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From UK to Ukraine

Habib Rahman, the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, in the UK, has helped organize relief for the Ukrainian city Novograd-Volynsky. These two cities aligned through an international network of municipalities named Newcastle (Novograd in Ukrainian means…

Dancing with Zelenskyy

The winner of Ukrainian “Dancing with the Stars” was Volodymyr Zelensky, then actor and comedian, and now President.  Zelensky heard the call of justice and freedom, becoming a world leader. He has invited others, Ukrainian and European,…

The Ukraine and Us

I recently visited the Ukraine memorial in Washington, DC. It is a bas-relief commemorating millions of deaths in Ukraine in the 1930s. Millions of Ukrainians are again imperiled. Families are being ripped apart, others are seeking refuge in…

Fear and Loathing in Charitable Giving

A favorite icebreaker used at retreats and business meetings asks you to reveal one fact people don’t know about you. One of my “secrets” is that I was Federation’s campaigner of the year in 1999. Fundraisers confront strong emotional…

Awards Season

It is awards season.  From the Winter Olympics through to the Oscars, talented men and women will be rewarded with the recognition of their skills. Often, they will point skyward and offer thanks to God. Regardless of whether the artist giving…

Pay Attention to Details

Clothing design can be a matter of life and death. At least that is how I understand the High Priest’s garments described in Torah.  In fact, the sartorial design of life’s yin and yang is seen on the hem of the High Priest’s garment.Tiny…

A Place for God

I make room for God in the dining room. No, I didn’t buy an extra seat for the table. The dining room is in the southeast corner of the house where we can see the sunrise.  There, each morning, I am reminded to begin my day by acknowledging…

I’m sorry I yelled, mom!

I lost patience recently and directed some unkind words toward my mother. She asked are you mad at me because I haven't been feeling well? That soul-searing question reminded me of Torah's lessons about parent-child relationships.Torah states…

Watch your back!

Sid Closter z”l had been held hostage in the B’nai Brith building for nearly three days.  Sid was a smart and kind man. I first became friendly with Sid in the 1980s. I have been thinking about his ordeal since hearing about the attack…

Terrorist or Tourist?

Our brains are marvelous and mixed-up memory banks. However, memory is often inaccurate. We recall events through a lens of life experience. Like an artist choosing their medium and palette, the virtuosity of remembering is subjective.Nobel…