Figure skater Johnny Weir set off animal activists with a small fox fur trim on his skating costume.
Most Olympic skaters wear pretty outrageous costumes for their routines during the Olympics and Weir is known for his “over-the-top” designs. His outfit was supposed to have a small trim of fox fur on the left shoulder. After [...]
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Johnny Weir Gives Into Bullies and Changes His Fur Costume
How Hard Was It To Split The Sea? | Drasha Beshalach 2009
Special thanks to community member Elizabeth Danziger, founder of Worktalk Communications Consulting, for assisting in transforming this sermon from 2009 into an essay for this year.
Splitting of the Sea and Doling Out Sustenance
Beshalach 2009
The most seminal event in world history occurs in this week’s parsha. The Jewish people leave the clutches of the evil Egyptian [...]
Make a Difference, Just Do It | A Guest Post
A guest post by Rabbi Aaron Fink (my father), Dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov in Monsey NY. Part of a weekly Dvar Torah (Torah “Thought”) series.
Parshas B’shalach
Lasting Inspirations
The inspiration of Krias Yam Suf was short lived. Almost immediately following the parting of the sea, Bnai Yisrael challenges Moshe (and Hashem Yisborach) with a litany of [...]
The Joy is in the Anticipation: Thoughts On Waiting For The iPad
Everyone likes surprises, right?
Surprises can be great, but they also take away one of the greatest joys of life. Anticipation.
Imagine you want to celebrate your grandmother’s birthday. Someone suggests a Surprise Party. Someone else with a little more brains says, wait, we don’t want to give grandma a coronary! And someone else with yet a [...]
Borrowing For Success | A Guest Post
A guest post by Rabbi Aaron Fink (my father), Dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov in Monsey NY. Part of a weekly Dvar Torah (Torah “Thought”) series.
Parshas Bo
Borrowed Success and a Shared future
The process of Geulas Mitzrayim is filled with the Hashgacha of the yad Hashem each step of the way. It reaches its climax [...]
I Am So Proud
Last year, there were a large number of public incidents that shed a negative light on Jews in general and particularly on Orthodox Jews. These events were not representitive of the average Jewish person, yet their notoriety put them front and center in the media.
It seems that the Earthquake in Haiti has marked a reversal [...]
The Zen Master Speaks on Curses, Karma and Mitzvahs
A very interesting news item came my way today.
Last Friday night, The Zen Master, Phil Jackson, Head Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach, was asked about the Los Angeles Clippers. It seems that the Clippers are cursed.
A near perpetual resident of the cellar in the NBA standings, the Clippers have been blessed with [...]
The Fifth Cup | A Guest Post
A guest post by Rabbi Aaron Fink (my father), Dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov in Monsey NY. Part of a weekly Dvar Torah (Torah “Thought”) series.
Parshas Va’era
V’heiveisi
The national celebration of Klal Yisrael’s first taste of freedom and our unlimited spiritual potential is commemorated each year at the Seder table. Punctuating the ritual are four cups [...]
Words Are Cheap (Without a Track Record) | Drasha Vaera 2009
Special thanks to community member Elizabeth Danziger, founder of Worktalk Communications Consulting, for assisting in transforming this sermon from 2009 into an essay for this year.
Words Are Cheap
Vaera 2009
This week’s Parsha is Vaera. The Parsha begins with a command from GD to Moshe. (Exodus 6:2) And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto him: ‘I [...]
Jewish Relief Efforts For Haiti Earthquake Victims
In the wake of the tragedy in Haiti I write this post.
This post comes on the heels of my last post which quoted David Brooks and his admiration for the accopmlishments of the Jews. And now, we have an oppurtunity to show our stripes.
Haiti is not a very Jewish place. It is not frequented by business [...]
Ode To The Jews
Today’s NY Times has some glowing praise for the Jewish People. David Brooks holds nothing bakc in his effervescent article chronicling the great succeses of the Jewish People in the modern era and particularly in Israel.
It is something of note that such a small people makes up such a large number of success stories. Brooks [...]
Truth in Advertising: Cigarettes
This is a Public Service Announcement.
