I love Jerusalem. I fell in love with Jerusalem when I lived there as a rabbinical student. I fell in love with Loren Filson Lapidus in Jerusalem that same year. Like many people that have lived in Jerusalem, I’ve lived through bus bombings and other forms of terrorism and violence. And like everyone who […]
Israel
36 Life Lessons, Israel 2016
I’ve just returned from leading a wonderful group of Davis Academy 8th graders on a two week Israel Trip. As I reflect on the trip, here are a few life lessons. The people you travel with are as important as the places you go. Appreciation is like salt. It makes everything taste better. One […]
10 Things I saw in Israel that I hope to never forget
1) The sea turtle swimming off the shore of Rosh HaNikra. 2) The man playing violin for our kids in Tzfat. 3) The peacock, plumage on display, at Kibbutz Gonen. 4) The two UN soldiers somberly sipping coffee at Mt. Bental. 5) The baby Ibex on the road to Ein Avdat. 6) The carpentry in […]
Life Lessons– 2015 Israel Trip
One of the responsibilities I enjoy most in my role at The Davis Academy is leading our annual 8th grade Israel trip. I’ve literally just come home from the airport after two extraordinary weeks chaperoning 68 8th grade students along with several other colleagues. For a comprehensive chronicle of our experiences you can read my […]
How we celebrate
Jewish tradition teaches, “Rejoice in your holy days, and may your holy days be joyous.” As it turns out, Judaism has dozens of words that are all synonyms for “celebrate.” Simcha, rina, ditza, oneg… These are just a few. We learn a lot about a culture from its language. That Judaism has so many different ways of […]
How we remember
How we remember says a lot about who we are– as individuals, as communities, as societies. This week marked Israel’s 67th Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day). The exact number of fallen soldiers and victims of terrorist attacks is read. Traditional prayers are recited and bereaved mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers share their stories. We cry. All […]