HOLD THE CANADIAN BACON

As one who believes that clergy should not weigh in on the partial government shut-down, I was intrigued by a news article that I came across last week concerning the current situation or crises, depending on your political views. Canadian Air Traffic Controllers have been sending hundreds of Pizzas to their American counterparts, who have been working without pay for […]

CAN’T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES

It’s carob time again! Come Tu B’Shvat, congregants, Hebrew School students and those who attend Jewish Day Schools prepare themselves perennially to hear all about their “raisin” d’etre. Perhaps it’s time to branch out, and leave the almonds, figs, and dates alone and look to the trees for a different source of nourishment. Perhaps its time for the trees to […]

PLANE MENTSCH

Other than being rabbi of Tiferet, most probably the next reason for me being proud to live in Dallas, would be that Dallas is the home of Southwest Airlines. It was with more than a modicum of interest therefore, that I read about the passing last week of the founder of Southwest, Herb Kelleher. I have no idea about Mr. […]

INTERNALIZING AND INTERNATIONALIZING

I knew that something was missing. For the longest time, I understood the difference between January first and the first of Tishrei in the most pedestrian terms.  Uneducated greeting card producers aside, “Happy New Year” does not address Rosh Hashanah. It never did. The greeting Shanah Tovah does not mean Happy (New) Year; it means “A good year.” Not only […]