Dec 16, 2015
This was written in early November from my hotel in Jerusalem where I attended the JCC Global Conference and JCC Innovation Summit with approximately 500 other global JCC leaders. It was before the horrific terror attack in Paris, and, most recently, in San Bernardino. These reflections feel even timelier now. I was invited...
Dec 10, 2015
First of all—let me get this out of the way—I’m not Jewish. That said, I do have a favorite Hanukkah song, Hanukkah Blessings by the Barenaked Ladies. It’s one that I play often this time of year as I’m decking my halls and baking my cookies. I hope my Jewish friends and...
Arts and Culture / Jewish Life
Dec 4, 2015
What will modern Judaism look like in the next century? According to Rabbi Wolpe of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, the future is unclear. During his recent talk at the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, Wolpe highlighted several factors that are threatening the continuation of modern Jewish life: the...
Dec 1, 2015
I’ve never been a big fan of potato latkes. Zucchini latkes, yes. Potato latkes, no. I was originally planning to come up with one alternative recipe to share on this blog, but after scouring the web for ideas, I found so many fantastic concoctions that I had to share them...
Nov 27, 2015
As Tenzin Gyatso (the 14th Dalai Lama) says the purpose of life is happiness. I believe the purpose of life is to share happiness with others. I also believe from the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and to avoid suffering. Therefore, the question is to how to...
Nov 23, 2015
Books and reading with a child are two of the finest gifts we can give. As we approach the beginning of Hanukkah, I wanted to share with you a sampling of some of my favorite Hanukkah books—titles you’ll want to have around the house or gift to a friend or relative. Here...
Nov 9, 2015
Over the last three decades, I have watched with deep sadness as our community cleaved further and further apart over how to support Israel. I am not so naive as to think that Jews will ever be of one mind when it comes to any issue, much less one so complicated as...
Oct 4, 2015
We are about to celebrate Simchat Torah, the Jewish holiday when we complete the annual cycle of reading the Torah and start all over again. “In the beginning God created…” Famously, the first chapter of the Torah says that God created the human being “in His own image.” That means we...
Sep 27, 2015
My corgi Daisy recently turned 12. To mark this momentous occasion and celebrate all the wonderful years I’ve had with her (so far!) I decided to throw her a “Bark Mitzvah.” It seemed fitting, considering Jewish culture has been as much a part of her life as it has been mine....
Family Life / Food / Jewish Life
Sep 24, 2015
If you grew up in a Jewish household, you probably decorated or even built a sukkah at some point. Whether in your backyard, at Hebrew school or at a local JCC, this is the holiday that helped you fulfill the ultimate childhood fantasy: building the best fort of all time....