People are surprising. Sometimes bad, usually good. We like to put people in boxes (including ourselves). We like known quantities, predictably, and stability in all areas of our lives (even if we think we don’t). But letting people surprise us isn’t only delightful for us. It can be delightful for them. Through us, other people […]
Passover questions 2015
How is it we can eat all we want of meat and vegetables but no bread? I don’t think the Jewish people had lots of food in the desert. What is your favorite part about Passover? What does it mean to be enlightened? What are traditional Passover sweets? What makes a home a Jewish home? […]
Passover questions 2014
What non- tourist places should we see in Israel this summer? In light of the conflict in the Ukraine, what do you think the US role should be as it relates to world conflicts? Best advice about raising kids in an interfaith marriage? What is the difference between regular wine and kosher for Passover wine? […]
Universal blessing
Today marked the first farmer’s market of the season. As is customary with my family, we were there a few minutes before it opened. It was a sunny, cool, breezy morning. The farmer’s market was coming to life with activity. Then something unexpected happened. We were all asked to pause for an opening prayer. In […]
If the thunder don’t get ya…
One of the most interesting Grateful Dead tunes is “The Wheel.” It’s interesting musically and lyrically. It contains the lyric, “If the thunder don’t get ya then the lightning will.” Definitely a worldview expressed in that line! I thought of “The Wheel” last night when my family and I experienced an magnificent thunder storm while […]
Passover questions 2013
A few years ago my wife and I started a Passover tradition of gathering discussion questions from the folks at the seder we host in our home. Over the course of the seder we pull out some of the questions to enrich our seder discussion. Fortunately I’ve managed to hang onto the questions and are […]