For the few television shows I enjoy, the season-ending cliffhanger is not my cup of tea. There is enough mystery and anxiety in real life; who needs agita from fantasy? I prefer a nice and neat resolution; whether happy or sad. As we know, life can certainly be a mystery. There
As with most of you, I grew up in two worlds: An American world and a Jewish world. Thanksgiving in my family was an coveted celebration of our American freedoms. Aside from the food and football (and I do not minimize the latter!), my family was always appreciative of the life we lived in America.
In the course of our every day lives, scenarios arise unexpectedly. As we, or our children get sick, we need to cancel anticipated plans to make an immediate doctor’s appointment. Something malfunctions in our house and we require expedient service. A situation arises at work, which we must address-even as it throws our...
We all know the expression: The ends justifies the means. At times we have invoked that idiom with great wisdom and foresight. Too often however, we quote the expression to rationalize our egregious behavior-both individual and collective. We can justify terrorism, government sponsored mass killing /imprisonment, income tax evasion and...
Last night I attended the opening reception for Great Neck’s newly renovated Library. As you would imagine, the reception was attended by local officials and library supporters (financial and otherwise) as well as by members of the general community. The evening included an impressive musical performance, a brief history of the...
In the new Conservative Movement Prayer Book Lev Shalem, there is a section devoted to the Sukkot ritual of Ushpizin. Ushpizin is an Aramaic word meaning guests. Each night while eating in the Sukkah, we have traditionally invited one of the biblical patriarchs to symbolically join us; connecting past and present. In Lev Shalem, the...