Yesterday was my birthday.
I am not huge “birthday guy”. I love my children’s birthday more than my own birthday and my mother loves my birthday more than I do.
A lot of people know my birthday. Co-workers, family and friends all know my birthday. This year I got a ton of birthday wishes.
But it was different.
The Rabbi on the Beach at the Shul on The Beach
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You have arrived at a place in cyberspace featuring the thoughts, ramblings, musings and Torah of Eliyahu Fink.
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If you like what you have found come join us at the The Shul on the Beach. You know the Shul on the Venice boardwalk - you've seen it, right?
Look just below this introduction and you can see some of my pictures of the Pacific Jewish Center just before sundown on a Friday Evening.
Well, we are there every Friday Night and Saturday Morning for services. We also have classes for all levels of Jewish commitment and observance.
Come check us out! You will feel something special in the air. I guarantee it.PJC Photos
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- Simple Justice | The Story of Brown v. Board of Education: The End of Separate But Equal in Schools
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Archives
- ▼2010 (41)
- ▼March (9)
- Reverse Discrimination and Oversensitivity
- Simple Justice | The Story of Brown v. Board of Education: The End of Separate But Equal in Schools
- Super Secret Ballot
- ♫ What A Wonderful World ♫
- When Kesher is Not a Knot | A Guest Post
- Time With Corrie ten Boom | Review
- Jewish Lessons in Parenting
- My Appearance At "A Night For The Family" at Pepperdine University
- Pacific Jewish Center Purim Celebration Recap February 28, 2010
- ▶February (14)
- Alula Performs At Pacific Jewish Center Purim Party in Venice
- Purim Celebration at The Shul on the Beach Invitation 2/28/10
- The Sweet Smell of Simcha | A Guest Post
- The Whales Are Mounting A Counter Attack!
- Happiness is a Preservative | A Guest Post
- Frum Satire Show at Pacific Jewish Center Was Incredible
- Mishloach Manos Packing on the Beach 2/14/10
- Sorry About the Hiatus
- Frum Satire Show At Pacific Jewish Center
- Sometimes Role Models Are Athletes
- RETRACTION: Tim Tebow Ad WAS Harmless NOT Reckless
- The Triple Threat | A Guest Post
- An American Idol Contestant With a Huge Heart
- Why The Earthquake in Haiti Happened
- ▶January (18)
- Johnny Weir Gives Into Bullies and Changes His Fur Costume
- How Hard Was It To Split The Sea? | Drasha Beshalach 2009
- Make a Difference, Just Do It | A Guest Post
- Tim Tebow's Pro-Life Superbowl Ad is Heartwarming and Reckless
- The Joy is in the Anticipation: Thoughts On Waiting For The iPad
- Borrowing For Success | A Guest Post
- I Am So Proud
- The Zen Master Speaks on Curses, Karma and Mitzvahs
- The Fifth Cup | A Guest Post
- Words Are Cheap (Without a Track Record) | Drasha Vaera 2009
- Jewish Relief Efforts For Haiti Earthquake Victims
- Ode To The Jews
- Truth in Advertising: Cigarettes
- "The Thief" Part II | Why Not Be A Thief?
- "The Thief" Part I | Always a Thief
- Can Criminals Change Their Ways? | Introduction to "The Thief"
- Not Done Yet | A Guest Post
- Okay, Somebody Really Messed This Up
- ▼March (9)
- ▶2009 (232)
- ▶December (22)
- My Thoughts On The Aughts
- A Lesson From Our Matriarch Rachel About Unity | A Guest Post
- Repost: Truth or Consequences – Drasha Vayigash (Sermon 2008)
- The Grass Is NOT Always Greener on the Other Side | A Guest Post
- ...And We're Back
- Hanukkah in Santa Monica
- A Powerful Film
- One Year Anniversary
- Repost: Yosef and the Light of [Economic] Wisdom and Kindness - Drasha Miketz (Sermon 2008)
- PJC Chanukah Party 2009 Wrap Up and Photos
- PJC Chanukah Party 2009 Address
- My Chanukah Message To You: Light Knows No Friend or Foe
- A New Chanukah Message
- A Flame of Passion | A Guest Post
- Two Things That Made Me Smile This Morning
- Invitation: Chanukah Party on the Beach 12/13/09
- Gatorade Becoming Kosher, Drops Tiger Woods From Endorsements
- It's A Small World After All
- Mesillas Yesharim 12/06/09
- A Support Staff | A Guest Post
- Shalom Aleichem Series on The Foundation Stone
- The Eye Of The Tiger (Fans)
- ▶November (21)
- The Golem: Jewish Mythology or Kabbalistic Robot?
- Heralding the Unheralded | A Guest Post
- Can't We All Just Get Along?
