“Great warrior. Hmmm. Wars not make one great.” (Master Yoda) These words spoken in The Empire Strikes Back sum up the feelings of Yoda and what wars are about. They are not about making a name for oneself. Wars are not fought out of choice. Wars are not good. Wars are a necessary evil in the world because we have yet to figure out how to solve problems without violence. Wars continue to exist because we, as a species, want power and that...Read more...
The Torah is intended to be relevant and current in every generation. Each time we sit down and learn תורה we’re supposed to be able to see new things. It’s incredible that we can find meaning in the תורה for today in the words given thousands of years ago.
The focus of the Jewish world since October 7th has been laser focused on the plight of the Jewish State and the hostages. We’ve spent so much time and energy...Read more...
Can two truths be held at the same time? Can snow be good and bad? Can heat be welcomed and oppressive? The answer is yes to all of these. Snow can be fun to play in and beautiful to look at, while being dangerous for drivers and inconvenient for businesses. Heat can be an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and go swimming while also being physically draining on people. It’s all a matter of perspective. How one looks at something comes from...Read more...
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a giant in Atlanta and in the entire United States. That might be one of the greatest understatements of all time but it’s worth stating. One of the core things that made him who he was as a civil rights activist and a social justice fighter, was how he saw civil rights in terms of religion and the Bible. One might have thought a Christian minister would have looked to the Christian Bible to find...Read more...
On Yom Kippur I spoke about exciting work we’re doing here at OVS in the form of our Reimagining Team. The purpose of this new group is to look for new and innovative ways to approach our work as an organization and a community. This is why we adopted the name of the Reimagining Team. We feel we must be willing to rethink how we do things and what we’re trying to achieve. We must value accountability and will...Read more...
