Essays, notes, poems, and prayers
Writing
Most of this started as a Facebook post and got a second life here. Every piece carries its date in two calendars.
- 31 October 2025ט׳ בחשוון תשפ״וNote
Why Aren’t We Doing This
From his Islamic context, R Abraham b haRambam drew the obvious conclusion - if our traditional laws describe ideas and prescribe practices, and it's accepted in the prevailing milieu to...
- 31 October 2025ט׳ בחשוון תשפ״וNote
Rambam Before His Son
As someone approaching the subject from the Maimonidean angle, it amazes me how people attribute innovations to Rambam's son that are actually earlier described in Rambam's works, and much of...
- 29 October 2025ז׳ בחשוון תשפ״וNote
Beyond Jewish Studies
I'll go one step further and argue that the origins and historical trajectories of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam can not be adequately understood from within the framework of Jewish Studies...
- 28 October 2025ו׳ בחשוון תשפ״וNote
Israelite Studies
Elephantine. Idumea. Himyar. Kaifeng. Samaritans. Bené Anusím. Bene Israel. Beta Israel. Bene Menashe. Igbo. Qaraites. Amazighs. Palestinians. Ashkenaz. Sepharad. Teiman. Paras. Jewish Studies is an outdated discipline. It's time to...
- 25 October 2025ג׳ בחשוון תשפ״וNote
Zion in the Sources
Zion is mentioned 196 times in Isaiah. 64 times in Jeremiah. 130 times in the Twelve Prophets. 152 times in Tehillim. 441 times in the Talmuds (374 in the Zohar!)...
- 24 October 2025ב׳ בחשוון תשפ״וNote
The Z Word Launches
The Z Word - open and honest conversations with Palestinians and Israelis about Zionism, the land, the conflict, and the hope for a shared future... These are going to be...
- 24 October 2025ב׳ בחשוון תשפ״וNote
On Calling Out the Wicked
A valued friend privately messaged me to take issue with my personal insult to Yosef Mizrachi in a previous post. He felt it was in conflict with the overarching principle...
- 23 October 2025א׳ בחשוון תשפ״וNote
What Mamdani Could Have Said
"My dearly beloved fellow New Yorkers, It's an honor and privilege to not only be one of you but to fight for this opportunity to represent and lead you -...
- 22 October 2025ל׳ בתשרי תשפ״וNote
Falling Upon One’s Face
"Falling upon one's face" in supplication and confession after the standing prayer/guided meditation is an essential part of the ancient Jewish way of prayer Bring the body into the moment...
- 21 October 2025כ״ט בתשרי תשפ״וNote
Is Prayer Broken
Is prayer broken? Do you find the act of praying meaningful, or even coherent? Do you connect to the text of prayer? Does the melody of prayer resonate with you?...
- 20 October 2025כ״ח בתשרי תשפ״וNote
Include Women
Dear fellow men, Free advice for you. Whatever your proposal is - Whatever your event is - Whatever your organization is - Whatever your startup is - Whatever your new...
- 18 October 2025כ״ו בתשרי תשפ״וNote
A Dangerous Time to Be a Zionist
Thoughts on the current situation, on this evening after the departure of Shabbath: This is a dangerous time to be a Zionist. On the one hand, Nazi- and Soviet-era anti-Zionism...
- 13 October 2025כ״א בתשרי תשפ״וNote
Last Day of Captivity
Really felt the זה היום עשה ייי נגילה ונשמחה בו vibe during Hallel today Last Hallel of Sukkoth Last day of captivity
- 11 October 2025י״ט בתשרי תשפ״וNote
Thoughts on Zionism
Random thoughts on Zionism (ok not random they were points missing in someone else's overview of Zionism but they will be random to you): - traditionally Jewish politics put God...
- 30 September 2025ח׳ בתשרי תשפ״וNote
The Ceasefire Plan
The Trump ceasefire plan does not seem substantially different from the Biden ceasefire plan. The timetable for some things is a little faster, for other things a little slower. There...
- 29 September 2025ז׳ בתשרי תשפ״וNote
American Amnesia
Evening Musing: The American relationship with history is very peculiar. American society insulates itself with a certain willful amnesia, an official disinterest in the critical study of the past. People...
- 29 September 2025ז׳ בתשרי תשפ״וNote
Jewish People as White
The racing of Jewish people as "white" has a lot to do with developments in American racial politics over the course of the 20th century and little to do with...
- 26 September 2025ד׳ בתשרי תשפ״וNote
Comey’s Regret
I wonder if James Comey regrets putting the investigation of Clinton's email server in the national spotlight right before the 2016 election.
- 22 September 2025כ״ט באלול תשפ״הNote
OCD and the Days of Awe
Due to a mishap in my prescription fulfillment, this Rosh Hashana, I'll be without my OCD medication for the first time since I started taking it. For those who don't...
- 21 September 2025כ״ח באלול תשפ״הNote
Rabbi Yosef Adler z”l
(trigger warning: suicide decades ago) Just found out that Rabbi Yosef Adler z"l of Teaneck has passed on to his world. The mark of a good rabbi, imho, is not...