⁠Rabbi Louis Sachs⁠ explores what it means to build communities where queer Jews can bring their full identities and truly belong. Beginning with the story of officiating a same-sex Jewish wedding, he reflects on the pain experienced by LGBTQ Jews who have too often been made to feel that their Jewish and queer identities cannot exist together.

Drawing on Parshat Korach and the declaration that “the entire community is holy,” Rabbi Sachs argues that holiness is not a finished achievement. It is something we must continually work to create. He challenges both Jewish and LGBTQ spaces to move beyond proclamations of welcome and confront the ways exclusion still persists.

This is a sermon about belonging, responsibility, and the work still required to make inclusion real. Saying that everyone is welcome is not enough. We must create communities where people can bring their full identities and know that there is a place for them.

Delivered on Shabbat morning, June 20, 2026, at Beth Sholom Synagogue in Toronto.

Torah Outside the Box is a podcast from Rabbi Louis Sachs of Beth Sholom Synagogue in Toronto, sharing sermons and teachings that bring Torah beyond the synagogue and into everyday life. With clarity and care, Rabbi Sachs explores how ancient Jewish wisdom speaks to the challenges and questions of the modern world. Each episode offers thoughtful, relevant, and tradition-rooted insights that invite listeners to reflect, feel, and live with greater intention. Honest and relatable, these teachings offer a spiritual lens through which to view our lives—because Torah belongs not just in the synagogue, but everywhere.

Rabbi Louis Sachs sits down with Dr. Christian Funke, advisor to Germany’s Federal Commissioner for Jewish Life and the fight against antisemitism, for a frank conversation about where government action matters—and where it reaches its limits.

Drawing on Germany’s post October 7 response, legal approaches to hate speech, campus accountability, and initiatives that foster Jewish visibility, they explore what protects communities, what builds empathy, and what Canada might learn.

Dr Christian Funke serves as personal advisor to the Federal Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism, Dr Felix Klein. He previously held the position of policy officer at the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, where his responsibilities included Jewish communities, churches and religious affairs. He holds a doctorate in Religious Studies. Before entering public service,

Dr Funke was active in academia with a focus on Religious and Islamic studies, and spent extended periods living in Iran and Israel.

.

Torah Outside the Box is a podcast where Rabbi Louis Sachs shares sermons, stories, and reflections that bring Torah beyond the walls of the synagogue.

Follow Rabbi Sachs on Instagram - @rabbisachs or www.rabbisachs.com

Rabbi Louis Sachs explores the power and the limits of speech in Jewish tradition. Through the classic parable of the feather pillow and teachings about lashon hara, he examines how our words can cause lasting harm—even when no legal remedy exists.

But the heart of this sermon is not just about speech, it’s about action. Drawing on the story of Nachshon at the sea and modern political moments—from Holocaust Remembrance Day to statements by public officials—Rabbi Sachs challenges us to ask: are we content with saying the right things, or are we living our values through what we do?

This is a sermon about responsibility, integrity, and the moral emptiness of hollow language. Words matter, but they’re not enough.

Delivered on Shabbat morning, January 31, 2026, at Beth Sholom Synagogue in Toronto.

Torah Outside the Box is a podcast from Rabbi Louis Sachs of Beth Sholom Synagogue in Toronto, sharing sermons and teachings that bring Torah beyond the synagogue and into everyday life. With clarity and care, Rabbi Sachs explores how ancient Jewish wisdom speaks to the challenges and questions of the modern world. Each episode offers thoughtful, relevant, and tradition-rooted insights that invite listeners to reflect, feel, and live with greater intention. Honest and relatable, these teachings offer a spiritual lens through which to view our lives — because Torah belongs not just in the synagogue, but everywhere.