- The Jewish Home - In Memory of The Holzbergs Formerly of Mumbai | Drasha Vayetze 2009
- Christmas Creep and Judaism
- Mesillas Yesharim 11/22/09
- Take Time To Smell The Roses | A Guest Post
- A Moral Argument Against The Death Penalty
- Go To The Ant, Sluggard, See Her Ways And Become Wise (Proverbs 6:6)
- NFL Football: Game of Wimps and Crybabies
- Mesillas Yesharim 11/15/09
- Drawing From The Well of Torah | A Guest Post
- Orthodox Jews Are Not Sneetches
- The Good Wife: Unorthodox, From a Rabbi / Law Student Perspective
- The D.C. Sniper's Execution
- KCET Visits PJC and Interviews Me
- When It Hurts Not To Give | A Guest Post
- When Times Are Tough
- Matisyahu, NBC and The Olympic Winter Games Make A Great Team
- Prayer in Judaism | Connections 11/2/09
- Mesillas Yesharim 11/1/09
- ▶October (24)
- Our Chance To Shine | A Guest Post
- Truth and Faith | Connections 10/26/09
- Mad Men Era Lives On in the White House
- Mesillas Yesharim 10/25/09
- That's What I Call Ambition
- Seasons of Change | A Guest Post
- iTalmud English Edition: Review
- 200th Post: Something To Bring a Smile To Your Face
- No God Is Top Trending Topic On Twitter
- The Miracle of Tests and Ordeals | Connections 10/19/09
- Crosses Honor Fallen Soldiers of All Faiths
- Venice Historical Society Visits Pacific Jewish Center at the Shul on the Beach
- Mesillas Yesharim 10/18/09
- Looking Good | A Guest Post
- Repost: Where the Wild Things Are
- Too Smart For Their Own Good
- Adam, Eve and the Lesson of Marriage
- ...And We're Back
- President Obama's New Hardware: Nobel Peace Prize
- NASA Spending Millions To Find Water On The Moon
- Put Your Heart Into It | A Guest Post
- Happy Sukkos
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- Sukkos: Holiday of Happiness | A Guest Post
- ▶September (23)
- Yom Kippur Wishes
- Ozzie Is Growing Up, Are You?
- Moshe's Finale | A Guest Post
- Women's Happiness and Being a Parent
- Fast of Gedaliah: Meaning and Lessons | Connections 9/21/09
- Teamwork: Important in Sports, More Important in Life
- I Think I Can | A Guest Post
- Twitter Your Prayers
- Parenting: Unconditional Love
- Kim Clijsters: Tennis Champion and Mother
- Today's Sign The Apocalypse Is Upon Us
- Physical Reward For Spiritual Deeds | Connections 9/14/09
- Mesillas Yesharim 9/13/09
- 9/11 Reflections
- Interdependence | A Guest Post
- Law School and Learning Ethics
- Authentic Judaism and Authentic Charity
- The Shofar: A Time Machine | Connections 9/7/09
- Essay: The Oral Law in Judaism
- Mesillas Yesharim 9/6/09
- Murder In Jewish Law and United States Law
- Jewish iPhone Apps By RustyBrick
- Rosh Hashana: Beginning of all Beginnings | Connections 8/31/09
- ▶August (14)
- Family Outing to Huntington Gardens
- Mesillas Yesharim 08/30/09
- Confirming Our Suspicions That Jews Do Run The World
- Book Review | The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook
- Weekly Jewish Blog Round-Up #231
- Elul Begins With A Warning | Anonymous Bloggers Take Note: Google Knows Your Every Move
- Brett Favre, Treason and Teshuva
- Mesillas Yesharim 08/16/09
- Mesira (The Jewish Informant) in Halacha
- Why FinkOrSwim?
- Reversing A Trend | A Kiddush Hashem Story
- A Post Stained With Tears | Moish Gluck Of Blessed Memory
- Rabbi Zelik Epstein, Of Blessed Memory
- A Jewish Black Woman's "Henry Gates" Situation
- ▶July (18)
- Mourning The Living On The 9th of Av
- 10,000 Page Views
- Have You Been Invited To A Brachos Party Or An Amen Party?
- Solar Eclipse In Judaism
- How Many Is Too Many?
- Shame on Gizmodo | Shame on Us Too
- A Happy 2009 Birthday
- The Sales Pitch
- Summer Reading
- Misleading Charity Campaign
- Manny Being Manny | Some 'Gladwellian' Insight
- Jewish Blog Round-Up #225
- Another Great Post On ParshaBlog
- Book Review | DovBear on the Parsha
- Which Of These is the Nobel Peace Prize Winner?
- Jewish Blog Round-Up July 5th 2009 Edition
- Ron Artest Is Going To The Lakers | What Do I Think?
- Onymous Blogging
- ▶June (18)
- Obligatory Michael Jackson Post
- I Am So Disturbed
- Great Post on ParshaBlog
- We're All Family
- Tales From 30,000 Feet
- What Is The Appropriate Reaction?
- Outreach on the Beach 6/14/09
- If You Like To Read Jewish Blogs
- Take A Smile Break | Another Cute Baby Post
- Where Is The Outrage? | The Plight of Middle Eastern Jewry
- Honor Thy Father & Mother | Connections 6/8/09
- Men (Learning) at Work
- Happy Birthday Tetris
- Jewish Blog Roundup
- Messilas Yesharim 6/6/09
- Human Beings Are Social Beings
- Athletes as Role Models?
