Thought of
the week.

I’m in Israel this week, and yesterday I had the privilege of going to the hospital to visit with some of the injured soldiers and their families. I’m blown away by several of the experiences I had yesterday and I will carry them in my heart forever. The first thing…

How do we forgive when the pain is so great? Is forgiveness even appropriate, and is forgiveness even ours to give when the perpetrators have hurt so many others? I have the privilege of working with people who have suffered, people who are truly innocent victims who have suffered harm…

If something is wrong, then not only must I not do it, I must—if I can—stop others from doing it. If I fail to do so, then I share in the guilt. Nowadays, we would call this the guilt of the bystanders. It is obvious to me that the perpetrators…

In a world full of deceit, uncertainty, goals which we believe will make us happy yet don’t, opinions, political and religious views and divides, pain and suffering, he said and she said, and ultimately a complete lack of clarity, how do we decipher what’s right and how do we find…

I’ve always wondered how people can think it’s okay—or even worse, warranted—to kill in the name of God or religion. My teacher, Ted told me recently that most humans, even if faced with being killed, won’t kill another unless their DNA is challenged, which I believe means unless their children,…

When a tragedy happens, it’s common to get depressed, get down, and focus on all the problems. Very often, tragedy, illness, and financial problems can lead to divorce, or alternatively, they can lead to a renewed strength in the relationship.   Additionally, we can see from all those who have…

I know it’s the third week in a row I’m discussing the situation in Israel and anti-Semitism worldwide, yet I will continue to discuss this until the war is over and all people are out of harm’s way. Additionally, I want to help others be aware of what is really…

Today at UCLA, hundreds of students were chanting, “Israel, Israel, you can’t hide, we want Jewish genocide.” This isn’t 1930s Germany–this is 2023 Los Angeles, California. Yesterday, a man broke into a home in Studio City after seeing a mezuza on the door post, intent on killing Jews. For anyone…

I shared a very similar thought about a year ago around this time, yet it’s currently more important than ever. Who is considered a great leader and what is considered great leadership? Noah, who created the ark and saved his family and the animals from the flood which destroyed the…

The power of double standards and the power to justify even the greatest of atrocities truly baffles me, amazes me, causes pain deep in my soul, and begs me to ask myself, am I delusional? Where must I show up to be a better human? Israel, my country, the place…