemitism here in America, threats to democracy, and other existential challenges when she asked me this powerful ques…

Moving Forward Together

Dear Friends,
 
This Shabbat, we read the penultimate Torah portion of the Book of Genesis and the dramatic conclusion of the story of Joseph. During Judah’s impassioned speech pleading for his brother Benjamin’s life, he explains that he “pledged himself” to their father and promis…

Hanukkah and the Resilience of the Jewish Spirit

Dear Friends,

I cannot think of a time when Hanukkah has felt more relevant than it does this year. It has been an incredibly challenging past few months, for Israel and the Jewish People.

Yet, Hanukkah teaches us about the resilience of the Jewish spirit and the human spirit. It teaches u…

Bring Them Home Now

Dear Friends,  

Last Friday, I held my breath as I waited for the first round of hostages in Gaza to be released. Until the very last minute, it was unclear whether it would happen and who would be included, part of Hamas’ psychological warfare and another traumatic element of this excru…