The Rabbi on the Beach at the Shul on The Beach
This clip was sent my way and I’ve got to admit it is amazing.
American Idol Season ~46,281 is underway and the most memorable moment so far has certainly been the Pants on the Ground phenomena. If you have seen or heard of it – you MUST go here right now and watch it (come back quick).
But as funny and entertaining as Larry Platt was, a different contestant said something that really struck a cord within me. That contestant was Lloyd Thomas. (more…)
Photo: Flickr/cortniedee.
A few days ago a photo was posted on Twitter by the NBA. Somehow, this photo has been on my mind since I saw it.
In sports, two teams oppose each other under the pretense that they are enemies. Their fans may even dislike one another, (see Celtics / Lakers, Yankees / Red Sox, UNC / Duke, etc,) but in the end, athletes are mostly friendly with each other. Even when athletes get upset or physical with one another, they can remain friends (see Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest).
In the real world, people have a harder time getting along. People divide along political lines, religious lines and country lines. (more…)
When we are in Venice for Shabbos we stay at wonderful, little, extended stay hotel on the boardwalk called Su Casa. They try and give us an Ocean View Room. It is great to have the ocean view, but not as much for the ocean view as for the “boardwalk” view.
You see, Venice Boardwalk is like Mardi Gras every weekend. (See picture to the left.) Street performers, vendors and drunkards line the boardwalk and thousands and thousands of tourists and natives walk back forth as they hawk their wares.
Rami loves the people watching and I must admit, it can be quite addictive! (more…)
A guest post by Rabbi Aaron Fink (my father), Dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov on Monsey NY. Part of a weekly Dvar Torah (Torah “Thought”) series.
So often understudied, the final parsha in the Torah is as its name implies filled with bracha. In his final words, Moshe Rabbeinu offers us the gift of nitzchiyus.
Indeed, included in his closing blessing to his beloved people are the essential words with which we begin and define the paradigm for our chinuch Habanim, Torah tziva lanu Moshe, morasha kehillas Yaakov! All we must do is follow the lessons contained therein. The entire corpus of Torah is ours. We must treat it, study it and live it as a treasure. As such, we conclude the Torah and start it right over again. (more…)
Parenting has been on my mind lately.
Earlier today I posted about Kim Clijsters and the sacrifices of working mothers.
It must be the impending Rosh Hashana that is influencing these thoughts of parents and children.
Parenting is tough job. There are no vacations. There is no financial remuneration. It is oftentimes thankless.
Also we are so clueless as to how to parent. Babies don’t come with a handy manual or set of instructions. The questions all parents have are endless. (more…)
I have not been to a lot of funerals in my life. I have been blessed.
Yesterday evening my family celebrated Sheva Brachos for a cousin in my parents home. It was a joyous occasion.
Immediately following its conclusion, I walked the 200 feet from my parent’s home to the neighborhood shul. At about 11:00 PM a very moving funeral began.
The juxtaposition of these two events and the nature of the deceased brought tremendous emotion. What follows is an attempt to do those feelings justice in writing.
Here is a video for you.
Those who know me personally will attest that I am not a card carrying member of the “Woe is us, anti-anti-semitism” club. However, I did recently blog about tolerance and therefore this video clip is relevant. I do not endorse any comments made by the person who posted this video on You Tube. The only reason I am posting this video is to illustrate that Hate exists. Hate is ugly and Hate needs to stop.
I make these comments to address those who may hate me or us from outside of Judaism and equally to my Jewish brethren. (more…)
Last week I was checking out Wikipedia and I was browsing the “Main Page”. You can always find an article by searching Wikipedia but you can also browse interesting tidbits on Main Page. Sections like “On this day” and “Did you know” display linked Wikipedia articles for your enjoyment. This page changes frequently, at least several times per day.
At the precise moment that I was looking at the page I saw this:
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