Category archive for ‘JUDAISM’ rss

  • Shabbos Mice: Ryan’s 40th Birthday Disneyland Trip Report

    4/01/13 • (2)

    In March, Ryan and I spent his 40th birthday weekend over Shabbat at Disneyland. It was an unconventional place to spend the Jewish Sabbath, but in some ways it felt just right.

  • The Amidah Project: Three a Day the RJ Way

    2/22/13 • (1)

    A reader asked how a Reform Jew can learn to pray Judaism’s traditional three weekday prayers. Here’s my guide on using Mishkan T’filah, the current RJ prayerbook, to do just that.

  • Louisville, No the Other One

    2/17/13 • (5)

    This month, my relationship with Ryan becomes my longest ever. And so much for being Chicago Carless. Try as we might, it’s a love we can’t stop re-living from the front two seats of a car.

  • Sixteen Christmases and a Chanukah Bush

    12/28/12 • (0)

    Last year, I rejected the Jewish ‘December dilemma’ by forging a new December holiday tradition. This year, the Eitz Moed rose once again–with much joy and no angst required.

  • A Badge to Visit Your Rabbi (Video)

    12/27/12 • (0)

    Overly earnest security measures can carry a great price. They can make of our synagogues unnecessarily unwelcoming places. I explore that idea in this video post.

  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Synagogue

    12/19/12 • (17)

    When I left New York, I promised myself I would not support the creation of the same type of useless security measures that ultimately devoured my hometown. And now my synagogue wants to create one.

  • Goodbye, Little Girl

    11/22/12 • (7)

    This Thanksgiving, Ryan and I have a lot for which to be thankful. But we’re most grateful for having had the opportunity to give an elderly, withdrawn little black cat a home. And to love her.

  • The Tallit of Phillip Shenkler–UPDATE

    11/10/12 • (2)

    I’m happy to report the tallit of Phillip Shenkler got a hero’s welcome this morning–its first Shabbat morning in use in a congregational setting in at least 26 years.

  • The Tallit of Phillip Shenkler

    11/06/12 • (10)

    Phillip kept the the memorial booklet from Sara’s funeral in his tallit bag for 32 years until the day he died…and no one knew it until I opened the bag another 26 years later.

  • The Amidah Project: Modeh Ani (Video)

    10/28/12 • (1)

    The Modeh Ani: prayer upon waking or jaunty country song? It’s how I greet the world every morning, thanking God for the gift of another day. But I’m never able to get a certain Kol B’Seder melody out of my head. And that’s okay. Gratitude is never something to be embarrassed about.