Posts

Elul

Here's an original poem about the Jewish month of Elul that I penned several years ago. Elul, the month the earth smells of Return Musky scent of souls, yearning for their burn Igniting their kindled spirits with the yearn For tis’ the sizzling month of fire and churn Turn those doubts inside out and tap into your soul Stare deep inside, as if staring at a seamonkey in a fishbowl Bobbing and threshing the water all about Creating new life, a new habitat like a spout Pouring new life and fervor into an arid land Unbeknownst to you, kernels of growth lie in the sand Just reach out or in, depending on where you shop That Jewish soul will roar with flames, with equity and stock See, Elul is a time for introspection What was not evident before, will have you floored  Suddenly doing better is not such a correction Elul is here, step right through its door

Introduction Post

Dear friend, This is the first post in a blog I plan on adding to on a regular basis. The purpose is for you get to know me and the way I think as a rabbi and as a human being (yes, rabbis are human too, contrary to popular belief). I will post a hodgepodge of content, my aim being to hopefully never bore you. The posts will vary from poetry, to conversational, to essay, and will be written in an informal and breezy style. There are no rules, only that I present you with well-written thoughts that attempt to make sense of the world around us.  I'm starting this blog as the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Israel of Cathedral Gardens, NY (which I've been leading almost two years), and it's part of a multifaceted social media effort to connect with the world beyond the physical space of the sanctuary. My goal is to present you with what I hope are coherent, humorous, and reflection-inducing thoughts and musings. I look forward to you as a reader, and also to your comment