9/11 has bequeathed to us a huge range of responses, as numerous and varied as we, the diverse humanity living in the wake of the tragedy. For many, perhaps many in this room, the loss, the grief, the mourning continues.
June 03, 2011
The Samson Complex
Occasion(s) / Naso
Thirty years ago, a teacher of mine, Ed Greenstein of Tel Aviv University, suggested a fascinating theory regarding the biblical figure of Samson. Destined in utero for greatness as Israel’s savior, Samson would grow up to be an irresponsible and uncontrollable Hebraic Rob Roy.
May 21, 2011
Walking the Walk
Occasion(s) / B’hukkotai
According to the Jewish calendar we are in the midst of the sefirah, which means “counting,” specifically the days between Passover and Shavuot.
May 06, 2011
The Eichmann Trial – 50 Years Later
Occasion(s) / Emor
For Israelis, and perhaps the Jewish community at large, the most significant obituary issued this past week may not be the one that you are thinking of.
April 29, 2011
The Goldstone Question
Occasion(s) / K’doshim
Over the past decades, our public discourse has provided a catalog of pithy rhetoric, phrases that in a few words capture much broader cultural conversations. “Read my lips, no new taxes,” said George Bush the father in 1988.
April 18, 2011
The Second Freedom
Occasion(s) / Pesach
To the degree that I understand Nietzsche at all, I am pretty sure he wrote something very interesting about the long term effects of slavery. He coined a term in French – ressentiment – that to the best of what I can tell is closely related to what you or I would call resentment.
March 25, 2011
Religion Beyond the Limits of Reason Alone
Occasion(s) / Other
I have a friend, who, for the purposes of discussion, we shall call David. David is the son of a Holocaust survivor; he grew up Orthodox, and is a fiercely proud Jew. Passover Seders with David are always fun – he knows every word by heart, can sing every song in Hebrew, and is always off-key.
March 12, 2011
Mazel
Occasion(s) / Va-yikra
Bess Myerson was born with two attributes for which she could take no credit: her Jewish name – at the time, a liability; and her good looks – an ongoing blessing.
February 26, 2011
Divine Shards
Occasion(s) / Va-yak·hel
Abraham Isaac Kook (1865 – 1935) was one of the most influential rabbinic personalities of the Twentieth century. He was the Rabbi of Jaffa in 1904, then became the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, and eventually, the first Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of the British Mandate of Palestine.