Thought of
the week.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK – July 17, 2020

By Asher Gottesman

It is undeniably important that we seek to practice empathy and kindness for others and their struggles, yet at what point does empathy become toxic, and kindness become inappropriate? On that note, we all want to make the people around us happy, but how do we know if we are…

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THOUGHT OF THE WEEK – July 10, 2020

By Asher Gottesman

“Love can turn curses into blessings. It is the only force capable of defeating hate. Love heals the wounds of the world.” Maimonides, a 12th century philosopher (and so much more) made the above statement. His words carry so much weight, and I have spent a great deal of time…

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THOUGHT OF THE WEEK – July 3, 2020

By Asher Gottesman

Raising children has to be one of the most difficult jobs we have on this earth, and while it can definitely be one of the most rewarding experiences, it can also be extremely devastating.  Last night, a family I know lost their child. You would be hard pressed to think…

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THOUGHT OF THE WEEK – June 26, 2020

By Asher Gottesman

In this week’s Torah portion, we speak of the story of Korach; Korach was a man who was truly great in many ways, but he was a man who lost his way when he decided to act against Moses.  I once heard a story from a famous Rabbi, who told…

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THOUGHT OF THE WEEK – June 19, 2020

By Asher Gottesman

Throughout my life, I have developed a fervent passion for the many causes that I feel are important, and like most people, I hold opinions about the countless issues that are plaguing both myself, and the world. Obviously, opinions do not necessarily always lead to action, and so I often…

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THOUGHT OF THE WEEK – June 12, 2020

By Asher Gottesman

I was reading an article today about all of the times America has attempted to bring democracy to war-torn areas, only to fail in its efforts. Only after the fact— and after some collective introspection— have we been able to see that the people in these areas do not always…

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THOUGHT OF THE WEEK – JUNE 5, 2020

By Asher Gottesman

As human beings, it is crucial that we identify which of our many needs are most important and should take precedence. I believe that our two greatest needs in life are safety and connection, and while the identification of these two needs has been relatively simple for me, the question…

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THOUGHT OF THE WEEK – May 28, 2020

By Asher Gottesman

Our ability to justify and rationalize our actions is truly immense and at times, astounding. In my life, I have found that when I want to do something– or for that matter, when I want to find a way out of doing something– I am extremely capable of coming up with a…

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THOUGHT OF THE WEEK – May 22, 2020

By Asher Gottesman

Every night before I go to bed, I make sure to say a prayer for all those who have hurt me or I feel have done me wrong. I make it a practice to offer forgiveness to these people, and I ask God not to punish anyone on my behalf,…

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THOUGHT OF THE WEEK – May 15, 2020

By Asher Gottesman

Radical uncertainty is something that I have been really struggling with during the past 8 weeks. A huge part of my uncertainty derives from me not knowing what the future will hold: When we will reopen the economy? And, even when we do, what will it look like? As my…

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