Are you in the process of converting to Reform Judaism? Are you thinking about it? If so, I’d love to connect with you and hear your thoughts about this post. My wife, Rabbi Loren Filson Lapidus, and I love to host people in our home. It’s hard to find the time, but it’s something that’s […]
Relationships
Do you have a Torah to teach?
Between undergrad and rabbinical school I spent two years working at the Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale. I thought it wise to spend some time working in the Jewish community after college and before embarking on the path to officially becoming a rabbi. Every aspect of those two years was a blessing. One […]
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 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 […]
A grief that cannot be spoken
Today I had the honor of hearing someone speak about a grief that cannot be spoken. A grief so profound, so enduring, so heavy, that words cannot do it justice. So how did I hear her speak about this grief? Through poetry. Jewish tradition teaches that words that come from the heart enter the heart. […]
Life doesn’t always make sense
This week my synagogue community laid to rest a beloved member of our congregation– Marcia. The last time I saw Marcia wasn’t at Temple, but at Trader Joe’s. I was on my way out with the kids and she was on her way in. A true lover of children, Marcia immediately struck up a conversation […]