There’s a Facebook group called “Surely, this will save Conservative Judaism.” It has 4000 members and is billed as a satirical group. For as long as many of us can remember, Conservative Jews have been decrying the demise of Conservative Judaism, and everyone thinks they have a magic bullet about how to save it. Many Continue Reading »
People sometimes use the words spirituality and religion interchangeably. The words are worlds apart. Spirituality implies seeking a deep, individual connection with God. People who say they are “spiritual, but not religious” practice yoga and meditation, but who would not be caught dead in a synagogue. Religion, by contrast, argues for the power of connection Continue Reading »
Prior to Simchat Torah there was some discussion about how our shul would acknowledge October 7, 2023, which had fallen on Simchat Torah. We concocted an elaborate plan. We would commemorate the loss on Shemini Atzeret during Yizkor. We would then dance our first hakafah on Simchat Torah that evening in silence, while going on Continue Reading »
Over the years, I’ve heard the word “lapsed” used to describe a person who is not particularly connected to his or her faith. Recently, however, I’ve come up with something else. I am going to start to use the word “dormant.” Faith never truly exits a person. Even when they feel disconnected, it lies in Continue Reading »
For the past eight years I’ve lived in Georgia, I would say conservatively, I spend at least two minutes a day, four days a week, stuck at the traffic light at the intersection of Johnson Ferry and Roswell Road. So, I finally decided to do the math. 2 minutes x 4 days x 52 weeks Continue Reading »
As I drank my $6.99 Diet Coke at the ball game the other night, I had somewhat of a revelation. Earlier that day, I had gone out for lunch and spent $2.50 for the same Diet Coke. A few days prior, I had spent $20 to buy 48 cans of Diet Coke at the grocery Continue Reading »
“Cheers” is the place where “everybody knows your name.” But places like Cheers are getting harder and harder to find. I don’t need to tell you that there has been a major shift in the way that Americans have become consumers. Once upon a time, you would visit and support a small business not because Continue Reading »
This past Sunday Amy bought us tickets to see Beauty and the Beast at the Marietta Performing Arts Center (at Marietta High School). She saw an ad for the show hanging up in Marietta Square and thought it would be a good activity for the kids to stay cool during an otherwise hot week. Continue Reading »
Walking down the main aisle in Target, I spotted a more senior congregant. We had not seen one another in some time. We saw one another, smiled widely, laughed for joy, and embraced. I then turned to my right. At the very same time not five feet away there was a younger woman with her Continue Reading »
There are many lessons that we can take away from Purim. But the one that I’ve always been partial to is the importance of learning to “let go.” We all have that one thing. A painful memory. A person who treated us badly. Days, or even years later, it continues to nag us. Most Continue Reading »
