Changing the Game or Maybe, a Game Changer
Like most of you reading this, I have been quite concerned over the political process in this country, especially since Donald Trump’s election. While we know this president did not create the divisiveness that now plagues our nation, he certainly stoked the flames...
Counting My Blessings
The other day, as I was riding my bike in the hills of Inwood and Fort Tryon Park in upper Manhattan (yes, there are real hills in this part of the city, even a forest) I thought to myself. “Three months ago I needed a walker to get around my apartment…how blessed am...
Black Lives Really Do Matter
Yes, I know. All lives matter. Every human being that ever lived was created in the image of God, each of us unique. More than seven billion of us on this planet we call earth and no two of us exactly the same. Even identical twins are not identical. I get that. ...
On the Other Side and Back
On June 10th I almost died. In fact, if not for the concern and quick thinking turned to action on the part of my children, I would have. I have no memory of what exactly happened, but I know they found me unconscious in my apartment; for how long, is still a mystery...
New Thinking for a New Reality
There is lots of speculation going on now about whether or not this worldwide pandemic is going to have a lasting influence on our way of life, the way we work, our way of thinking. How will the world be different? How will our lives be different? Or will we just...
What are you counting on?
In ancient times the counting until (my word) the Omer was a matter of life or death. You planted your wheat before Passover and then you started counting. If, after 49 + 1 days the earth did not produce an Omer’s worth of grain, famine, even starvation were the...
A Reminder of the Beauty & Fragility of Our World
In the midst of the corona virus pandemic I did something most people would consider reckless or even stupid—I drove to New York City, the epi-center of the U.S. outbreak, with my son who lives there. And so now that I am here, I wanted to share a few thoughts with...
The Pursuit of Perfection
I confess. I am a news junky. I believe in being well-informed. I believe in being engaged in the world. The stakes have never been higher. The alternative, to hide my head in the proverbial sand, just focus on myself and my family, while ignoring everything and...
Are We Going to War?
The last few days we have all been preoccupied with the assassination of Qassem Soleimani and what might be the repercussions of this bold (some would say “reckless”) action. Despite all the speculation, the truth is, no one knows for sure what, if...
What’s Next? Part One: In the Beginning
Since the publication of my latest book, Beyond Survival, I have been repeatedly asked, “So if the 2000 year old paradigm of Jewish life is shifting, what is next for Judaism?” I usually answer, “I really don’t know. And besides, the new paradigm will be...