Pull Up a Chair

As rockets fall and alarms go off, an interview with mother of seven, Devorah Goodman Horev in southern Israel.

Jews are learners, readers, healers and lawmakers. But when backed into the proverbial corner, we are fighters! Let our enemies beware; waking a sleeping lion comes with consequences!

Do wearing rose-colored glasses and speaking kindly have the power to change people and even nations? Are all prophets created equal? Laughter, Torah, fish-and-chips and more!

"Taking vacation" on the park bench is, for some, deeply rewarding! Also, does the Torah condone committing acts of violence in the sanctification of G-d's name? A difficult subject for difficult times.

Pull Up a Chair 07MAR2024

From praying, fighting, giving, volunteering, the people of Israel are paradigms of Godliness in a world rife with evil.

Not everything is bleak in this corner of the Middle East! Abundant winter rains, friendly - and secret - visits from "enemies", terror victims that refuse to 'play victim' and more a Torah portion that celebrates our unfolding journey toward people-hood and redemption.

Mount Sinai is not the Matterhorn but, instead, a slope that is achievable for those who undertake the trek.

Why is the story of Noah relevant? And what does a rainbow really mean? Stay dry and ponder!!!

We are living through some of the bleakest days in Jewish history. But holding onto fear denotes a lack of faith and is, in fact, a sin.

When world events spiral out of control, must we sit and cower? The Jewish Blueprint, i.e., 'Torah,' clearly spells out the source of human strength, resilience and fortitude. It's called Integrity.

Amidst the noise, the vitriol, a righter-than-thou cacophony that has plagued Israel over the past few weeks, a quieter message struggles to be heard

It is never too late to make changes - small or large - when it comes to healing rifts between family members. Also, what does the Torah say about Black Friday and the dumbing-down of values? All that and more!

"The Temple Mount is in our hands!" Saluting the eternal capital of the Jewish people, Andrea reflects upon Jerusalem's reunification.

With loosening restrictions, many non-essential business owners are opening shop. Does the government know something the population doesn't? Or are we playing Russian Roulette for the sake of a teetering economy?

Making quarantine meaningful: COVID-19 is virulent and deadly. So why are people - especially the young - behaving with impunity, risking the lives of others?

Visiting American family, Andrea connects to her inner Yankee Doodle and breaks matzah with Diaspora kin. How does it feel to be an Israeli fish out of Middle-Eastern waters? Also on tap, hard questions about Sri Lanka, New Zealand, perpetrators of evil and those who enable them.

A call to unity.

With no end in sight to the pandemic, Israelis are torn about summer activity options. Should they defy the Health Authority and attend weddings? March in protest against a beleaguered leadership that appears unable to address the unbearable fiscal burdens that the populace is suffering? Or stay home and channel surf, hoping for numbing distraction on another, tedious day?

Has Coronavirus rendered us helpless? Must we play victim, hoping to dodge the dreaded "bullet" or do we have controls about how to live? A special exploration of the mind-body-soul connections.

The road from slavery to autonomy is rife with struggle. How do the Children of Israel adjust to the challenge of newfound independence? Drama, intrigue and words of love pepper this fascinating chapter in the story of Jewish redemption.

On the Ninth of Av (Tisha B'Av), both the book of Eicha and the Torah align and lament, "How?" How are we not saving ourselves as cities burn? How can we ignore the targeting of Jews while our blood-soaked history implores, "How don't you hear? How don't you act?"

We are not exempt from the task He lays before us! Are we created 'equally' holy?

Not everything that is good for us feels sweet; not everything that seems sweet is good for us. The proffered blessing of "A Sweet, New Year" is profound in its entreaty that we merit wholeness and abundant blessings from Heaven. The final, piercing blasts of the shofar promise that a world of opportunity lies before us. . . . .

Closing days of the Jewish new year give offer unprecedented opportunities for (re)creating a world rife with love, acceptance and miraculous adventure. Are we ready for the challenge?

With the firing of US Security Advisor John Bolton and Bibi's anemic promise of post-election sovereignty over the Jordon Valley, friends of Israeli might ask themselves, "Who's being played?" Also, do good fences make good neighbors and when is it permissible to wage war?

"Deal of the Century"? Worth less than the paper upon which it was written, the American president joins the conga-line of do-gooders who aspire to appease unappeasable Arabs; Also, Mahmoud Abbas named Chairman of UN Group 77 & China, largest bloc of member states. As the nations of the world trip over one-another in a frantic effort to whitewash evil, master terrorist Abbas receives his crown and scepter; Lessons from the parsha speak of kindness and being grateful for our Heavenly lot.

There is a simplicity to repentance because there is no End Goal. "How may I improve myself?" is the first step toward bettering our relationship with God and availing ourselves of the optimism of the season.

Commitment, honesty, candor and kindness. Do we hold different standards of expectation for ourselves and God? Given choices, holiness can be practiced by all!

Attitudes about end-of-life treatment.