On this Rosh Hashanah, community matters.
The sound of the shofar epitomizes the Yamim Noraim – the Days of Awe. On the evening of September 16, 2012, we – the Jewish People – will gather in our synagogues and hear the shofar. Blown as we...
View ArticleDuring these Days of Awe: “Who Shall Live and Who Shall Die”
Tomorrow night begins the Jewish observance of Yom Kippur. In a solemn 25 hours of total fasting, Jews will gather in synagogues around the world to ask G-d to forgive their sins and pray that they...
View ArticleA Time for Reflection. A Time for Action. The Annual Gathering of Jewish...
This Sunday, more than 3,000 Jewish community leaders from across the country will gather in Baltimore under the umbrella of the Jewish Federations of North America. The gathering, affectionately...
View ArticleTrying to terrorize Israel…Again
Several years ago during a trip to Israel, a mother shared with me the instructions she gave to her two children when they boarded the bus to school. She told one of them to get on the front of the...
View ArticleIsrael vs. the Three D’s: Disingenuous, Duplicitous, & Double Standards
As we continue to watch events unfold in the Middle East, including the bus bombing in Tel Aviv, I am reminded of “three D’s” that are used to delegitimize Israel. The “three D’s” are a common thread...
View ArticleSupporting Israel Without Measure
Since the ending of the week-long conflict between Israel and Hamas, we have enjoyed the celebration of Thanksgiving and watched the ridiculous display at the UN as the Palestinians rejected direct...
View ArticleHouston Jews: A Mission of Destiny to the Land of their People
In two weeks, more than 150 members of Houston’s Jewish community will depart for Israel on a biennial trip sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston. Eighty percent of the group has never...
View ArticleHoustonians’ Visit to Israel Comes at Critical Moment
In the coming days, more than 150 individuals, reflecting a diverse cross-section of Houston’s Jewish community, will arrive in Israel on a biennial trip sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater...
View ArticleWhere were you 3,300 years ago? I was standing at Sinai.
Tonight, May 14th, Jews will recall the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Torah (Five Books of Moses) while standing at Mt. Sinai. Tonight, Jews around the world will begin the observance of the...
View ArticleCelebrating Israel at 65!
These past few weeks have marked several momentous celebrations of the State of Israel turning 65! The celebrations coincided with both the Hebrew calendar date of that anniversary (the 5th of Iyar)...
View ArticleThe Six Day War: Reverberating 46 Years Later
June 5, 2013 will mark the 46th anniversary of the start of the Six Day War – the seminal battle between Israel and its Arab neighbors in which Israel was victorious in a war for its very existence....
View ArticleThe Six Day War & the Transformation of American Jews
Ask any involved, strong, pro-Israel American Jew, who is also a baby boomer, and they will tell you that the Six Day War was a transformational moment that forever changed how they felt about...
View ArticleThree weeks and counting…
This Monday, June 24th starts what’s known in traditional Judaism as the “Three Weeks” – the period leading up to Tisha B’Av (July 16th) – the annual observance and day of mourning on which multiple...
View ArticleA Dream is Born: KIPP Makes Aliyah
The following post was originally published online at www.ejewishphilanthropy.com. Eight years ago, catastrophic events were shaping the beginning of the new Jewish year. Hurricane Katrina had struck...
View ArticleThe End and the Beginning
This Thursday evening, Jews around the world will begin the final observance of the Jewish High Holiday season. As I wrote in prior postings in this blog space (“Three weeks and counting…”, “As the...
View ArticleRemember
Remembrance – Zachor – is part of the vocabulary of the Jewish people. We remember when we recite Kaddish each day for a deceased loved one. On the annual observance of Tisha B’Av, we remember the...
View ArticleUkraine: Standing on a Jewish Precipice
Is history repeating itself? For a millennia, there has been anti-Semitism in Ukraine. Though manageable after the collapse of the former Soviet Union, the violent confrontations throughout Eastern...
View ArticleIsrael at 66: Why I Love the Jewish State
As the State of Israel prepares to celebrates its 66th year of independence, I am re-posting the following message simply entitled, “Why I love Israel.” Some years ago, I discovered an amazing piece of...
View ArticleRevisiting “Why Christians Support Israel”
This Sunday, May 18, 2014, Christians United for Israel will observe “CUFI Sunday” when thousands of churches across the nation will celebrate their love and support for Israel and pray for the peace...
View ArticleOn this Memorial Day, could we learn a lesson from Israel?
This Monday, May 26th, is Memorial Day. For all my adult life, Memorial Day in the United States is less a time to remember those who gave their lives in defense of our country and more a time for...
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