Yom Kippur and the Gift of Forgiveness
Yom Kippur in Vietnam
Yom Kippur, 1965, I was a Navy medical officer stationed aboard a destroyer off the coast of Vietnam.
This Sukkot, Support Environmental Protections from Border to Border
Question: On Sukkot, we remember our ancestors' struggles to balance their lives with the surrounding environment in order to produce a bountiful harvest each year. But most of us no longer grow our own food or live at the mercy of natural phenomena in the same ways.
Yom Kippur and Depression
It happens that this year the Days of Awe align with Suicide Prevention Week.
Galilee Diary: Round and Round
On the fifteenth day of the seventh month there shall be the Feast of Sukkot to the Lord, seven days. The first day shall be a sacred occasion: you shall not work oat your occupations; seven days you shall bring offerings by fire to the Lord.
A Sukkah of Peace
I have had the pleasure of writing about some very unique holiday experiences that took place in my home when I was growing up.
How Donuts Influenced My Judaism
As I took a short walk last week during a break between Yom Kippur services, a memory, both humorous and deeply emotional, flooded my heart.
Azucar: My Sweet Experience in the Sukkah
The famous Cuban-American singer Celia Cruz used to punctuate each performance with the rousing shout , “Azucar!” (Sugar!). But sometimes I also hear this as, “A sukkah!”
The Sin of Self-Congratulation
At the conclusion of Yom Kippur years ago, I attended a break-the-fast at the home of old friends. I loaded my plate with a bagel, lox, and vegetables and ambled over to a conversational group, where I stood munching and listening.
I've Lost All Hope
When I think of the word “hope,” one sentence comes to mind: Hope is a dangerous thing.
I don't remember where or when I first heard the statement, and I'm fairly sure it was intended as a warning, but the idea has stuck with me.
Hope is a dangerous thing.