Birthday wisdom from my 80 Year Old mother
Category: blog archive
Threading the Needle – Israel, Gaza, The Embassy too
Spoken word poetry seeking to find sanity during the tensions at the Gaza border.
Tel Aviv Up Close Thru the Eyes of a Long Distance Friend
In a land that oozes holiness, watching my wife Michelle, a long distance lover of Israel, rediscover the Holy Land has been fascinating.
Celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut in an Airplane to Israel
Celebrating Israel’s 70th birthday on an airplane to Israel and thinking about this spiritual ascension.
When Cutting One’s Hair for Chemo
When Cutting One’s Hair for Chemo: A Prayer/Blessing/Drash/Spoken Word Rap
Parent-Teen Mental Health and Wellness Summit
The Parent-Teen Mental Health and Wellness Summit realized a dream: to transform our synagogue, Congregation Or Ami (Calabasas), into a truly safe place for teens, their unique emotional journeys, and the parents who love but are unsure of how to protect them.
Teen Mental Health: Rolling Darkness into Light
Why did Congregation Or Ami focus our energies on creating a mental health and wellness retreat? Because today's teens are particularly stressed out, overwhelmed by anxiety, buffetted by the emotional turmoil engendered by social media. They crave support and relief.
Rabbinic Super Bowl Rivalry Plays Out on Facebook
Rabbi Paul Kipnes and Rabbi Joshua Aaronson have engaged in a spirited rivalry over Super Bowl LII between the Patriots and the Eagles. Winning Rabbi gets bragging rights, and delicious delicacies for their synagogue's oneg, and the loser donates tzedakah to URJ Camp Newman's #NewmanStrong fund.
Watching Adulthood Emerge on Capitol Hill
Adulthood arrives later than when we were kids. When young people take more real responsibility not only for their own lives, but also for those around them, and for their community, country and world, they begin to manifest a level of maturity that evidences approaching adulthood.
History-holding Friend is a Gift from God
Devoted, history-holding, once-in-a-blue-moon-visiting friends are a transcendent gift from God.
Text To My Children, On the Inauguration
I sent this text to my children, on Inauguration Day - 1/20/17
How to Fix the World: Wisdom from Men’s Night Out
A group of men gathered at Congregation Or Ami's Men's Night Out, and took up Dr. King's challenge. We asked "What are our responsibilities as men to our community, our country and or world?"
Why did we have to stand up so long? (Torah Portion Nitzavim)
Torah commentary on Nitzavim: Why did the people have to stand up so long?
Touro Synagogue, Oldest Jewish Synagogue in United States
The history of Touro Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the United States, offers lessons about social justice and religious tolerance that resonate even today.
Video written & directed by Seth Front: http://sethfront.com
“Shalom Rav”
Performed by Nancy Linder: http://nancylinder.com
Music by Jeff Klepper & Dan Freelander
A Sanctuary of Kindness, Your Second Home
The clergy of Congregation Or Ami (Calabasas) share their vision of the synagogue as a sanctuary of kindness, your second home.