The Good Jew, the Bad Jew, and the Real Jew
- Nov 6, 2025
- 1 min read
In this courageous Yom Kippur sermon, Rabbi Will Hall of Temple Beth Shalom explores what it truly means to live as a Jew in today’s world — without apology, without auditioning for acceptance, and without shrinking our Jewishness to fit someone else’s definition of “good.”
Tracing centuries of history, from ancient scapegoating to modern politics, Rabbi Hall reveals how antisemitism continually shifts — demanding either the “good Jew” who conforms or the “bad Jew” who is condemned. He challenges us to rise above those labels and instead embrace authentic Jewish living, proud and unapologetic, rooted in our covenant and our courage.
This is a call to live our Judaism — honest, messy, loving, and real.
🙏 “When we refuse to be props in the stories of others, we write our own.”