Posted by in Uncategorized This week the Jewish Daily Forward came out with a new list. Each year they list the Forward Fifty-the fifty most influential Jews in America. I was honored to be part of the 2008 list. Each year Newsweek magagzine also makes it list of the most influential rabbis. But for the last several years the…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Parshat V’etchanan Deuteronomy 3:23 -7:11 The Shema prayer is one of the highlight of this week’s Torah portion. Listen Israel Adonai is Your God, Adonai is One (Deut. 6:4). These words are words that are emblazoned on the doorposts of our house in the mezuzah that protects our comings and goings. These words fill the…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized There has been such a flurry of meetings here in Israel. The Conversion Bill introduced by Member of Knesset David Rotem went from being a simple way to fix a huge problem with Russian immigrants to threatening the entire Jewish people. This bill was to be the fulfillment of an Israel Beiteinu campaign promise. Many of…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Today is the Ninth of Av-Tisha B’Av. Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee in a Classical Reform congregation this was never really observed. Even at our URJ Summer Camp it was only in later years that Tisha B’Av was observed through an evening program–a great teachable moment to young campers. Tisha B’Av marks the destruction of the Temples–first by…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Dear Friends, Don’t forget July 25 is the Quad4Dreams event in Culver City at Veteran’s Park. This is a wonderful Scholarship fundraiser to help graduating seniors from High School with IEP’s get to college! It is a day of sports, fun and activities. Sign up at quad4dreams.com This is also a celebration of my friend, Marc…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Parshat Devarim Deuteronomy 1:1 -3:22 We begin the last book of the Torah this week, Devarim also known as Deuteronomy. In scholarly circles there has always been a lot of discussion about this book of the Bible including a reference in the book of 2 Kings about its discovery during the reign of King Josiah by…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Hooray for my friend, Lt. Dan Choi. His charges have been dropped. Wednesday he was in court in Washington, D.C. on charges of disobeying a Park Police officer. You see Dan chained himself to the White House fence to protest the discriminatory Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy of the U.S. military. Dan is a one…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized Here is the video of the service for Rosh Chodesh and of Anat Hoffman’s arrest with the Torah. Thought you all might be interested to be there.
Posted by in Uncategorized Today is Rosh Chodesh Av. The new Jewish month of Av. Each First day of the new month Women of the Wall gather to pray and read Torah at the Kotel, The Western Wall in Jerusalem. It is a sacred holy place. A remnant of the outside walls of the Ancient Temple mount. Jews for thousands of…Read more »
Posted by in Uncategorized I have successfully avoided World Cup mania. But being here in Israel it is hard to avoid. This country is soccer and basketball crazed. And so everyone is into the World Cup. Tonight everyone is making plans to see the final and the Spanish vs the Dutch. It is especially interesting being in a country…Read more »
Walking Humbly. Seeking Justice. Living with Hope. 