Two must-see documentaries featured at this year Israel Film Festival in...
What I loved about both of these films is the opportunity to peek into the lives of real people, living in Israel, addressing real challenges over many years. Continue reading →
View ArticleGolda’s Balcony: The Film, 2019
the film exposes the travails of leadership and brings history to life. Will she or won’t she use the secret weapon? what goes through her mind as she faces these agonizing moments? Continue reading →
View ArticlePrinciples to Live By: New Year 2020
Today is the 8th day of Chanukah and the 30th of December 2019 - a good time to take stock of the last year and think about the one to come. Continue reading →
View ArticleThe Cholent Gang: Milena Kartowsky at the International Yiddish Theater Festival
Milena Kartovsky wrote the cholent gang, produced it, and performed in it and it is what prompted me to create the documentary, Yiddish: A Tale of Survival: She was one of the highlighted characters....
View ArticleRabbi Chaim Steinmetz
During R. Steinmetz' time in Montreal, I filmed short 5-min. sermons. I share them here along with nine of his written sermons on the (KJ) website. all amazing! Continue reading →
View ArticleRabbi Lew: Comparing Buddhism and Judaism
In his lecture at Hillel House, Rabbi Lew, Zichrono livracha, may his memory be a blessing, compared Judaism and Buddhism by comparing how each tradition deals with suffering. Continue reading →
View ArticleKorach’s Rebellion and the BLM Movement
A couple of days ago in synagogues, Jews studied the Torah portion on Korach’s rebellion Numbers 16:1 – 18:32 about Korach leading 250 of the leaders of the Israelites against the authority of Moses...
View ArticleMoshe Kraus Project
Moshe’s life is emblematic of a much larger story which has just begun to be told - the story of how ordinary people faced the storm - the story of the spiritual resilience of ordinary people caught up...
View ArticleThe Joyful Experience of Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year holiday is customarily a 4-hour service in the synagogue, punctuated by the blowing of the shofar. and a repeat the following day. If you are not Jewish, it’s...
View ArticleRBG – How Jewish Was She
RBG embodied that unique Jewish characteristic that began with Abraham, of sparring, even with G-d, when "justice" was the issue. Continue reading →
View ArticleYom Kippur – The Day of Atonement or the Day of Forgiveness and Reconciliation
"atonement" is one of those concepts that nobody understands - least of all me. Continue reading →
View ArticleNews and Knowledge during Covid-19
We all know the problem, excess options and information coming at us from all sides. How to process it! Continue reading →
View ArticleZachor Al Tishkach: Remember, Don’t Forget
there is no word for "history" in the Hebrew language. The Hebrew word that comes closest to the notion of history in Hebrew is the word "zachor" - the injunction "to remember." Continue reading →
View ArticleMusic and the Cantorial Art
Because of its deep connections with the brain, music is intrinsically meaningful to humanity as a race. Music, sound, is life. Music, adds emotion, nuance, and meaning. Continue reading →
View ArticleThe Cantor’s Prayer
Can you and I communicate with G-d in the present? Continue reading →
View ArticleThe Power of Words, Story, and Prayer
The gift of language is the "Gesher tzar meod"– the very narrow bridge – that crosses the abyss between finite humanity and the infinity of God Continue reading →
View ArticleLiving with Two Calendars
Jews don’t have a double identity, but they live with two calendars – the secular, solar or Julian calendar, and the Jewish calendar based on the moon’s cycles. The Julian calendar introduced by Julius...
View ArticleJanuary 27: An International Day of Remembrance
I have to admit; it was moving to see the German people struggling to confront our shared history in public. Continue reading →
View ArticleWhat can Purim teach us today?
Purim presents us with the first paradigm for what antisemitism/racism/persecution of a minority within a majority looks like. Continue reading →
View ArticleWhat the Holiday of Shavuot can teach us
Everyone knows about Passover but fewer of us appreciate Shavuot especially in modern times. Continue reading →
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