New Years Eve 2007

It is the six o'clock on the last evening of 2007. An hour ago we watched the last sunset of 2007 over the Pacific from the bluffs of Solana Beach, just north of San Diego.

What will 2008 bring? Will it be a year that lives up to the e-greetings and holiday cards that passed between so many of us? Perhaps it will. Perhaps this will be a Hallmark year. Perhaps instead waiting to behold our fortunes and misfortunes in 2008, we may resolve to create a year of greater peace, greater generosity and greater awareness of blessing. All of these are within our realm of creation.

Wishing you a year of blessed creation.

The Jewish Question

The phrase the Jewish question originated in the writings of Karl Marx. It referred to the issue of Jewish integration into European culture. It was not in itself a derogatory phrase but rather a question concerned with assimilation and integration. The Nazis more famously bastardized the phrase to mean, what should be done about the Jews? History tells us the "final solution" was the Nazi's answer to that question. Today though, it might be wise to invest interest in a new Jewish question because our spiritual survival might depend on it. Today, the Jewish question might aptly be asked by the Jew who wonders whether a synagogue service in any language bears any relevance to his or her daily life. Many synagogues today are suffering because they are failing to provide a meaningful answer to the Jewish question. They are relying on the power of obligation, guilt or some undetermined predilection to ensure that Jews remain Jewish and engaged in the process of inquiery. Perhaps on this, the penultimate night of Chanukah, or dedication, as it translates, we can dedicate time to our Jewish question(s) and to seeking satisfactory answers.

Shabbat Posting - Dec. 7, 2007

Last night we had a visit from a dear friend and her four year old son. Earlier in the week, someone had entered her apartment while she and her boy were outside playing. The intruder stole her son's two wrapped Chanukah gifts and a video camera. Ironically, other items of greater monetary value were left untouched in what must have been a speedy robbery. Our friend, who writes for a wonderful children's website, gocitykids.com, (highly recommended) emailed her colleagues across the country in her anger and upset over the stolen items. Before the sun had set on that same day, the UPS delivery man was at the door with children's gifts. My friend's colleagues from across the country whom she had never met arranged for her boy to receive gifts at Chanukah. Moreover, they sent an email asking our friend to choose from either a selection of video cameras or a virtually endless supply of children's books from Barnes & Noble.

Last night we lit the third candle and sang two blessings. The second one praises G-d who "made miracles in their days (of the Maccabees) and in our days." Who says that miracles great enough to bring tears of joy to our eyes do not still occur everyday?

Shabbat Posting - Nov. 30, 2007

At a funeral yesterday, the wife of the deceased paid loving and eloquent tribute to her departed husband. She said, "Kurt taught me that so much of life is decided by what we permit ourselves to see." What a gem. What a simple and beautiful truth. Jeannie could have simply pointed out that life depends on our perspective but that would have led us to believe that vision depends more on the eye or the stance than the mind and the choice. When Kurt's son spoke yesterday, he recalled the painful moment in his early adulthood in which he told his parents that he was gay. He expected his father to shut down or to well up with anger but instead, after some silence, his dad said, "Well, I don't know much about that... so I suppose it's something I'll have to learn." Truly, life, happiness and love depend on what we permit ourselves to see.

Whose Life is It?

How much control do we have over the quality of our lives? A lot? Very little? Our marriage, professional success, retirement, family relationships, financial wherewithal? How much depends on our doing and on our daily and momentary choices? If we believe that most of our circumstances are beyond our control and influence then surely we live under the illusion of victimization. We are like the inexperienced chess player - always reacting to life's aggressive tactics. But if we accept another possible illusion - that our own thoughts and choices are immensely, immeasurably important, then we might find that life is quite different. We might see each relationship to person and matter as an opportunity for generosity, wisdom and fulfilment. We might then see how great a role our moods, attitudes and choices play in the course of our lives and in the realm of the lives of other people. We might possibly find the life that is our potential.

Video Coming to Our Website

Watch www.vosla.org for new additions. Videos of music and sermons from the High Holidays will be on-line soon.

Shabbat Posting - Nov. 24, 2007

Reb Nachman of Bratzlav taught, "You are wherever your thoughts are. Make sure your thoughts are where you want to be." How many books, DVDs and seminars have been sold on this elusive truth? Every wisdom tradition of value speaks to humanity of the power of thought and of our own potential to cause great and valuable change in our lives and in the lives of others. Shabbat Shalom.

Thanksgiving

It is the evening prior to Thanksgiving and I wish all of you a wonderful holiday in the company of family and friends.

Cast & Crew - Levinson, De Niro (with kippah), Tucci (with kippah), Willis (with hat)

How is it that all of the Italians got the kippot?

Only in Los Angeles... I was asked to perform the role of the rabbi in a new Barry Levinson movie, WHAT JUST HAPPENED? Here I am in the make-up trailer with two great guys and two great actors - Stanley Tucci and John Turturro. Also in the cast? Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Sean Penn...Who'd have thought?

Why a blog? At this point, it is a means of keeping a fun and interactive contact with congregants, colleagues and friends around the world. I will do my best to keep it interesting...

Shabbat with Gospel

It is the tenth year that I have experienced a Shabbat with Gospel Music at VOS and I have to say that this year's service was spectacular. I would estimate that we had around twelve hundred people in attendance. The Spirit Chorale of Los Angeles under the direction of yron Smith was spectacular. Each singer was a soloist in his/her own right. What a moving experience of Shabbat and gorgeous music.