Blog
Last Tuesday, I saw my son Yosi play fiddle with Hurray for the Riff Raff at the Independent here in San Francisco. The club sold out a week in advance. The band played a lot of tunes from their new CD, “Small Town Heroes.” Much has gone right for the Riff Raff since I wrote…
Fred Hoiberg got a raise. That’s good, because while employment is improving, many working Americans just get by. Hoiberg, basketball coach at Iowa State University, will take home an extra $600,000 a year. His new contract pays an average annual salary of $2.6 million. Maybe someday he’ll make serious money. After all, the coaches of…
Passover begins Monday night. Most Jews—including many who maintain no other religious practice—will attend a Seder to hear and help tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt. Some Seder participants will view the Exodus story as historic truth. Others will dismiss the story as fantasy yet engage in the meal and companionship. Still others…
Two weeks ago, my friend, Ellen, delivered a drash (mini-sermon) during Friday-night Shabbat services. She proposed that kashrut (Jewish dietary law) divides people at a time when globalism seeks to unite humanity. Meals bring people together. But strictly kosher Jews don’t go to non-kosher restaurants and avoid eating in non-kosher homes. Ellen’s is the position…
Lots of people complain about changes in San Francisco. They see technology workers as threats to the city they love. I get it, but I don’t agree. Witness my recent post “Deported from San Francisco: A Fable.” Why? Many complainers conveniently define themselves as real San Franciscans and anyone who arrived in town a day…
Last Tuesday, Lenny Kravitz received a posthumous Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry. Not the rocker/actor but his uncle for whom he was named. The elder Lenny Kravitz, who fought in Korea, proved an exemplar of courage. Decades after his death in combat, he also demonstrated what can go wrong in America—and right. According to…
THE FOLLY OF FRATRICIDE There’s an old saying: “Two Jews, three opinions.” Yes, it’s a stereotype, but Jews laugh at this one. We know it’s true. A multiplicity of opinions leads to lively discussions, new ideas and even consensus. Respect is the key. Without it, opposite views can lead to crippling disunity. That’s the case…
Missouri All-American defensive lineman Michael Sam recently came out of the closet. That turned sports fans’ attention not only to the opening of baseball spring training but also to April’s National Football League draft. Some NFL insiders question whether Michael Sam’s in-between size—he weighs 255 pounds—will enable him to find a position at which to…