Isaac Serotta

The spiritual leader of Lakeside Congregation for Reform Judaism. Rabbi Ike is a spiritual searcher, a Jewish teacher, an activist, and a pastor.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

@smerconish @PennGSE @SXMPOTUS @SIRIUSXM Of course we should encourage free speech even for those who disagree with us politically, but hate speech is slander and should be curbed a priori. Inviting a hate monger to speak is not exercising free speech.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

In DC with Nancy Pelosi and 1100 Reform Jews. 100 years ago, today, Congress voted on the 19th amendment, women's right to vote. "Women weren't given the right to vote, they fought for it."

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

Task force on the experience of women in the rabbinate report begins with Sally Priesand the first American woman rabbi telling a story. There have been women rabbis for more than forty years, it is well past time that they receive equal opportunity and equal pay for equal work.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

Roberta Kaplan and Amy Spitalnick two attorneys representing members of the Charlottesville community in their lawsuit against nazis and white supremacists. Their goal is to show "this is not America." This violence cannot happen here without legal repercussion.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

Morning services at the CCAR conference at Plum Street Temple in Cincinnati. 130 years of the CCAR, 200 years since the birth of our founder, Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise. Today is his 120th yahrzeit.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

My Good friend Dr. Katherine Schwartz being installed as the incoming President of the Association of Reform Jewish Educators in DC today. I'm proud of her and happy to be here with her.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

Israel is a place where the faces on the currency are writers and poets. Amos Oz the great writer and activist for peace died yesterday. Everyone here is remembering him. I'm sure it won't be too long before he takes his place on a shekel.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

Yesterday we also saw Israelite civilization from the 9th century BCE and a Canaanite arch, that's right an arch, from 1800 BCE. And we also drank some tasty wine!

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

It's a rainy day in the rainy season, but it can't dampen our enthusiasm for heading to Jerusalem! Yesterday our intrepid 20 stood in front of a former Syrian bunker in the Golan looking down on the finger of the Galilee, and later sat in a synagogue 1500 years old.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

Excited to see my name on the front of a tour bus. Proud to represent Reform Judaism wherever we go. I'm very pleased they spelled it my name right, even if they couldn't spell "Janurary"

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

We remebered Yitzhak Rabin at the spot of his assassination, spent the morning in Caesaria and the afternoon in Safat. The 20 of us spent the night on a kibbutz and will explore the Golan Heights today.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

Best graffiti of the day in Jaffa, Israel.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

20 traveling together in Tel Aviv. Our 1st day was fantastic. We saw where the State of Israel was born, ate heartily in Levinsky market, and enjoyed the Mediterranean sun. This is the day that God has made. Wish you were here.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

With Cantor OBrien and clergy of many faiths reviving Dr. King's Poor People's Campaign last night. Isaiah taught us to share our bread with the hungry. Today he might tell us to keep going beyond bread, and not stop until everyone also gets a piece of the pie.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

A rabbi a minister and an imam walked into a recording studio! Just recorded two episodes of a podcast with the moderator Reverend Kat Benakis and wonderful colleagues.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

Meeting with co-chairs of 18 working groups bringing together our two synagogues into one! My colleague, Rabbi Evan Moffic is at a funeral. My sincere condolences to the family. One immediate benefit of having two rabbis is being able to serve our community in two places at once.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

The importance of hospitality while bringing two congregations into one.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

What would Lenny Bruce say? Lenny fought racism and censorship and he was labeled as sick. He lost jobs and obscenity cases and never blamed his drug habit. I don't think he would want a comic to get fired over words, but he would be the first to roast Roseanne's hypocrisy.

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

Summer is here and our outdoor services kick off this Friday at 6:15pm. Join Lakeside in the garden as we have a send off for our young people who are headed to camp. Sari Lindner, songleader, and Lakeside member will provide the music this week!

[Isaac Serotta @rabbiike]

With the founder of Hands of Peace, Gretchen Grad, and two remarkable alumni of Hands of Peace, Samar Hawila: political advisor to the British Embassy in Tel Aviv representing the Palestinian community and Shira Gemer, editor of "the Spin Room," on i24 news