Posts Tagged ‘Congregation Sherith Israel’
THE OLDEST GUY IN THE ROOM 
A week ago, Carolyn and I flew to Texas for a nephew’s wedding. The trip brought up separate thoughts about flying and mortality. A 6:00 am (ugh!) flight took us from San Francisco to Dallas-Fort Worth International to change planes for Waco. We flew coach. Ugh again. Flying once was exciting and comfortable. Today, security…
Read MoreSLALOM WALKING
Pre-COVID-19, I took three walks a day to reach a minimum of four total miles. I still do. I’ve noticed some things. Home-sheltered, more people walk, run and bicycle weekdays. On the first day of shelter-in-place, sidewalks and streets were relatively crowded. The second day, walkers, runners and cyclists tapered off. People are still out…
Read MoreLARRY
I lost my friend Larry Raphael last Sunday. I’m writing about Larry because he deserves it—and I need to. Larry became Congregation Sherith Israel’s senior rabbi in July 2003 after three decades at Hebrew Union College in New York. It was his first pulpit. He was ready. A dedicated and accomplished teacher, Larry immediately led…
Read MoreHOOPS, GENESIS AND CANCER
Last Monday, Boston Celtics basketball star Kyrie Irving apologized for saying that the earth is flat. A plethora of questionable beliefs challenge science. They threaten our individual and national health. The Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky dismisses evolution. Its website states, “The Creation Museum shows why God´s infallible Word, rather than man’s faulty assumptions, is…
Read MoreANCHOR BABIES AND OPEN EARS
Tuesday night, I attended a workshop, “Speaking Across Conflict,” at Congregation Sherith Israel. It related to heated discussions—and lack of discussions—about Israel among Jews. Rabbi Melissa Weintraub led the workshop. She is co-director of Resetting the Table, a program of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs’ Civility Campaign. The basics are simple. Implementing them is…
Read MoreEXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY THINGS
Life often seems routine. We wonder, isn’t there more? Yet we find comfort in life’s everyday rhythms. The problem isn’t that we surrender to the mundane. It’s that so much in our ordinary lives is extraordinary—and we’re blind to it. Attending Shabbat services last Friday night at Congregation Sherith Israel then Torah Study on Saturday…
Read MoreTHE YEAR OF LISTENING
During the Jewish month of Elul (August/September) leading to the recent High Holy Days, I made a semi-resolution. The Sages caution against making vows and for good reason, so I avoided going that far. But I determined to try to be a more attentive listener. That’s a challenge. I took inspiration from Pirke Avot (Wisdom…
Read MoreTHE FOLLY OF FRATRICIDE
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…
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