Rabbi Nicole Guzik
A Bisl Torah — Planting a Seed
One year ago, I was comparing the plagues of the Passover story to the plague of Covid-19.
A Bisl Torah — Strength in a Cookie
We continued our annual tradition of baking hamantaschen.
A Bisl Torah — Pocket Torah
In the secular world, this weekend brings in a holiday known for love.
A Bisl Torah — Let Love In
In the secular world, this weekend brings in a holiday known for love.
A Bisl Torah — A Time for Laughter
Clergy note the coinciding of International Holocaust Remembrance Day and Tu Bishvat, the holiday celebrating the “new year” of the trees.
A Bisl Torah — The Cries of the Trees
Clergy note the coinciding of International Holocaust Remembrance Day and Tu Bishvat, the holiday celebrating the “new year” of the trees.
A Bisl Torah — What Defines You?
In watching the inauguration, so many of us were captivated by Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. History.
A Bisl Torah — Are You There, God?
Across the globe, it feels as if we are treading water.
A Bisl Torah — Teach Your Children
As a collective society blessed to live in this beautiful country, what are we teaching our children?
A Bisl Torah for the New Year
How do you start over in a world that looks so very upside down?
Just One Prayer
My inbox is flooded with people searching for hope: those that are physically ill, the bereft and mourning, some lonely with distancing getting harder and harder.
A Covid Birthday
Today, my daughter turns 9 years old.
A Bisl Hanukkah
Please enjoy this special Hanukkah message.
What Do We Need?
My mom and I began to discuss Thanksgiving, a favorite holiday among the Guzik family. Usually, the dining room is bursting with relatives, new...
Shameful Acts
As I have watched the election unfold, I have done exactly what I vowed not to do: scroll through Facebook and Instagram. And while...
Those Shtiebel Moments
A dear congregant gifted me a beautiful memoir about her father growing up in Poland during the Shoah. Prior to the onset of the...
Taco Tuesday
Our family members went around the table to discuss their favorite Jewish holidays. I love Sukkot. Our older children gave solid explanations for Hanukkah...
Is the Roof Falling In?
My husband, Rabbi Erez Sherman, and I developed a new routine upon entering and sitting in our sukkah. We look around, sideways and, eventually,...
Same Sukkah, Big Changes
Years ago, we inherited a beautiful sukkah from our good friends Cantor Arianne Brown and Rabbi Randall Brown. Next, we shared the sukkah with...
Ellipsis of a Lifetime
In speaking about relationships, my professor remarked, “With every first hello, there is an impending goodbye.” Meaning that with each birth, new connection, endeavor...
Thanks for Listening
May this High Holy Days season be one of meaningful prayer, engaging lessons, poignant revelation and strong connections.
A 6 A.M. Wake-Up Call
Our family is in possession of an abundance of shofarot. Many, many shofars. During quarantine, our children took up chess, learned to swim and,...
To Our Teachers
Some superheroes wear capes and fly through the sky. Other superheroes manage classes of anxious, excited and confused students during a worldwide pandemic. This...
The Missing Piece
Some people lose socks in the laundry. Others constantly lose their spare key. My family can’t seem to assemble a complete puzzle. No matter...
Dream a Little Dream
Right now, many of us are looking for a little hope. Share your dream so that someone else can find theirs.
Birthday in Quarantine
Five months ago, I never would have imagined celebrating a birthday during a pandemic. Five months ago, I never would have imagined planning for...
Love in the Time of Pandemic
This pandemic has nothing in the face of true love. Not by COVID-19, not by quarantine, not by masks, not by an abundance of hand sanitizer.
Cherish the Small Comforts that Bring Your Joy in an Unsettled World
But to brace ourselves for the ongoing struggle, we must find those comforts that nourish, replenish and restore.
Shielding the Pain
Sometimes the world is difficult. Sometimes we want to cry. Sometimes we just don’t know the answers.
An Open Letter to Jewish Parents About ‘Opting Out’
A real community is one that upholds those who have fallen. A true community exists even when times are difficult and scary.