My wife, Loren, and I continue to think that Atlanta would be a great host city for the ever popular “Top Chef.” Here’s a modest proposal of potential challenges that our city could offer (in no particular order): 1. The Airport Challenge– Hartsfield Jackson Airport is one of the busiest in the world. 2. The […]
As Passover approaches…
As a rabbi, I lament the fact that so many Jews feel that Judaism is a stuffy, boring, repetitive tradition. I lament (and sometimes even resent) this because it’s simply NOT true. It’s actually dead wrong. Jewish rituals, Jewish holiday observances, Jewish worship– all of these, in their truest expressions, are the opposite of stuffy, […]
It’s not perfect but it’s all yours
Walking in Tel Aviv’s Yemenite Quarter I saw this painted on a wall: It’s become a mantra for me. It’s not perfect. It (whatever it is) isn’t meant to be perfect. It can’t, shouldn’t and won’t ever be perfect. But it’s all yours. In its imperfection. In its brokenness. In its flawed, lacking, and at times underwhelming state. […]
Flourishing
At our core we don’t simply want to be successful. We don’t even want to be happy. Sure, we’ll settle for success and happiness, but when we’re really honest with ourselves, we know there’s an even deeper state of being. We, all of us, want to flourish. I’ve long felt that my professional life, working […]
The art of conversation
I recently had a conversation that felt like pulling teeth. And I would know– both my father and brother are dentists. It was one of the most awkward conversations I’ve had in a long time. Analyzing why the conversation was awkward and even painful has reminded me of something I (and millions of other people) […]
First impressions
There’s always more than meets the eye, there’s always another layer, another facet, another dimension to the people in our lives, even those we know best. But at the same time it’s undeniable that sometimes we’re able to understand a person’s essence, their core commitments, their truest self, on the basis of a first impression. […]