Sermons
Storytelling is my passion. I have been involved in improv, public speaking, and theatre since I was very young, and it deeply influences the way I give sermons. In almost every sermon I give, I strive to make the community laugh, cry, and think. I tell personal stories, I write modern midrash, and I love to use the unexpected to teach poignant Jewish lessons: the history and development of Kellogg’s Cornflakes, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors Album, and Bigfoot have all found their way into my sermons.
Below, you’ll find a few links to my recorded sermons, courtesy of Hebrew Union College, Judea Reform Congregation in Durham, NC, and Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick, NJ.
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Senior Sermon, October 26, 2023
Ezra speaks on God’s call to Abraham in Lech Lecha, the life of Transgender Activist Lou Sullivan, and his own story of coming into his identity as a Rabbinical Student.
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Shabbat Shuvah Sermon, September 30, 2022
When God told Moses his death was imminent, could a chaplain have helped him process this news? Ezra may be biased immediately after a summer as a Chaplain Intern, but he is inclined to say yes.
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Breishit and Binaries, October 21, 2022
If our Torah says “God created them, male and female,” what does that mean for Jews who identify as transgender and nonbinary? Ezra discusses his own journey with gender and the power of reading Torah through a trans lens.
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Shabbat Matot, July 14, 2023
How do we grapple with sexism in our sacred texts? Ezra explores finding meaning in Torah that challenges us, as well as finding meaning in literally getting punched in the face.
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Shabbat Nachamu Sermon, July 28, 2023
Ezra discusses dialogue around Israel, from the perspective of their own experience with BTS in undergrad and informed by powerful Haftara reading.
