Here is information on the basics of the Health Care Reform bill passed by the House and signed by the President. Yes it still has to be reconciled by the Senate but this summary comes from the website  for the House  Committee on Energy and Commerce chaired by our wonderful California Representative Henry Waxman.  There…Read more »

This was a momentous week.  A week we should all give thanks that Health Care Reform became law.  I know there were and are many who are scared of Health Care Reform–they are scared of the numbers of the finances of it.  But I am more scared by the more than 30 million Americans who had…Read more »

Parshat Tzav Leviticus 6:1-8:36 This week’s portion, Tzav contains the ordination ceremony of Aaron and his sons as the priesthood.  It makes sense to detail the ordination of the Aaron as High Priest and his sons because the offerings of the sacrifices are detailed in last week’s portion and again in this week’s portion Tzav. …Read more »

I have to admit it I love watching my kid play ball! From the time he was a little tyke to now his second year on the Varsity Normans of Beverly Hills, it is fun to watch him pitch, catch, hit and play third base. And he is very good at it.  I also admit…Read more »

Well it has been a whole week of 50. I turned 50 a week ago and so far so good!  Everyone who beat here tells me that this decade is potentially one of the greatest of one’s life.  The first week was not so bad! I started it watching baseball with my kid at Spring…Read more »

It has long been a problem for gay and lesbian couples.  If one is not a U.S. citizen and resides in another country, it takes hurdles to bring in a permanent partner.  This is just one more area of discrimination for gay men and lesbians in this country.  Immigration groups have been lobbying hard to…Read more »

Mike Hamel has been chair person of the Agudah, Israel’s oldest LGBT organization for almost 5 years.  But nothing prepared him to handle the tragic shooting at the Agudah’s Nachmani Street center last August.  Hamel and the Agudah board based in Tel Aviv has been gracefully trying to deal with the aftermath of the tragedy…Read more »

I am proud to be a USC alum.  Coming to USC from Memphis, Tennessee changed my life and brought me to Southern California.  It was a great experience even as a transfer student 30 years ago.  I didn’t know a soul when I got USC but I quickly made friends and learned to navigate the…Read more »

Parshat Vayikra Leviticus 1:1 – 5:26 This week we begin the book of Leviticus. The first parsha/portion bears the name of the entire book of Leviticus  “Vayikra” – “And God called to Moses.” (Lev.1:1).  This book calls us to come close to God through the sacrificial system. The word for sacrifice, korban is from the…Read more »

Today I am in Sedona, Arizona enjoying the serenity of this Red Rock town. Majestic mountains surround and the air is the cleanest I have breathed in. There is so much beautiful art as well as the art of nature. The words of the Psalmist come to mind “The earth is the Eternal’s and the…Read more »