Parashat Achrei Mot – Kedoshim
April 15, 2026
Rabbi Adam Cohen, High School Rabbi-in-Residence
Congressman Ritchie Torres had actual tears running down his face.
We were in his office in Washington, D.C. Ten of our current junior students had just finished asking the Congressman to sign on to two bills that will support people experiencing homelessness: one to fund youth employment and the other to provide emergency housing relief. They had spent the week learning about homelessness, talking to people on the streets, and volunteering at a soup kitchen. And now, they were advocating with passion and clarity for homeless people they had just met, but cared about deeply.
When Congressman Torres shared that he himself grew up in public housing, we all felt the moment shift. Here was a man who had stood up for the Jewish people during our darkest times. And now, he saw these Jewish students, who had never experienced homelessness, advocating for a group of people he identified with, as if they were advocating for themselves.
We read this week: “וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ”, “Love your fellow as yourself.” It’s not just a nice idea. Hillel sees it as the central verse in the Torah for a reason. Because this is our mission – to look beyond ourselves, to see others as our own, and to act with love and responsibility. That’s what holiness really looks like, and I’m excited for our current sophomores to experience that next week.
Shabbat shalom!