Pesach (Passover) is coming soon and we Jews are busy searching for and cleaning the chametz (leavened food that is forbidden on Pesach) from our homes. But we must not get so busy searching for the pretzels our kids stuffed behind the couch cushions that we forget to look for the chametz inside of ourselves.
What is this internal chametz? It’s all the detritus – the negative character traits, immoral desires, etc. – that impurify us and hold us back from being the best that we can be.
What is YOUR chametz?
Continue reading What is YOUR Chametz? →
The Israeli election is officially over and some Israelis, American Jews and even the American president seem bitterly disappointed with the result. It’s only natural that after any election there will be some hard feelings and sadness. This is especially true in Israel, where elections seem like life-or-death affairs that will entirely determine the fate of a vulnerable population surrounded by enemies.
So it wasn’t surprising to see name-calling and bitterness on social media following the election results. Although I can understand the disappointment, I think this is a good time for all of us to take some deep breaths and remember that anger is almost never productive for bringing about positive social change or justice.
Continue reading The Day After Israeli Elections and Pesach →
One simple Jew's journey to Jewish joy (simcha) via ancient and modern techniques.