Category Archives: Jewish History/Culture

A few words on letting words be few

A few words on letting words be few
Have you ever been the recipient of unhelpful words or advice? We have an uncomfortable relationship with silence. Why do we feel the need to pass on every bit of information on a subject we know? Or add our two cents to every conversation? Social media has amplified these dynamics but the tendency has always…
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El Olam: the Everlasting, Unchanging God

El Olam: the Everlasting, Unchanging God
Times are changing. This is probably the refrain of every generation, but it does appear that changes in our world are happening at a more rapid rate. Technology that my grandmother couldn’t have imagined – routine flights, space travel, cell phones and Skype – is taken for granted today. The same is true for many…
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The Silent Teacher

The Silent Teacher
“Some of the most powerful moments of teaching occur when the teacher has enough discipline to remain silent.” [1] I’ve experienced this as both a teacher and a student. Silence is uncomfortable but it allows the student to wrestle, to formulate and eventually own an answer. The easy path is to just give the next…
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Celebrating the Rhythms

Celebrating the Rhythms
As we enter Sukkot, it was explained on a Jewish site (chabad.org), “of all the Jewish holidays, Sukkot is the only one whose date does not seem to commemorate a historic event.” It marks the harvest (Festival of Ingathering) as well as their season of wandering and special provision (Festival of Booths). The greatest celebration…
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