Rabbi Victor S. Appell

Rabbi Victor Appell

Rabbi Victor S. Appell (he/him/his) is the Associate Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El of Westfield, NJ. He lives with his husband, Colin Hogan, and their two sons, Avi and Lev.

Committing Ourselves to the Actions Required for Full Inclusion

D'Var Torah By: Cantor David Berger

At its best, the Torah can lift up humanity, reminding us of our place in the continually unfolding story of God’s Creation of the world and our role in the hopeful journey toward freedom. At its worst, it can serve as a tool for domination, oppression, hatred, and all that is base and vile within the human soul. As a gay man, I approached this week’s Torah portion, Acharei Mot-K'doshim, with a fair amount of trepidation.