A Quadrille in the form of a Haibun The ancient Sages of the Talmud taught: Fire is one-sixtieth of hellfire; honey, one-sixtieth of manna; the Sabbath, one-sixtieth of the 'World to Come'; sleep, one-sixtieth of death; and a dream, one-sixtieth of prophecy. sunlight hours lengthen evenings aglow with shimmers twilight eyelids droop d’Verse Quadrille #152… Continue reading Evening shimmers, or: Twilight eyelids
My 2nd trimeric a self-aware poem may be one whose words and form are two lovers aching to become three to share their love one whose words and form are in harmony pierces swiftly the disconsolate soul two lovers aching to become happy again must heed one another's pain three to share their love penning… Continue reading Three, or: More
Some basics of Jewish names Most Jewish people have Jewish names, which they use in religious contexts, although they do not necessarily go by them in public. Some Jewish names like mine (David) are universal enough, but others do not roll off the gentile tongue so easily. Jewish names are typically of Jewish languages: primarily… Continue reading Wherefore ‘ben Alexander’?
In composing my ethical will, I usually find myself resistant to including entries that should, according to my sensibilities, be self-evident. That's not to say that I personally exemplify any of these self-evidently positive traits; rather, it is to say that I wish I did. On the other hand, my ethical will is, by default,… Continue reading Ethical will: Loving-kindness
Following my previous 'ethical will' entry on 'listening' and the profoundly divisive aftermath of the 2020 U.S. Presidential elections, which once again reveals a country broken jaggedly in half, I've been thinking a lot about the pervasive lack of trust that has come to typify today's global politics. Yes, we must listen to one another… Continue reading Ethical will: Truth
Some cultural aspects of Orthodox Judaism require a lot of explanation, which makes them challenging to write about with accuracy and general appeal both. Also, I am no authority on this subject and am sure to miss some pertinent points in any explanation that I offer. Nevertheless, I want to try, to the best of… Continue reading Disillusionment
It was during college that I first considered the notion of studying to become a rabbi. I was an awful engineering student and apathetic about my studies. Clearly, my greatest passion in those years lay in community building and learning about Judaism. After four years, I graduated with an engineering degree, poor grades, and no… Continue reading I wanted to be a rabbi
I used to have reverence for rabbis, but I barely remember it. Last night I was at a wonderful rooftop get-together for a friend of mine ('C5') who just recently made Aliyah (repatriated to Israel as a Jew). It was lovely, particularly for me because I've been spending a lot of time with my daughter… Continue reading My lack of reverence
The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱 
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