Judaism & Contradictions
My tradition loves seeming contradictions. The holiday of Sukkot is a perfect example. We call it a joyous time but …
Author Archives: SRQ Jew
Words That Sting; Creeks That Rise
My mother often used the expression, “God willing and the creek don’t rise.” It was simple and effective. It acknowledged …
It’s Here & I Am Completely Unprepared
Thursday evening, I ate meatloaf. Friday morning, I woke up feeling queasy. Within moments, I was horribly sick to my …
Singing God’s Song
My dog’s leash has a knot in it. By the time I realized it was there, it had become too …
Holidays and Holy Days
Rabbi Elliot Dorff makes an important distinction between holidays and holy days. Holidays are meant for fun, celebration, relaxation, travel. …
Teaching 6th Grade
This weekend I’ll begin teaching Hebrew school in a sixth grade classroom, Sunday mornings and Wednesday afternoons. I’ve been a …
Prayers of Gratitude
Thank you to all who reached out to check on me and my community as Hurricane Idelia bore down on …
Kindness
Many people are experiencing some of life’s most serious stressors this summer. This is always true; it’s just that this …
Something Has Gone Terribly Wrong
Today is the beginning of the Hebrew month called Elul, which marks just one month to Rosh Hashanah. Usually, I …
Judaism in Italy
Over the past two weeks I have visited synagogues in three Italian cities: Florence, Sienna, and Rome. I attended services …
SRQ Jew 