Blogging

The Perfect Wedding Gift

I believe that there is indeed a perfect wedding gift for a Jewish couple. It doesn’t come from Tiffany’s, nor does it sparkle in a display case. This gift has the profound power to transform your life: a mezuzah made from broken shards…

Judaism’s Constitution

Judaism has a constitution: the Torah. The fifth book of the Torah, Deuteronomy, outlines rights, privileges, proscriptions, and constraints, all aimed at creating a God-centric society. Like any constitution, adherence to these rules requires…

Longing for Zion

Jewish identity is more than having a Jewish grandmother. Being Jewish is sharing customs and traditions. Among those is a longing for Zion. Zion is more than a geographic destination. It is a safe place for wandering people and a spiritual…

Bad Family

In researching my family history, I discovered colorful if not disturbing aspects of my family’s history. This is no surprise. Stories of bad behavior fill Jewish history. These stories may change the way I remember family.As we begin…

Stops Along the Way

A father rushing to get his children to school on time hurried them into the family van. After crossing through intersections and only seeing green traffic lights the father relaxed a little. Then they reached a railroad crossing just as the…

When to Quit

Good leaders know when to quit. George Washington left the presidency, demonstrating the need for an orderly transition of power. In modern times, Nancy Pelosi, the most effective Speaker in history, stepped aside on her own volition. Angela…

Making Fun of Hitler

Nazis have played a prominent role in Mel Brooks’ comedy. His first major film, “The Producers” was a comedy movie about the Nazis. He said that making fun of Hitler robbed the despot of his power and symbolism. While humor is one way…

Forrest Gump and Me

Mom and I watched the movie Forrest Gump the other morning in her hospital room. I presume that everyone has seen this movie many times. In the middle of the film, Forrest’s mother dies. Toward the end, he loses Jenny, his wife. Despite having…

Power Grab

For eight years, an insurrection in our country has brewed and sometimes boiled over. The fire came from elites in our society. Feeding off popular discontent, the wealthy and educated insurrectionists used outrage as a pretense for a power…

Anti-Zionist Jews

Since the Hebrews wandered Sinai, we were warned not to undervalue our strength. Twelve spies entered Canaan on a reconnaissance mission as a prelude to invading Canaan. Ten returned saying “We looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so…