Can we all agree that antisemitism is a scourge on the Jewish people? Do we not see signs of it rearing its ugly head nearly every time we turn around? The recent uprising at Columbia University against Israel and Jews in general strikes at our very hearts. The protestors actually closed the campus to Jewish students with hateful chants and the physical blocking of entry. Elsewhere there was the horrific attack on Sahar Tartak, an Orthodox Jewish student at Yale, a few days ago. She dared to attempt to film a pro-Hamas protest for the Yale Free Press–an oddly incongruent … Continue reading Good Morning 4-23-24

The weekend before this last one, we got played by Mother Nature. Warm temps well into the 70’s had the kids out in force. Jackets were shunned in favor of shirtsleeves and mowers got revved up. We bought our 4th raised garden bed frame and started to get things squared away in the yard. My sister in Sioux Falls was so excited she confidently bought pepper, tomato, and flower plants that she set out on her deck. My other sister told of a couple who had moved to Sioux Falls from Atlanta and they put in their entire garden with … Continue reading Good Morning 4-22-24

We are about to embark on perhaps the most important and beloved week on the Jewish calendar: Pesach. Most people know that the holiday is rooted in the story of the Exodus when Moses led the Israelite slaves out of Egypt. They know that the tenth plague was the killing of the firstborn in every household in Egypt “from the first-born of Pharaoh who sat on the throne to the first-born of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the first-born of the cattle.” (Exodus 12:29). The word Pesach means to “pass over,” for the LORD told the … Continue reading Good Morning 4-21-24

Some people live what seem to be charmed lives. They are happy and successful, they have strong marriages, beautiful children who are respectful and a joy to be around. They live in lovely homes and fulfilling jobs. They seem to not have a care in the world. They are fully cognizant of how blessed they are and respond with gratitude for what they’ve been given. They even share generously with others that they might join in their good fortune. Then there are those whose lives are not so easy. Their children are not always so well-mannered, or perhaps they have … Continue reading Good Morning 4-19-24

You have only to look at the headlines to know how quickly things can change in the world. The geopolitical status of a people or a country turns on a dime according to events that we couldn’t have imagined even a day before. Whether we are talking about wars or economies, elections or natural disasters, the entire world can be affected overnight. We all have to think of what the world was like just four years ago. Within days of the announcement of an outbreak of a novel virus, the world shut down. Businesses and schools closed. People sheltered in … Continue reading Good Morning 4-18-24

My Intro to Business class just completed a chapter on Business Ethics. It’s been a great opportunity to get them to think about what it means to be an ethical person and to be inquisitive about businesses or governments who claim to be ethical but whose behavior says otherwise. As part of the lesson, I reminded them that their personal ethics are important as well and, as members of society, as future employees and employers, they need to develop their own guidelines for behavior. The famed Greek philosopher and teacher, Aristotle, spoke long and often about ethical issues. He was … Continue reading Good Morning 4-17-24

All this talk in the last two parashah about tzaarat and metzora (an unclean or diseased person) and now I find out that Maimonides, in his writings in “Commentary on the Mishnah,” said that no condition ever existed. There was no disease that fits the description. He says that not only would such a disease be scientifically impossible, but it was definitely not contagious. How could something that didn’t really exist be contagious? Maimonides was not just a rabbi, author, philosopher, and sage. He was a doctor. Believe the science, right? We have no idea what tzaarat on a house … Continue reading Good Morning 4-16-24

What is your strongest memory of childhood and of school in particular? Most of us have that favorite teacher or best friend who, no matter the circumstances, came to your rescue in some way. Frankly, the method they likely used to rescue you was speech. A teacher gave you praise that stuck with you for a long time. A friend stood up for you on the playground or in class when others turned against you. Or maybe you were as lucky as I was to have parents who never failed to tell us what we could do, not limiting us … Continue reading Good Morning 4-15-24

We are living in scary times. Yesterday Iran launched an airborne attack against Israel. As explosive drones make their way to the tiny, besieged country, the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) is monitoring all the targets. Iran issued a statement confirming the action as retaliation against a strike by Israel on April 1st in Damascus that killed several high-ranking Iranian commanders including Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zhedi. Of course, it is no secret that Iran has been the fuel behind the attacks from Hamas and Hezbollah. They fund these terror groups and foment war in many ways. Prior to the air … Continue reading Good Morning 4-14-24

We say we want things simple, but do we? If we are honest, we prefer a little bit of ceremony. Proms and proposals, weddings and gender reveal parties require a big hoopty-doo. If religion is involved, we want plenty of excitement. We like a full-fledged band up front. We want a choir to sing like angels, sermons that move us to tears, and plenty of pomp and circumstance. Bring on the incense and the fancy robes so I can feel “churched.” If we’ve done something wrong and seek forgiveness, we also want something more than a simple pardon. We seem … Continue reading Good Morning 4-12-24