This week’s Torah portion, Re’eh, ends with the idea that no one should come to God empty-handed (Deut. 16:16). As I heard these words chanted from the Torah this morning, I found myself wondering whether it’s actually possible to show up empty-handed. To me, empty-handed implies that we’ve got nothing. Absolutely nothing. To bring. To […]
Daily Life
Death (Day 3)
Everyone else in the hotel has their plans for the day and we have ours. People look at you a little funny and with a tinge of pity when they see you dressed in funerary garb. The limo arrives at the house. We check to see if it has lathes for car seats. We head […]
Death (Day 2)
All of a sudden it’s a new day. I guess it’s obvious but you only have one date of death. Quickly time starts to accumulate. Today my daughter got a napkin and wiped tears from my wife’s eyes. Then she sat in my father in law’s oversized arm chair and said it felt like he […]
On the occasion of my 20 year HS reunion
I woke up this morning to discover that the 1997 graduating class of Grover Cleveland High School in Reseda, Ca had a 20th year reunion last night. I didn’t attend because, first and foremost, I had no idea that it was taking place. I guess I missed the FB memo. But such a milestone moment […]
How might we?
How might we be a little kinder? A little more compassionate? A little more present? A little more accepting? A little more curious? A little more open-minded? A little more engaged? A little more receptive? A little more appreciative? A little more humble? A little more aware? A little more uncertain? A little more flexible? […]
Co-existing with Cancer
Today I attended the funeral of a beloved member of the Atlanta Jewish community. While there, I had the sacred opportunity to learn more about someone I knew, but didn’t really know. There were many moments where I felt greater appreciation for the man, and one that really struck a chord. During his beautiful eulogy, the […]