The Jewish world has lost a prophet. And we don’t have enough prophets these days, so the loss is keenly felt. Many people speak with a “prophetic voice,” but for me Rabbi Professor David Hartman was a mamash prophet. Brilliant, inspired, passionate, pushing us to do better, pushing Israel to do better. He died...
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Jacob is a role model for balancing the spiritual and physical. In this week’s Torah reading, Vayishlach, Jacob prepares for an encounter with his brother Esau both physically and spiritually. On the physical level he prepares for war and engages in diplomacy—dividing his camp and sending gifts. And on the spiritual level he prays....
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OK, “Life in a War Zone” is something of an exaggeration. One rocket that landed six miles from my home and caused no damage to anything or anyone doesn’t exactly make Jerusalem a “war zone.” My wife and I went out to dinner this evening and the crowds may have been a little thinner...
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I recently fulfilled a promise I made to myself over four years ago, when I turned 50: I published a book. Took me about three years longer than I had planned, but what the heck, "better late than never." Those of you who are observant (in the "noticing things sense" not necessarily in the...
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Last weekend (January 19-21) was an amazing weekend for us. We started with having Neshama Carlebach as our "Scholar-in-Residence" for our last weekend in Congregation B’nai Israel’s building on Kenwood Boulevard. Neshama did a beautiful job of leading the Kabbalat Shabbat service (our Hazzan, Jamie Gloth, led Ma’ariv). We had an excellent dinner with...
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Sojourner’s Truth, Toledo’s African-American newspaper, ran a front page article about our visitor from Uganda. Rabbi Aaron Kintu Moses: Helping Lead Uganda’s Black Jews to the Promised Land By Alan AbramsSojourner’s Truth Reporter "Have you heard the story about the two Falashas (the black Jews of Ethiopia) who met in Israel?" Rabbi Barry Leff...
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