How Donuts Influenced My Judaism
As I took a short walk last week during a break between Yom Kippur services, a memory, both humorous and deeply emotional, flooded my heart.
Revision: A Prayer for B'reishit
I believe in God. I try to feel the room before I blurt that out in conversation, but it’s a feature of my personality and a fact of my life. I’ve long wanted to do away with ideology and the punishing male trickster deity of my youth and get to the heart of the heart of the matter. Who is God?
10 Things Baseball and Judaism Have in Common
Last Shabbat, I fell asleep to the voice of Julie Silver singing the words “L’Dor V’Dor: From Generation to Generation” in my ear. I woke up to those same sounds on Saturday morning.
Why Religion is Important to Conflict Prevention
Rabbi David Saperstein addresses the importance of religion and interfaith work to conflict prevention and resolution.
Azucar: My Sweet Experience in the Sukkah
The famous Cuban-American singer Celia Cruz used to punctuate each performance with the rousing shout , “Azucar!” (Sugar!). But sometimes I also hear this as, “A sukkah!”
The Torah In Haiku: Bereshit
Here we go again
Turning to the beginning
Just like Bag Bag said
Pirke Avot 5:22:
The Sin of Self-Congratulation
At the conclusion of Yom Kippur years ago, I attended a break-the-fast at the home of old friends. I loaded my plate with a bagel, lox, and vegetables and ambled over to a conversational group, where I stood munching and listening.
I've Lost All Hope
When I think of the word “hope,” one sentence comes to mind: Hope is a dangerous thing.
I don't remember where or when I first heard the statement, and I'm fairly sure it was intended as a warning, but the idea has stuck with me.
Hope is a dangerous thing.
Through Time and Space: A Visit to Historic Jewish Sites
Is 10 days enough time to fall in love with Israel? Absolutely. Is 10 days enough time to make a sincere and meaningful connection to the land and people? It turns out that it is.
The Importance of Reading Torah During Your College Years
We encouraged our daughter, Sydney Plovsky, who is a sophomore at Elon University, to read Torah during the High Holidays at her school; growing up, she had been a frequent Torah reader at Temple Emanu