Shalom! My blogging experience begins HERE!
If you’re here, you’ve probably been invited to view and participate in my first blog, or have stumbled upon it by accident and may choose to join me here.
Who am I? I am a rabbi, educator and social worker by profession and by training; with a passion about teaching Torah, text study, embracing technology and future thinking. A midwesterer by upbringing (it shows in my “plain talk” approach in my communication and in my work).
What Guides my Thinking and Writing? The influences on my outlook have been very eclectic. My belief system includes some elements of the thought of Mordecai Kaplan, impact of text study and semicha (ordination) from a modern Orthodox yeshiva, values of the 60’s and 70’s in which I grew up, attachment to the land and state of Israel. Someone in my past once stated that “nothing Jewish is foreign to me;” the statement has become part of my personal mission statement.
Why Blog? OK, here’s the deal. Some articles of mine have been published in places like Jewish Education, Jewish Education News, Sh’ma, and Journal of Jewish Communal Service. I’m proud of these, but probably don’t have a book in my brain waiting to be written. What I DO have are some experiences, hypothesis, and just plain opinions that I would like to share. When I was in my 20’s and was sure that I had all the answers, I wrote to share my alleged wisdom. Now that I’m in my 50’s, I have little wisdom, but a lot of guesses and thoughts; I write not to share wisdom, but to invite wisdom from others regarding my thinking.
No Kidding! Writing a Blog in My 50’s? Am I meshuggah? Yes.
Goals of This Blog (at the moment anyway):
- Put some ideas out there and either finding a network of like-minded people or finding my
ideas vilified as I am put into cherem (excommunication). Or something on that continuum. Or a combination of the above. - Participate in the processes that are re-creating Judaism, Jewish expression and Jewish education
- Kvetch
- Learn
- Embarass my family and friends
Join me in this endeavor, post and send me comments, critique, suggest, and just generally jump in!
Jewish Connectivity 
Mazal tov! Welcome to the blogosphere! Looking forward to continuing conversations.B’hatzlacha,Caren
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Kol haKavod!Robyn
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Honored to join you online. Here’s to finding new significance to what it means to be Jewish!Yasher Koach,Shloymie
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Of course young Jews are “doing Jewish” away from the synagogues. The shul has become an icon, and the Jews, starting with Abraham, are the original and quintessential iconoclasts.-Shloymie
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You’re not doing a great job of embarassing your family so far. Rock on, bro. With Torah greetings, Barb
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nice photo r.a.v. thanks for inviting me to chit chat. Need some time to soak it all in. Well done so far,Neil
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