Israel Advocates or Education Diplomats?
The field of teen immersive experiences in Israel is undergoing a transformation not seen since the introduction of Israel Advocacy over twenty years ago. This is not to say that we have seen the last of Israel Advocacy, but perhaps a next iteration of it or a parallel – strategic track – to it. As…
On Passover – What is YOUR why?
Duality and contradictions are found throughout the Torah, in Jewish life, and Israel’s existence as a people and a nation-state. The…
Leadership, Routine, Renewal
Erica Brown, on her podcast Day 129, discusses renewal and the challenges leaders face when getting stuck in routines and…
Global Zionist Citizenship, A Manifesto
Zionism, initially defined as the national movement of the Jewish People, has made a huge comeback onto Global Jewry’s agenda.…
I’m that kid
I’m that kid that was wild, energetic, uninterested in school and just wanted to have fun. I’m that kid that…
The vision I have of the rabbinate has grown out my diverse upbringing and exposure to Jewish life in the United States and Israel. Judaism and Israel have always played a role in my life and influenced my decision making process. As a child I attended a Hebrew Day school and was involved in other…
In the midst of environmental, financial, and political uncertainties – today is Tu B’shvat – the New Year of the Trees. It is a time when vegetation all around is awakening from dormancy, shaking off the dust and beginning to stretch, mother earth is preparing herself for another cycle of creation and life. It’s nothing…
As we enter Day 5 of this battle with Hamas many out there are saying “told you so”. Ever since Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, 3 years ago, Hamas has used its authority over the strip to implement their version of law and order over their people, and to stockpile weapons and rockets. Rather than promote…
I’d like to share a few lines of Shabbat. Consider reading through them, think about what they mean to you. Perhaps there is one that resonates more then any other? שמור וזכור – Observe & Remember the Sabbath
As we trace Zionism’s pulse throughout history, from Abraham to this vey point in time, we see that every generation had its Zionist expression. In Genesis 13:17, Abraham is urged to קוּם הִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּאָרֶץ, “Arise and walk the land…”, literally to walk on it. Thousands of years later, pioneers of the late 1800’s and early…
“Anti-Zionism = Anti-Semitism” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “. . . You declare, my friend, that you do not hate the Jews, you are merely ‘anti-Zionist.’ And I say, let the truth ring forth from the high mountain tops, let it echo through the valleys of God’s green earth: When people criticize Zionism, they…