Laying tefillin always felt like one step too far for me. An act of submission at a time when I thought of myself more as a rebel.
What started with the onset of coronavirus as a way to give extra to the working-class families of Hubbard’s congregation has become a food pantry.
One passenger from Rockland County said the flight attendant used anti-Semitic language, telling a colleague something about “those retarded Jews.”
“For sure I’ve never been in a yeshiva where there was time blocked out for sitting in meditation every day.”
Personal crisis, tragedy and loneliness are the main reasons people pray.
Calling all Jewish history and mysticism buffs! Can you help us solve the mystery of the Radlett amulet?
“There’s a large number of people who are allergic to anything mystical or magical.”
“Bob Dylan was born a Jew. Then he wasn’t, but now he’s back.”
Why have Jews have become less spiritual? Now faith in God is a task and prayer is a routine obligation.
There is a certain rush we get when we can validate negative thoughts about another person or group. It is one thing to make judgments about Kushner’s actions (or lack thereof) in the face of unjust public policy. It is quite another to judge an entire segment of our Jewish brothers and sisters, and to seek an emotional triumph in another round of the game “will the real Jews please stand up?” Mussar is one important way to overcome that impulse.