Torah Outside The Box - with Rabbi Louis Sachs
We Cannot Outsource Jewish Identity to Antisemitism (Survival, Joy, and Jewish Purpose): A Rosh Hashanah Sermon - September 13, 2026 - Rabbi Louis Sachs
Rabbi Louis Sachs asks what kind of Jewish identity we are building in a time of rising antisemitism, fear, and uncertainty. www.rabbisachs.com Instagram Drawing on Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik’s distinction between the machaneh —the camp that protects us from threats outside—and the eidah —the congregation built around shared purpose and covenant—Rabbi Sachs argues that Jewish survival, while essential, cannot be the ultimate goal of Jewish life. Antisemitism may remind our children that they are Jews. Only we can teach them why being Jewish is a gift. The sermon asks how we can move from a Judaism focused primarily on defending itself to one filled with meaning, practice, community, joy, and responsibility—and how we can give the next generation not only a Judaism worth protecting, but a Judaism worth living. Delivered on Rosh Hashanah at Beth Sholom Synagogue in Toronto, September 13, 2026. Torah Outside the Box is a podcast where Rabbi Louis Sachs shares sermons, stories, and reflections that bring Torah beyond the walls of the synagogue. Thoughtful, heartfelt, and occasionally a little provocative, each episode explores how Jewish wisdom speaks to modern life—because Torah belongs not just in the synagogue, but in our lives. www.BethSholom.net
