Tomorrow morning, I leave for the Southwest Association of Reform Rabbis annual convention in New Orleans ... which might leave you wondering, what do rabbis do at a "rabbi convention"?
From the schedule I received, it looks like mostly learning and prayer ... which makes me happy. I'll let you know how it goes. : )
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Imagine If This Happened in the US ...
Right now, I am saddened regarding the lack of religious equality in Israel. Anat Hoffman, a leader of the "Women of the Wall" movement in Jerusalem was interrogated recently ... because she dared to wear a tallis under her coat at the Western Wall. This story makes me rather sad ...
http://www.forward.com/articles/122754/
So, imagine if you can, a country based on freedom to practice the Jewish religion, but not the freedom to practice it the way we liberal Jews practice it. I read that "the ultra-orthodox are attempting to turn the Western Wall into a synagogue" ... it already has a mechitzah (barrier dividing men and women). Sadly, it is the ultra-orthodox women who complain about the Women of the Wall as much as the men. The mechitzah moves further and further to the right, and gets longer and longer ... at this rate (and unless the ultra-orthodox are somehow removed from their place of power and minority Jewish rights are protected), someday, there won't be room for even the ultra-orthodox to pray. Ugggggh.
http://www.forward.com/articles/122754/
So, imagine if you can, a country based on freedom to practice the Jewish religion, but not the freedom to practice it the way we liberal Jews practice it. I read that "the ultra-orthodox are attempting to turn the Western Wall into a synagogue" ... it already has a mechitzah (barrier dividing men and women). Sadly, it is the ultra-orthodox women who complain about the Women of the Wall as much as the men. The mechitzah moves further and further to the right, and gets longer and longer ... at this rate (and unless the ultra-orthodox are somehow removed from their place of power and minority Jewish rights are protected), someday, there won't be room for even the ultra-orthodox to pray. Ugggggh.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Just a Little Bit about Jews and Gonzales, Texas ...
This past Tuesday, I took a trip to Gonzales, Texas, a place I'd never heard of before receiving a call from a very nice boy scout troop leader. This appeared in the "Gonzales Cannon," the local newspaper ... the writer got most of it correct (there are a couple of things I might explain a bit differently), but I have to say this was one of the best days of still-too-short rabbinic career. : )
Here is the link:
http://gonzalescannon.com/features/story/2010/01/rabbi%E2%80%99s-visit-rededication-wrap-local-scout%E2%80%99s-eagle-project
Lastly, I think I have fallen for the young man in the last picture ... my own personal hero. : )
Here is the link:
http://gonzalescannon.com/features/story/2010/01/rabbi%E2%80%99s-visit-rededication-wrap-local-scout%E2%80%99s-eagle-project
Lastly, I think I have fallen for the young man in the last picture ... my own personal hero. : )
Thursday, January 7, 2010
What a Strange Night ...
I looked at my calendar a couple days ago and realized that I had no appointments on Thursday, January 7th. Thursday nights (actually, any night after school lets out) are usually pretty sought-after by families of bar/bat mitzvah students, but January 7th was flat-out empty.
It took me a little while to realize why ... the University of Texas Championship Football game was on TV that night. I guess people would rather watch football than meet with a rabbi. : )
It took me a little while to realize why ... the University of Texas Championship Football game was on TV that night. I guess people would rather watch football than meet with a rabbi. : )
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