As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on November 12, 2022. A son can bear with equanimity the loss of his father, but the loss of his inheritance may drive him to despair. – Niccolo Machiavelli In my learning with my study partner, we have spent the last few years learning the Talmudic tractate of […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on November 5, 2022. “I think we’re going to the Moon because it’s in the nature of the human being to face challenges. It’s by the nature of his deep inner soul… we’re required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream.” – Neil Armstrong This week […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on October 29, 2022. I seem to have a new hobby: participating in triathlons. I did one a month ago and it went well. Last Friday I did another. I have started small and if all goes well, am thinking about increasing the distance. My category was an […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on October 22, 2022. “Hesitation is often like procrastination. One may have vague doubts and feel a need to mull things over; meanwhile, other issues intrude on thought, and no decision is taken. Ask people why they procrastinate, and you probably won’t get a crisp answer.” -Robert J. […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on October 15, 2022. On Wednesday, I went along with my daughter to the Hakhel ceremony at the Western Wall. Personally, I thought it was a beautiful occasion, with tens of thousands of people from across the spectrum of Israeli society coming together to sort of reenact an […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on October 7, 2022. The tourists are back for Sukkot! Walking around Jaffa Road in Jerusalem, the predominant language heard is English. Just before I sat down to write this column, I went into the supermarket in my building and had to serve as a translator between the […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on October 1, 2022. “Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holy of holies of Jewish time. It is that rarest of phenomena, a Jewish festival without food. Instead, it is a day of fasting and prayer, introspection and self-judgment when, collectively and repeatedly, we confess our […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on September 24, 2022. I can’t believe that Rosh Hashana is in a few days. Where did the summer go? As long-time readers are aware, among all the many symbols that highlight Rosh Hashana for me it’s all about honey cake. Yes, I like honey cake but in […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on September 16, 2022. “Thank you, dear God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough. Thank you for the rain. And for the chance to wake up in three hours and go fishing: I thank you for that now, because I […]
As originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on September 9, 2022. “So when these people sell out, even though they get fabulously rich, they’re gypping themselves out of one of the potentially most rewarding experiences of their unfolding lives. Without it, they may never know their values or how to keep their newfound wealth in […]
