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For many of us, talking about God with others is not only uncomfortable, but it’s really foreign. It often feels so unnatural that it can make us squirm. Sometimes we don’t quite know what we believe, so we avoid the topic altogether. Other times, we’re sure we don’t  believe in God, so we assume there’s nothing to say. Or maybe we do believe, but we’re afraid of sounding preachy or being judged. Add in the pressure of raising kids or working in a religious school setting, an

What does a Jewish agnostic believe in?

The God Cafe Project began in 2017 before I had given it that name. The exploratory idea was inspired by my unit taught by Rabbi Jacob Staub on theology in my Reconstructionism 101 class at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Learning about the ways that Kaplan and other Reconstructionist thinkers have thought about God prompted me to reflect on particular moments in my life where divinity – what God was and is- felt very clear and compelling to me.  My background is in

Part 1: In the Beginning The first “Jewish” memory I have is lighting the Chanukah menorah and “performing” the blessings for my friends and neighbors. I say “performing” because I did not actually know what I was saying. Growing up, I did not know much about Judaism and I knew nothing about my own opinions of G-d. Despite this, I always thought it was cool to be Jewish, and I knew that it set me apart from the rest of my friends who went to church every Sunday, and decorate

I didn’t set out to have a theology. When I was growing up, I believed that God flicked two atoms together to ignite the Big Bang, watched the universe assemble itself, and then settled back in a recliner with some popcorn to watch humanity like a chaotic reality show. That version of God was distant but ultimately harmless. It didn’t ask much of me. It didn’t comfort me either—but it also didn’t interfere with my life. I didn’t feel the need to question it... until it stoppe

Starting a journey of theological discovery can feel intimidating. You might be thinking: “I don’t know enough.” “What if I don’t believe the right things?” “What if I open doors that I can’t close?” “Where would I even begin?” Take a breath. Theological discovery and understanding yourself isn’t about passing a test. It’s about becoming more honest, more awake, and more intentional about the questions you’re already living. Let’s talk about how to actually begin. 1. Start wi

Reflections on Forty Years in the Rabbinate Forty is a powerful number. The Torah tells the story that it rained and rained for forty days. Moses was up on Mount Sinai alone for forty days. There are forty weeks of gestation. A mikveh has forty se’ah of water. Our ancestors wandered in the wilderness for forty years, and just as the wandering ended Moses told them: “God has not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, until this day” (Deut. 29:3–4). Forty

*Note from the author: A milestone on my g?d journey was making the decision to use the form “G!D” in my mind-twenties. I believe I first...

Rabbi Alexander invites the congregation to recommit to genuine conversations about God, faith, and doubt in every setting, encouraging openness, dialogue, and sacred presence together.