Thought of
the week.

Tocqueville defined individualism as “a mature and calm feeling which disposes each member of the community to sever himself from the mass of his fellows and to draw apart with his family and his friends,” leaving “society at large to itself.” We know that a democracy is the best form…

The practice of gratitude is incredibly important; it has actually been proven that it prolongs life by as many as 7 years. This fact is based upon a study published in 2001 that looked at the lives of approximately 700 nuns. Astoundingly, it was found that those who had a…

I just had the honor of officiating at the funeral of a gentleman who lived for 94 years and truly lived a full life. Firstly, I’m so grateful that I was able to perform the ceremony and give back to a man who gave to so many. Not only was…

Albert Einstein memorably spoke of Judaism’s “pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, an almost fanatical love of justice, and the desire for personal independence– these are the features of the Jewish tradition which make me thank my lucky stars that I belong to it”. I read this quote and…

I have the privilege of helping people help themselves recover from whatever they may be struggling with. I’ve often said, I gain more than anyone else, especially when I do it without any expectations of remuneration. I want to talk about two concerns of mine: one being, why do I…

In Judaism, there are only three sins where one must choose death rather than transgress. The first one is murder; if you are told to kill or be killed, you must choose to be killed. The second includes immoral sexual acts like incest; if you are told you will be…

I had the incredible privilege of being a partner in opening a center for the youth of Sderot, which is the city closest to Gaza. The youth suffer from trauma on a daily basis, fearing missile attacks from a neighbor who is less than 1 kilometer away. This home will…

In general, Maimonides, like Aristotle, believed that emotional intelligence exists in striking a balance between excess and deficiency, too much and too little. Too much fear makes me a coward, too little makes me rash and foolhardy, taking unnecessary risks. The middle way is courage. There are, however, two exceptions,…

This week, I witnessed the unbearable and the beautiful; I witnessed death and life, yet most importantly, I witnessed faith—and even more so, I learned an invaluable lesson. Let’s start with the positive and beautiful: on Tuesday, we welcomed a new grandchild into my family. Even though I think I’m…

I have been reflecting upon the difference one simple word or action can make, either positive or negative. One of the most impactful weekends of my life didn’t involve something huge, rather it was spending a Friday night dinner at 14 years old with a saintly Rabbi, who treated me…