A New Sh'ma
In this recently posted video from Temple Israel of West Bloomfield, MI, teenager Anna Brooks performs a breathtaking new Sh'ma she wrote herself (wi
Lance and Lashon Hora
I race bicycles. I started in 1979. I got pretty good, fast enough to earn my way to category II status, just below the pool from which USA Cycling draws the National and Olympic teams. Along the way, I competed against some truly world-class racers and became friends with a few of them.
10 Jewish Reasons To Quit Smoking
Rosh HaShanah is over, and it’s time to start acting on your new year’s resolutions.
Understanding Yom Kippur - Then and Now
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is a concept I came to understand in my early adult years. But this was my understanding during my childhood:
When Soul and Sole Come Together
by Rabbi Elisa F. Koppel I’m not ashamed to admit it: I like shoes. I’m not quite obsessive about them, but I probably have more pairs of shoes than I need, and I’m always finding new ones – you know, the ones that would be perfect with that one outfit.
Jewish Values in Action: Giving the Gift of Life
During my senior year of college, I was presented with an inspiring opportunity to fulfill an oft-spoken-of mitzvah that we rarely have firsthand experience with: pikuach nefesh, saving a life. I was contacted by the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Registry and told I was a potential match for someone in need of a bone marrow transplant.
Self-Care Is Not Selfish
A tale is told of a well-known 17th-century Chasidic rabbi named Zusya, who, when he died, went to stand before the judgment seat of God. As he waited for God to appear, he grew nervous thinking about his life and how little he had done.
Who Wants to Ride?
"Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world." -Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 4:1 (22a)
In Defense of Having a Religion
The High Holy Day season was not an easy time for my family this year, as my son passed away in January. Rosh HaShanah includes a Torah portion about a father who almost sacrifices his son; I would not have passed Abraham’s test.
Raising Courageous Kids
In raising my two daughters, I had always hoped they would have courage to face life challenges with confidence and character. When they were young, I anticipated that those challenges would be the normal – difficult teachers, college rejections, and boyfriends who dumped them.