You know those commercials that just stick with you and you still remember them to this day, even though you first saw them over 20 years ago. Commercials like Wendy’s “Where’s the beef?”, Got Milk’s “Aaron Burr”, or Tootsie Pop’s “How many licks does it take to get to the …
Engaging the Jewish Community in New Ways
In 1996, shortly after I graduated college, I was hired to be the University of Virginia Hillel’s new Program Director. I was excited and nervous about the opportunity to work with college students who were not that much younger than I was at the …
If you are like me, you are counting down the days until next Tuesday, June 15. This is the day that it is assumed that Governor Newsom will lift most of the COVID-related restrictions. While I am very excited about this and would normally be inclined to write about it, I feel I need to shar…
For the past several years, I have used the week leading up to my birthday to reflect on the past year… what has gone well, what I had wished had happened differently, and what I hope for in the coming year. I consider it my personal inventory. I do this for several reasons, but mainly bec…
Israel is unlike any other country in the entire world. Roughly the same square mileage as New Jersey, and home to the SECOND largest Jewish population, it elicits deep emotional ties, not only for Jews but also Christians and Muslims as well. And as we have just witnessed the past couple of…
What a week it has been. Israel continued to defend itself from Hamas rocket fire, CDC lifted the mask mandate for fully vaccinated people (even though Governor Newsom later came out and said that California’s mandate would not be removed until June 15), vaccines began for 12-15-year-olds,…
Vaccinations are bringing a new excitement.
For a variety of different reasons, the month of May has always held a special place for me. It may be because my brother’s birthday is in May, as is my brother-in-law’s, and also my anniversary. Plus, my wife’s and my birthday are at the …
What Does it Mean to be Jewish?
inclusivity /ˌinklo͞oˈsivədē/ def: the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those having physical or mental disabilities or belonging to other mino…
I love being Jewish. I always have. It has always been an important part of who I am and continues to shape the person I am today.
Growing up, I was one of those “weird kids” who enjoyed going to Sunday School and Hebrew School. I loved the opportunity to gain a deeper meaning and u…
While I do not specifically remember when I first learned about colors, I love seeing the vibrancy colors bring into the world. Now, I have to be honest, I am not always the best at determining what colors go well with others. In fact, my youngest daughter often skips right by me and heads t…
As a child, one of the hardest things for me to do was to wait. I hated it! I hated the idea that I couldn’t have what I wanted… when I wanted it. Plus, I hated the idea that “Patience is a virtue.” As we know, a virtue is a trait or quality that is deemed to be morally good and as s…
As I prepared for our Passover Seder last month, I came across a powerful and thought-provoking reading that was penned last March and I wanted to share it with all of you as we continue to get closer and closer to end all of the COVID restrictions we have been facing this past year or so. …
I distinctly remember each of the three times I was there. The smells, the sounds, and the sites are still very fresh in mind. And each time holds a different memory and connection for me because during each visit I had a different perspective and understanding of this place. If you have not…
To say that it has been a year that none of us will ever forget, even though many of us would like to erase it and never think about it again, would be an understatement. It has not just been the Pandemic, but all of the other events, trends, etc. that have occurred in the background that ha…
I love movies… more specifically, I love quotable movies. For whatever reason, I have always been able to memorize them. Growing up, it felt like every time my friends and I got together, there would inevitably be at least one or two movie quotes that we escape our lips at some point.
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