Not really connected to Easter, but written down on Easter none-the-less. Villains are fascinating. Good friends are the greatest comfort there is. We don’t need and can’t always expect answers, but a response is nice. The beginning, middle, and end of life, and every moment in between is infused with an undeniable and pervasive […]
Merrick Garland’s Supreme Court Nomination Acceptance Speech
I happened to be in my car when President Obama announced that Merrick Garland was his nominee to the Supreme Court. Purely by coincidence I heard Garland’s acceptance speech which tells the immigration story of his family as well as explains how his parents instilled values in him and his sisters. Setting politics aside, the […]
The Imaginary Finish Line
I know lots of people, myself included, who like being able to check things off lists. It’s not surprising that we like to get things done. Getting things done, reaching the finish line, brings a sense of satisfaction, closure, and completion. It also allows us to move on to new projects and to clear up […]
Happy Pi Day: Circles and Pyramids
Recently I found myself sitting in a circle with a group of strangers. It was at a Jewish gathering. Jews love to sit in circles. We’re not the only ones. I think people like to sit in circles because circles physically represent a vision of community and human interaction. If you’re inside the circle, […]
Eit HaZamir Liner Notes
Eit HaZamir (2016) is a collection of songs that my wife, Rabbi Loren Filson Lapidus, and I co-wrote for various family simchas and life cycle events. Though we lovingly and purposefully composed these songs specifically for bothers, sisters, cousins, and friends, we recorded them knowing that others would find meaning in them as well. Over the years […]
Two Hours with NFTY-SAR
This Shabbat I had a chance to spend two hours at a NFTY-SAR Kallah here in Atlanta. I left feeling really inspired. I think that’s because I had a chance to connect with some “old souls”– the NFTY-SAR song leaders. I arrived a few minutes before an afternoon song session was about to begin. The […]