(This message was originally composed prior to the horrific shooting in Pittsburgh with the intention of sending an early November e-blast. Following the shooting, I spent time with the Los Alamos High School cast and crew of Neil Simon’s “Brighton…
Yearly Archives: 2018
Remarks at vigil after the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting
Four lessons that my mother, Shirley Shlachter of blessed memory, taught me. My mother taught me to say thanks. So let me begin by thanking the Los Alamos Jewish Center for organizing this event, for providing me with a slot…
Posted in Uncategorized
Marking the Passage of Time
This seems to be a season of anniversaries. My reading list (below) includes Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosney, which recounts the horrific Vélodrome d’Hiver roundup in Paris on July 16, 1942. Over 10,000 Jews were arrested, the majority being…
Posted in Rabbi Jack's Quarterly
Buildings Without Congregations – Congregations Without Buildings
It’s no surprise that there exist synagogue buildings without congregations of Jews – we are a wandering people who have picked up and left our homes, sometimes in search of a better economic environment and sometimes under duress. Last month,…
Posted in Rabbi Jack's Quarterly
Happy New Year for 20“Chai”
I am thankful to be able to write yet another quarterly Rabbinic message (I’m actually particularly thankful to be writing this today because I’m getting over a bug which could have been much worse). The Talmud (B. Men. 43b) quotes…
Posted in Rabbi Jack's Quarterly