We have been talking about the Missing Jewish Middle, how many Jews are born into Jewish life, boys getting brisses, girls getting Hebrew names, likely both getting Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and that these individuals will take steps to see that they are buried as Jews: "I was born a Jew and I'll di a Jew!" This […]
our blog
Maybe you have Jewish friends or relatives who have no interest in living covenantal Jewish lives shaped by Torah as generally understood in Jewish life and community. Or perhaps this disinterested or alienated Jewish person is you. Well, in either case, this blog post is for you as are others in this series. We have been […]
A friend of mine has asked me to officiate at a Memorial Service for her mother who was more a Humanist than in any sense formally Jewish. But the mother left directions that when she died she wanted a Memorial Service involving her children and their families, and she wanted a rabbi to preside. I was […]
Now that Rosh Hashana is past, and with the passing of Simchat Torah the High Holy Day season being truly over, and with yesterday being “Shabbat B’reishit” the Sabbath of the first section of Genesis, it is time to speak of new beginnings. And speaking of beginnings . . . It is interesting to look at […]
As mentioned in recent posts, a Hebrew Christian has been jousting with me on Facebook, taking exception to positions I hold while expressing a wide range of views contrary to the kind of Messianic Judaism I favor. I told him I was going to take his objections and statements and respond to them one by one on […]
As mentioned in my prior post, recently on my Facebook page, a Hebrew Christian began taking exception to positions I hold while expressing a wide range of views contrary to the kind of Messianic Judaism I favor. I told him I was going to take his objections and statements and respond to them one by one […]
Recently on my Facebook page, a Hebrew Christian began taking exception to positions I hold while expressing a wide range of views contrary to the kind of Messianic Judaism I favor. I told him I was going to take his objections and statements and respond to them one by one on my blog. This blog post […]
One of the most stimulating apects of blogging is the comments, . . . . well, at least sometimes! This is one of those times. In response to my recent post, "Lessons from a Jewish Familly 'Preunion,'" my Facebook friend Keri asked some questions that I then answered in the comments secion of that blog post. You can […]
The folowing is a D'var Torah, a sermon, I will be preaching on Shabbat Nitzavim-Vayelech, September 20, 2014, at Ahavat Zion Messianic Synagogue, Beverly Hills, California. Interestingly, part of this passage, Deut 29:10-30:20, was read in synagogues all over the world the day after I was born, too many years ago 🙂 It is good to […]
King David reminds us, "The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away." Having just reached seventy, I want to share some thoughts here about the benefits of growing older and lessons I have learned for […]
