Category Archives: Uncategorized

Isaac & Yishama’el in the Holy Land

Life is an emotional experience, which explains why rationalizing things does not always help us take their emotional impact away; and which explains why when you escort your kid to the “Bakum”, you’re not interested in statistics on whether college … Continue reading →

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Shabbat Shalom: About Getting Up Early in the Morning and more… מה אתה עושה כשאתה קם בבקר

Vignettes: Hiking on Sunday morning around a random, beautiful lake near Oakland NJ. Many of the red-orange-purple leaves have already fallen, and the trail is often lost under the crinkling sound. I’m walking in a golden-copper forest. “I got likes!”! Facebook has created … Continue reading →

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Lech Lecha, go…

Vignettes: Manhattan. 11 o’clock at night. Breathless after another session of Israeli dancing in the city where one can dance more than 7 times a week, I grab my stuff and run to the subway. There is a moment of … Continue reading →

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Noah & the Lit Ark, Talmud in the Streets and more

Vignettes: I have received plenty of warnings about the East Coast winters, and specifically the New York storms, wind tunnels, dirty snow, black ice and what not, all things I’m awaiting with great apprehension, “leafing” through websites for warm clothing, … Continue reading →

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Almost Shabbat, Almost Sukkot

Vignette: Throughout most of the day, Riverdale seems like a suburb and not really part of the bustling city, just a couple of miles south. Here’s there are big beautiful trees, nearby trails along the river, gorgeous homes, and people … Continue reading →

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Chatima Tova!

Kenneth Bone went from being an undecided voter in the “middle of nowhere” to a national hero after asking a question in the recent debate. Perhaps more than his question, it was the following comment: “I feel like Mr. Trump … Continue reading →

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Shabbat Shuva: on Finding Balance – or – Standing and Walking

In Riverdale NY, it seems like the whole world is celebrating this season. First, the weather has been a sunny, pleasant fall; not humid anymore and not yet freezing. Some of the famous trees are starting to change; there is … Continue reading →

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California Girl in NY, Week 3: Ki Tavo… coming and going

The Weather – again… Summer rainstorms?? If the CA “weather paradox” imagery might be skiing in t-shirt, NY’s might be negotiating puddles in shorts, flip-flops and umbrella… New Yorkers 101 My morning walk is great, mostly because it saves me … Continue reading →

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5 decades later – starting again…

Twenty years ago, while working on my masters in Jewish Studies, I had the great honor to learn in person with Dr. Rebetzin / Rabbanit Naomi Cohen, wife of then Chief Rabbi of Haifa, Eliyahu Yosef Sh’ar Yashuv Cohen. I … Continue reading →

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“See, I set before you…”

Some of the Torah commandments are quite baffling. And I am not talking about the commandment to eat certain foods, or keep Shabbat; not even peculiar things like separating wool and linen, or meat and milk. Those are all maybe … Continue reading →

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