Don’t Smoke. Smoking is very bad for you. If you are really cool, please do not smoke around kids. They will think you are so cool and your cigs make you so cool and they will want to be like you and they will start smoking too. You don’t want [...]
“The Thief” Part II | Why Not Be A Thief?
A Guest Post By The Thief
Introduction here. Part I here.
Now you know what my life as a thief was like, why I stole and how great it felt. Part II is about my transition from thief to non-thief. My learning of Judaism which caused me to no longer be a thief did not follow a [...]
“The Thief” Part I | Always a Thief
A Guest Post By The Thief
Introduction here.
I used to be a thief. Let me tell you my story.
As a child I always played by my own rules. My mother would often say that I danced to the beat of a different band. A different drum was not enough to describe my differences, no, [...]
Can Criminals Change Their Ways? | Introduction to “The Thief”
Last semester at Law School I studied Criminal Law. Crime is ugly. It hurts the victims and negatively affects the criminal’s life forever. Families can be shattered and communities can be destroyed by crime.
The system we have today only looks at the criminal. The goal of our criminal justice system is to incapacitate criminals and [...]
Not Done Yet | A Guest Post
A guest post by Rabbi Aaron Fink (my father), Dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov in Monsey NY. Part of a weekly Dvar Torah (Torah “Thought”) series.
Looking Forward and Dreaming On
With parshas Shemos we begin to discover the many yesodos which define our destiny for eternity. Every posuk contains nuanced filled messages for us to model [...]
Okay, Somebody Really Messed This Up
In my last post I reflected on the Aughts.
There was something I neglected to mentioned. Whoever is “In Charge” Has got some ’splainin’ to do.
The full name for 1950 is Nineteen-Fifty. The proper name for 1999 is Nineteen-Ninety-Nine.
The proper name for 1908 is Nineteen-Oh-Eight. The proper name for 2010 is Twenty-Ten.
So then who was asleep [...]
My Thoughts On The Aughts
Aughts?
That is the unofficial term for 2000-2009. The decade that is passing us by in another time-zone every hour today is called the aughts. That’s how they rolled in 1900-1909. It worked for them, it works for me too.
The aughts are a special decade for me.
In 1999 I was a high-school senior. In 2009 I [...]
Repost: Truth or Consequences – Drasha Vayigash (Sermon 2008)
Last year I spoke from the pulpit about the Israeli Military operation in Gaza, and the issue of partial truth and whole truth.
It was posted last year and you can read Truth or Consequences – Drasha Vayigash, by clicking here.
It is worth a read and I would love to hear your thoughts.
The Grass Is NOT Always Greener on the Other Side | A Guest Post
A guest post by Rabbi Aaron Fink (my father), Dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov in Monsey NY. Part of a weekly Dvar Torah (Torah “Thought”) series.
The Fall into Exile
The drama of the parsha seems to reach its climax with Yosef’s revelation to his brothers. In reality, however, a message and pattern of events much more [...]
…And We’re Back
I took a week off from blogging while I was away with my family. (Family first – right?)
Now that we are back home this blog will once again get the love and attention it deserves. I have some great ideas that need to be blogged about and I am sure more things will come up [...]
Hanukkah in Santa Monica
I have had the privilege of spending this and last Chanukah as the Rabbi of Pacific Jewish Center. We are located right on the edge of Venice near the Santa Monica border. Many of our Shul members live in Santa Monica.
So, it is fair to say I have spent these last two Chanukahs in Santa [...]
A Powerful Film
This short film is a “must-see”. It is part of Liberty Mutual’s “Responsibility Project”. Watch the film all the way through the very end.
Call me a sap, but this film brought tears to my eyes. Real, wet, tears.
Which left me wondering, the film is certainly nice, but why did it elicit such a strong reaction?
I [...]
One Year Anniversary
Oops!
I can’t believe it! A huge milestone!
At least I don’t forget my wedding anniversary. I did however, forget my one year Blogoversary. I am a week late…
This blog began last year on December 8, 2008. At the time, I had no idea that if anyone would ever read a single word I published. I am [...]
