Reclaiming Judaism
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Writings about Jewish Community, Education and Outreach. As a Jewish education professional, I work with organizations to help them identify and train their future leaders, conduct effective outreach activities, and work on getting the resources they need to carry out a plan of growth.
Reclaiming Judaism
1y ago
Of course there’s meaning in the ceremony, but creating sustained impact is not as easy as you might think. Teens are exposed to the most lavish of parties celebrating this milestone, whether from friends, movies, or social media…ways of marking the milestone comes to them from all directions. The truest meaning of the Bar ..read more
Reclaiming Judaism
1y ago
In the Bible, we are commanded to love God. Can we be commanded to feel an emotion ..read more
Reclaiming Judaism
1y ago
This trait can take us down a dark road. Listen to my podcast about how this trait can trip you up here ..read more
Reclaiming Judaism
1y ago
I am not sure how, if I didn’t have a spiritual practice, I would get through the day after a dose of daily news. Even though I severely limit my time listening and reading to about an hour a day, it is sometimes enough to crush the spirit….Read more here ..read more
Reclaiming Judaism
2y ago
The passage of time has been nothing short of startling for me. During the pandemic, and even now as things are ‘easing up’, I ride the wave of time, from one activity to another, from one holiday to another…not really feeling that I’ve actually experienced it. I can’t explain it beyond that. It is a ..read more
Reclaiming Judaism
2y ago
Responsibility, Achrayut / אחריות is one of the character traits that a person focuses on while practicing Mussar and engaging in character and spiritual development. To appreciate its nuances, we can go right to the Hebrew for clarification of what is involved in this trait. Let’s first look at the core letters of the word ..read more
Reclaiming Judaism
2y ago
If not now, when? Hillel, Foundational Ethics, 1:14 One should set aside a definitive time of the day and a specific amount of time for this assessment [of your ways] so that it is not a fortuitous matter, but one that is conducted with the greatest regularity; for it yields great returns. [Mesilat Yesharim, Path of ..read more
Reclaiming Judaism
2y ago
Instead of piquing my curiosity, I was repulsed by the very title of Dara Horn’s new book: People Love Dead Jews. I dismissed it as a book I would ever want to read. You see, I grew up with dead Jews ..read more
Reclaiming Judaism
2y ago
If you had to pick one word with which to describe yourself, which would you pick? Think a few moments about your choice and your reasoning. I am hoping that you chose open. How might you be open? Are you open to new ideas? To regarding others with honor? To listening to other’s opinions? Or ..read more
Reclaiming Judaism
2y ago
Our tradition tells us that the sole purpose of Torah is for us to refine our character, and the way toward that end is through action, namely, by doing mitzvot (commandments). By exploring the Hebrew origins of the word, we will gain insight into its deeper meaning. The Hebrew, מצוה (mitzvah), is derived from a ..read more