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I recall being in my late teens or early twenties and speaking on the telephone with a rabbi/mentor of mine. I was alone in my brother’s back bedroom of our childhood home. The topic turned to modes of communication. Read More »
NY's Funniest Rabbi 
Postings From An Eclectic Soul
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“I know I’ll often stop and think about them.”
There are places I’ll remember All my life, though some have changed Some forever, not for better Some have gone and some remain All these places had their moments With lovers and friends, I still can recall Some are dead and some are living In my life, I’ve loved them all l I’m heading toward sleep, laptop in hand. James Taylor’s haunting me. Read More »
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Two students came to the test today with a small sheet of paper filled with poetry . “It’s called The Soul, for no reason.” I told them I liked it, the truth. “Did you notice that it’s three haiku?” I hadn’t. Cool.Thanks Y.S. and A.E. Read More »
Jewels From Heaven
Check out this beautiful thought on Vayakheil. Read More »
Time, It Was
More to follow, maybe. For now, see if you can match these 8 high school seniors from yesteryear with their adult selves of today. Click here to see the after picture from the reunion. Click on that picture to see it in full size. Read More »
“I’m Here To Be Validated”
“Kanah shem tov , kanah le’atzmo ” “If you acquire a good name, you’ve acquired something something for yourself.” – Pirkei Avot 2: 8. u “Tov shem tov mishemen tov ” “Better a good name than fine oil.” – Kohelet 7: 1 d Two weeks ago I posted about a short film about validation . Read More »
consciousness is perhaps the greatest burden and the greatest gift
consciousness is perhaps the greatest burden and the greatest gift Read More »
Faithinwords
This poem of August 27, 2009 just came to mind: I have lost a good deal of faithinwords My mother emailed, “Why have you lost your faithinwords?” Read More »
A Stone
This flowed out, or as Jennifer Natalia Fink would put it – it was vomited out. After, I did a small amount of arranging. I had been gifted with the title and then sat on a free balcony and aimed my insides at a blank page. In some ways the page remains blank, the writer isolated. Read More »
Kochava’s Lament
“Some days I feel old and other days I feel young.” That’s adolescence. Read More »
A Bit Of This Day So Far
The 7: 40 AM bell for davening just rang, I must leave the eight boys hanging in my office and go to set up davenning. They will follow shortly.1: 51 PM – Ran davening and taught four classes. More to come.I am so hungry but it is not food I crave or maybe it is. Read More »
Lefanecha
It’s profound that our first words when we awaken in the morning – whether we are alone or with a spouse – are to be spoken to G-d. Content aside for a second, the message here is that our deepest relationship, our only true escape from alone-ness in this world is connecting with G-d. So we wake up and the first thing we do is say hello to G-d. Read More »
During the school year before last I visited a colleague’s classroom just as class ended. A student
During the school year before last I visited a colleague’s classroom just as class ended. A student I’d never met before was sitting, working on a drawing. It was impressive and I asked who it was. She replied that it was Rufus Wainright. To her surprise I knew who that was, knew specific songs of his, who his parents were. Read More »
Gnagb
I see two favorite prayers as partners, one from the start and the other from the end of the day. Right after the commonly recited yehi ratzon there’s a short one that packs a punch, “May iy be Your will to save me today and every day from brazen people and from the trait itself… Read More »
One Take
This blog, like me has been through stages, changes. A common blogging theme seems to be what to write about, keeping up the blog, etc. The issue for me is the reverse. Jack writes often on his blog. At times I’ve posted here that freely and that often, but not always. So much of this blog, like so much of me is about holding back. Read More »
Hello
7: 30 AM – People appear. People disappear. Someone just reappeared in the kindest way: “12ish or 1ish also work, so you can totally see what you’re up to in the morning.” About a month after my mother died this friend reached out with a tangible offer to meet, vent, talk. Read More »
Hear, Be Now
I’m not going to play with the time of post (though I wonder if anyone pays attention to that anyway). It’s 12: 17 AM. Shabbos was amazingly nice. If you want to hear about it, really, be in touch, let me know, stay with me, listen.I thank G-d for my opportunity to teach, to connect, to be someone students are comfortable with. Read More »
More Another Time, PG, On What This Poem Means To Me
Invictus Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. . In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. . Read More »
Like Bookends
I set Seth up with his lovely wife Mindy. I roomed with Howie in Israel and now teach in his children’s high school. They remain dear friends of mine and I’m glad I snapped this picture of them together at last night’s high school reunion.What was the sin of the Golden Calf? To find my answer visit the latest at Parshapost.2 P.M. Read More »
Congratulations Card For Masters In Social Work From A Dear Friend Illustration by Jan Pashley ( …
Congratulations Card For Masters In Social Work From A Dear Friend Illustration by Jan Pashley ( not Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ) Read More »
Shmuel Chaim ben Yisrael HaKohein, We’ve Missed You
Reunited, in Scott’s merit Lifting Scott heavenward j It’s 11: 51 and I just got home. I was in front of my apartment for a while talking in the car with a dear old high school friend. Before that I was at Mendy’s restaurant for about three hours at a fantastic high school reunion. Read More »
Gnagb
7: 32 AM Hanging in my office pre davening with six sophomore boys. Ari “I was on time” M. is here with posse. They’re listening to ipods and texting just for a change of pace. We’re talking about stand up comedy and life. Soon minyan . Read More »
Day By Day and Night By Night: Psalm Poems Part V
Inspired By Psalm Eighteen My Stronghold, My Trust Rock, Haven, Power & Shield You save, and I praise Inspired By Psalm Nineteen The heaven’s wisdom day by day and night by night can always be heard. And G-d’s Torah is perfect, only it restores the soul. Read More »
A Question of Prayer
At the end of Tehillim 27, the words, “Hashem hoshiah hamelech ya’aneinu beyom kor’einu ” are generally translated as, “G-d will save us, The King will answer us on the day when we call.” The interesting thing is that we need to call to be answered. Read More »
From Chronicle Books’ Yidish Wisdom
Illustration by Kristina Swarner: used as condolence card by friends A Read More »
Inspired by Psalm Seventeen (click for link)
Perplexed I call You Look for The Answer, for You Your kindness is huge Read More »
Blogging Inspired
I want to thank Pearl for making me cry. And for teaching me Torah, wisdom that I did not know. Pearl posted a presentation she gave in memory of her and her husband’s fathers (and more). It is beautiful.I am writing (hopefully) pre sleep. So much happened today. I decided that a rabbi I know has dyed his hair. Read More »