- Bar Mitzva DIscussion
- ▶May (24)
- Great Shavuos Turnout Renders Previous Post Moot
- Mesillas Yesharim 05/24/09
- Do You Like Reading Blogs?
- Too Many Questions
- My Friend Won $__.__ on "Millionaire"
- How Should Memorial Day Be Celebrated?
- Boy Can I Relate To This
- Mesillas Yesharim 05/24/09
- Best Of First 100 Posts
- Another Gladwell Gem | How David Beats Goliath
- Atheists and Believers LA Times Smackdown
- Does Your Kiddush Have Kugel?
- Structure and Philosophy of Torah 3 | Connections 5/4/09
- Mesillas Yesharim 05/17/09
- Speak Up! Economic Crisis Hitting Jewish Day Schools
- Green Post
- Structure and Philosophy of Torah 2 | Connections 5/4/09
- Mesillas Yesharim 05/10/09
- How To Avoid "Holier-Than-Thou" Syndrome
- The Speed of History
- Structure and Philosophy of Torah | Connections 5/4/09
- Mesillas Yesharim 05/03/09
- Genius: The Modern View and the Torah View
- The Non-Virtual Social Network
- ▶April (14)
- Israel & The Jewish People | Connections 4/27/09
- Sad News Post
- Mesillas Yesharim 04/26/09
- Disturbing Poll of the Day
- Earth Day and Torah
- I Could Not Help Myself
- The Omer & Channeling Our Materiality | Connections 4/20/09
- A Nation's Challenge and "Seabiscuits"
- What Do Boys Want?
- Your Unique Voice and A Kafkaesque Experience
- Birkas Hachama on the Beach in Venice California
- Matza in the NY Times and In Our TImes
- Where The Wild Things Are
- Irresponsible Journalism From the New York Times
- ▶March (6)
- ▶February (22)
- 10 Week Anniversary Post
- Active Learning
- Purim, Doubt, Clarity and Amalek | Connections 2/23/09
- "Orange" you glad Tropicana is going back!
- Do Not Send Your Money To Nigeria!
- Messilas Yesharim 02/15/09
- Kosher Navigation
- Comments On America's Standard of Living
- Time Marches On
- Scoffers, Purim and the Measure of a Man | Connections 2/16/09
- Sheva Brachos for Josh Magilnick
- Messilas Yesharim 02/15/09
- Clothes and the NBA
- New (Old) Audio Class Added
- Don't Be A Hater
- Political Discrimination
- Jew-kipedia and Tolerance
- Clothing Round Up, Now with Lawyers
- You Have Got to See This! | It's about Lego
- The Clothes Make (or break) the Man | Connections 2/2/09
- Our (more) Casual President
- Messilas Yesharim 02/01/09
- ▶January (26)
- Shortcuts
- Tough Times for Private Schools and Yeshivas
- Recess + Litigation = Big Problem
- You Are What You Eat | Connections 1/26/09
- The Wave
- Messilas Yesharim 01/25/09
- A Piece of Peace
- Ladies and Gentlemen, A Moment of Silence for... A Moment of Silence
- Messilas Yesharim 01/18/09
- One Month Anniversary & Best of the Blog (So Far)
- Important Update!
- Winners and Losers | A New Yorker Cartoon (and I get it, and it is funny!)
- Breaking News! Ad@lf Hitl&r Campbell Update
- All About Manners
- California Dreaming No Longer?
- Inspiration. As easy as 1-2-3! | Connections 1/12/09
- Messilas Yesharim 01/11/09
- Seen On A Bus Ad In London: "There's Probably No God..." and Humanists
- We Don't Get No R-E-S-P-E-C-T! How do you feel now?
- Beauty - Is it more than skin deep? | Connections 1/5/09
- The iPhone / iPod Touch Siddur Misheberach List
- Messilas Yesharim 01/04/09
- Dov Dalin in Gaza
- Truth or Consequences - Drasha Vayigash
- Kobe and Zehirus
- The Year in Review
- ▶December (22)
- ▶2008 (18)
- ▶December (18)
- Officially a Rabbi
- Messilas Yesharim 12/28/08
- Yosef and the Light of (Economic) Wisdom and Kindness - Drasha Miketz
- Bob Costas and Controlling your own destiny
- Madoff's alleged misdeeds spark feelings of betrayal, outrage in L.A.'s Jewish community - Los Angeles Times
- Intro to Talmud 2
- In Madoff Scandal, Jews Feel an Acute Betrayal - NYTimes.com
- Pacific Jewish Center Chanukah Party 2008
- Intro to Talmud 1
- Outliers: Section 1 (and my grandfather)
- Messilas Yesharim 12/21
- A Good Man Never Rests - Drasha Vayeshev
- Happy Hanukah Too: Kosher Machine Only Serves 24/6 Because It's Shomer Shabbos
- Adolf Hitler Campbell can't get a birthday cake
- Malcolm Gladwell and "Perfection"
- Messilas Yesharim 12/14
- Perfection | Connections 12/08/08
- Venice CA and Santa Monica California Jewish Learning and Judaism
- ▶December (18)
- ▼2010 (41)
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