We live in complicated times where almost everything seems to be politicized. Israel is no exception, and is a lightning rod when it comes to political divisiveness both globally, and more concerning, within the Jewish community. It is not that … Read More
Blog Archives
Why We Tell Our Stories
Do you ever cuddle up with your children and share memories of your childhood – special moments, trips, or family traditions? Do you remember your parents doing the same with you? I clearly remember loving to listen to my parents … Read More
Be Aware of Technology and Social Media
In 1908, in Detroit, cars were seen as a vexing problem. That summer, 31 people were reported to have been injured or killed after being hit by a car, or after a car accident. Many more deaths were not even … Read More
What Makes Us Family
When I arrived at Hillel, in 2003, everyone loved calling Hillel a family. At the time, I did not like the concept of the “Hillel Family;” I preferred calling us a community. We were the Hillel community. Five years ago … Read More
Hillel – A Special Community
This Sunday night marks my Dad’s seventh yarhzeit. It’s amazing how quickly time passes, though the memory does not dim. My dad died during the Hebrew month of Elul, the month we begin reciting Psalm 27 in preparation for the … Read More
We are Family!
Ten years ago when I arrived at Hillel, everyone loved calling Hillel a family. I did not like the concept of the “Hillel Family;” I spoke about it at the time and I believe I even wrote about it. I … Read More
Is it Okay to Celebrate Halloween as an American Jew?
This is an interesting and somewhat controversial question. We live in a Christian culture, making it sometimes challenging to separate the religious from the secular. Sefer Vayikra (Book of Leviticus) provides the source of the prohibition against celebrating gentile customs … Read More