The first time I went to visit Harvard, George W. Bush was dropping bombs over Iraq. I vaguely remember the constant refrain of OutKast’s “Bombs over Baghdad” playing in my head. Walking through campus, my friend Arie (who attended Harvard) and I couldn’t help but see the massive protest gathered at Harvard Yard that weekend. Continue Reading »
In the aftermath of the various quiz show scandals in the 1960s, in which contestants were fed answers in advance of the show to placate sponsors’ desires for higher ratings–Merv Griffin‘s wife was sitting next to him on an airplane. She told him, “We should make a new quiz show.” He replied: “Why would we Continue Reading »
We don’t think about it all that much, but here in East Cobb we currently live over 1000 feet above sea level. When I was growing up in Philadelphia, I was living 39 feet above sea level. Is Mountain air good for the soul? Is that why everyone here looks so much younger than everyone Continue Reading »
Two years ago I was running late to a funeral. I was driving 68 miles an hour on Roswell Road. That’s when I saw the flashing lights. A cop pulled me over to give me a ticket. I was understandably anxious. And so when the cop walked up to my window, I said: “Officer Continue Reading »
There’s a Facebook group called “Surely, this will save Conservative Judaism.” It has 4000 members and is billed as a satirical group. For as long as many of us can remember, Conservative Jews have been decrying the demise of Conservative Judaism, and everyone thinks they have a magic bullet about how to save it. Many Continue Reading »
People sometimes use the words spirituality and religion interchangeably. The words are worlds apart. Spirituality implies seeking a deep, individual connection with God. People who say they are “spiritual, but not religious” practice yoga and meditation, but who would not be caught dead in a synagogue. Religion, by contrast, argues for the power of connection Continue Reading »
Prior to Simchat Torah there was some discussion about how our shul would acknowledge October 7, 2023, which had fallen on Simchat Torah. We concocted an elaborate plan. We would commemorate the loss on Shemini Atzeret during Yizkor. We would then dance our first hakafah on Simchat Torah that evening in silence, while going on Continue Reading »
Over the years, I’ve heard the word “lapsed” used to describe a person who is not particularly connected to his or her faith. Recently, however, I’ve come up with something else. I am going to start to use the word “dormant.” Faith never truly exits a person. Even when they feel disconnected, it lies in Continue Reading »
For the past eight years I’ve lived in Georgia, I would say conservatively, I spend at least two minutes a day, four days a week, stuck at the traffic light at the intersection of Johnson Ferry and Roswell Road. So, I finally decided to do the math. 2 minutes x 4 days x 52 weeks Continue Reading »
As I drank my $6.99 Diet Coke at the ball game the other night, I had somewhat of a revelation. Earlier that day, I had gone out for lunch and spent $2.50 for the same Diet Coke. A few days prior, I had spent $20 to buy 48 cans of Diet Coke at the grocery Continue Reading »
