A new chapter – we move away from the story of patriarchs and focus on the saga of the Israelites. Joseph’s success at the end of Genesis shifts radically into enslavement. The new Pharoah who “did not know Joseph” is reminiscent of the fickle unpredictability of being a stranger in a strange land. Today’s hero […]
Vayechi Limerick
A new chapter – we move away from the story of patriarchs and focus on the saga of the Israelites. Joseph’s success at the end of Genesis shifts radically into enslavement. The new Pharoah who “did not know Joseph” is reminiscent of the fickle unpredictability of being a stranger in a strange land. Today’s hero […]
Reaching Kitah Gimel: “Remezim”- clues
This is the first in a series of posts based on happenings in my 6th Grade weekday Hebrew class (Kitah Gimel). In these posts, what happens in Kitah Gimel doesn’ t stay in Kitah Gimel! Activities and techniques that work (and a critical look at some that don’t) are presented for you to take away […]
Deep Honesty
Today marks the 14th anniversary of my mother’s death. My mother was among strongest forces to shape my perspective as a parent and educator and so it felt fitting to take this newsletter to share some of the lessons that have learned from her. I hope that through sharing her teachings I am able to […]
Fasting and Bearing the Yoke
I’ve just completed the easiest fast day of the year – the 10th of Tevet, a minor, sun-up to sun-down fast. (It’s so easy because it always falls around the winter solstice, so the fast usually concludes around 5pm at the latest.) Off the top of my head I couldn’t tell you what the 10th […]
A Question of Building: The Torah Portion Terumah
Today, as he has done for many years, my husband met with a Bar Mitzvah student and his family to engage them in the study of the student’s Torah Portion, which happens to be Terumah. (Terumah deals with God’s detailed instructions for building the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary for worship.) This family meeting was one […]
Asking the Right Question
It’s that time of year when lists seem to abound: Best Music of 2011; Most Trending Topic of 2011; Person of the Year; Top Movies of 2011 and on and on and on. This prompted me to think about what were the past year’s most influential ideas in Jewish education. When I asked colleagues what […]
Me and My Silly Judaism
In general, I’d rather have a stranger show me his penis than talk to me about God. I mean, my actual preference is that he doesn’t do either and just leaves me the fuck alone or gives me a foot massage instead, but if I had to choose between god-talk or penis- it’s penis almost every time. Unless it’s some kind of extreme situation- like if the stranger is one of those Yogis who spend their whole life tugging at their penis until it’s so long they can wind it around their forearm like an extension cord; or if it’s one of those Super-Distrubing-Sleepaway-Camp-Crying-Game-I-Think-she’s-a-Chick-til-I-See-Her-Big-Dick sort of scenarios unless that chick is Michelle Bachman or it happens during a WNBA game and ends up on SportsCenter (Worst of the Worst- five weeks running!) (BTW- even if Michelle Bachman had a penis, the Tea-Party crazies would still like her more than Romney. In Evangelical circles, Chick with Dick trumps Mormon with Healthcare Plan every single time. Especially if she pledges not to actually use her penis, like Gingrich.) I mean, if Tim Tebow were to pull his pants down and his cup off after scoring a touchdown and holler “this is for Big Willie and the Low Riders” (or whatever he calls his organs- “Frank and the Beans”? “Jonah and the Whales”? “JC and the…” too far?) I would think of him as rakish and charming rather than a dangerous, evil religious fanatic (unless he shaved John 3:16 down there- though that would be a absolute boon for Evangelical manscaping professionals throughout Colorado.)
Don’t get me wrong- there are some types of god-talk I really enjoy. I’m a big fan of the up-all-night pseudo-philosophical college-freshman style bullshit sessions. The kind of conversations you have when you combine an eighth ounce of kind bud, a really clean bong and a semester of Intro to Comparative Religions so that you’re ready to unleash such earthshaking revelations as “Did you realize that all religions basically say the SAME THINGS???” (gasp!) (“If you think about it, man, Jesus is just Buddha with six pack abs and a guilt complex. Are you going to eat that Pop-Tart?”) and you quote such noted religious authorities as Jonathan Livingston Seagull and XTC to support your arguments (“Did you make mankind after we made you? And the DEVIL, too??? Dear God!”) What can I say? I’m a sucker for this kind of talk. I guess I’m just an overgrown college freshman at heart- even though when I try and hang out with college freshmen they flee in terror like extras in the 50’s sci-fi classic Attack of the 40 Year Old Lame-Ass
Religious School – A “Holiday Letter” Happening?
The Holidays are winding down. I’ve packed up my dreidel collection and put my hanukkiah back on the shelf. I’ve gathered the Holiday cards we received for one last reading before cutting off the covers of the Hanukkah cards to use as classroom visuals next year. I’ve saved a few from both the Hanukkah and […]
Not So Honest Kars-4-Kids-4-God
The first time I heard the ubiquitous 1877-Kars-4-Kids radio ads, I knew where this was headed. Who solicits donations for “kids” “… please help a kid today” … without saying who was to benefit? Which kids? In Brazilian slums? Mentally disabled kids in the Appalachians? Crack babies in New Orleans? If this fine organization was […]
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