I’m up in San Francisco for the conference of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. 460 rabbis gathered together for study, thinking, companionship and professional development. After a day of prayer and discussions about the future of the Jewish community and about intermarriage, I find myself in a Prius on a road trip an hour …
The Streets of San Francisco
I find myself in San Francisco at the Conference of the CCAR, Reform Jewish rabbis. Four day devoted to figuring out how to lead and sometimes push the Jewish world into the future. Lots of discussion surrounding the changing Jewish world. Rabbi Steve Fox, exec VP of the CCAR, is challenging us to recognize we …
Rabbis Gather, This Rabbi Kvells
I’m up in San Francisco for the Central Conference of American Rabbi’s convention. 460 Rabbis plus spouses/partners are together in the famed Fairmont Hotel for study, chevruta (friendship), social justice and prophetic pronouncements. Many are sharing the struggles of their communities as they make their way through the deep recession. Many talk about the infighting …
Death and Dying: Talking to Kids (repost)
We recently heard about tragic deaths of young people and young parents in our Greater Los Angeles area. One of the most challenging tasks confronting us all is how to explain death to a child. In the midst of one’s own grief or in the attempt to comfort another, a child’s need to know and …
My Favorite Quotable Reform Jewish Movement Greats
There is a raging discussion going on in the Rabbi Listserve about where are, or who are, the great scholars of the Reform Jewish movement, who are quotable and should be regularly quoted. Since I think the whole discussion is a bit inane, and because it is Purim, the holy day when we can make …
Hiking the Hills of LA and Ventura Counties
Ahmanson Ranch hike. Beautiful sky after the rains. Fresh air. Loads of mud. Cool Everytrail iPhone app kept us on the right path until we lost service and we were on our own. Then we were back to unclear downloaded paper maps. 3.3 miles, 3 hours walking. Great day with wife.
The Gaza War – Goldstone Report – An Israeli Defense by Rabbi John Rosove
I open today’s blogpost to my colleague Rabbi John Rosove who reflects upon the Gildstone report. Rabbi Rosove, a true lover of Israel, sits on the left sife of the political spectrum so his words are both interesting and informative The Gaza War – Goldstone Report – An Israeli Defenseby Rabbi John Rosove Friends of …
Why Congregation Or Ami is Inspiring #2
Another reason why our Congregation Or Ami is so inspiring: our congregants share their love and joy, and speak about it regularly. Not long ago, I blogged about the Sweetest Bar Mitzvah Moment. A few days later, I received this email from the same man (grandfather) about whom I wrote: Dear Rabbi Paul, You beat …
Inspiration Inside, the Siddur and Me
How does a rabbi find spiritual sustenance during the prayer service? Especially during those parts of services when the cantor so beautiully leads us through the prayers? I confess that I sometimes wander through our siddur, Mishkan T’filah, hoping that the Holy One will guide me to words of wisdom or poetry whih will touch …
Blogging by iPhone
Here I sit in my comfy chair in the livingroom, bloging away on my iPhone with a cool app called BlogPress. I learned about it while tweeting from my iPhone. I just put out a request for suggestions for a blogging app and voilà, someone I don’t know responded with a great app. How cool …
I’m Watching You Dad
Congregant blogger Bruce Sallan, of “A Dad’s Point of View,” passed on this fabulous, thought-provoking video about what children learn from their fathers. Beautiful, the video leads us all to pause and take stock of the example we are providing for our children (particularly our sons). Take a look and let me know what you …
Eating without Scarfing
So often we eat so quickly, scarfing down our meal, without taking even a moment to enjoy or contemplate what we are doing. At the Institute for Jewish Spirituality retreats, we enjoy 2 silent meals a day, during which we sit in silence with just our thoughts and our food for company. Each meal, we …
Tree Planting for Tu B’shvat
There's nothing like getting out of the house – and out of the temple – to see and experience the fullness of God's creation. Our Santa Monica Mountains are beautiful and with the help of Mountains Restoration Trust and the Tree People, Congregation Or Ami planted trees in our Or Ami Mitzvah Grove in Malibu …
Me and Marilyn
Succulent Fruit
Tu B'shvat heegee'ah – the Jewish holy day for trees arrives. We began our weekend of celebration with delicious tangerines.