We have just completed the “season of questions.” We have only one day ago bid farewell to a holiday that encourages us to challenge, to inquire, and to ask. Pesach not only encourages us to ask the questions, to demand the “why,” but it tries to provide some of the answers as well. Pesach teachesRead More...
Last week, our BRS staff luncheon began with an icebreaker to welcome some new members to our team. Each person was asked the following question: If you could meet and spend time with one person you have never met, someone you look up to, someone not related to you and who is among the living,Read More...
We often picture God this time of year as a judge, sitting at His bench, waiting to catch us, judge us and hold us accountable. Not only is this not a healthy and constructive image, it is not the image our rabbis and our tradition want us to have. We are deep into the monthRead More...
*This article appeared on www.Aish.com on September 2, 2019 What if you knew when you were going to die? A group of researches in Germany collected blood samples from 44,168 people with ages ranging from 18 to 109 years old. Over the next 17 years, 5,512 people from that group died. After looking at 226Read More...
Despite a grueling schedule as a prominent physician, serving as Vice President of Boca Raton Synagogue, President of Torah Academy of Boca Raton, and spending time with his beautiful family, Brian Galbut z”l always set aside time for learning each and every day. His library of personal seforim, filled with notes, comments and underlines, testifiesRead More...
Each year, like so many of you, I eagerly look forward to my summer vacation. Used properly, a vacation is not only an opportunity to take a break from the rigors of work, but it provides tremendous growth opportunities. In fact, how we use our vacation and what we do in our down time notRead More...
Who doesn’t want to be happier at work? New research concludes that greater happiness and satisfaction at work doesn’t come from more vacation days, additional downtime, or even more perks. This study found that the best way to ensure that you’re happy at your job is to spend more time learning. Among the 2,049 workersRead More...
When is the last time you sat and did nothing? I don’t mean the type of nothing as in you just played on your phone, read a book or sat listening to music and didn’t really “do” anything. I mean absolutely nothing. When is the last time you sat still with no technology, without talking,Read More...
The following is adapted from my remarks delivered on April 30 at the Boca Raton community gathering of prayer and unity in solidarity with the Chabad community of Poway, California I want to thank Rabbi Bukiet and Chabad of West Boca for hosting tonight’s event. Tonight, we are all members of Chabad. I can’t tellRead More...
Flu season is currently making itself known around the community, first among kids and now hitting adults. But diseases and illnesses are not the only things that are contagious. Without you even realizing it, how you are feeling today is likely influencing and impacting the feelings of people around you. According to Dr. Nicholas ChristakisRead More...
Countless stars filled the heavens, the Milky Way was visible to the naked eye and Jupiter was as noticeable as the moon. A star shot through the sky. As we stood there, 6,000 feet above sea level in Glacier National Park in Montana, it occurred to me that the magnificent view we couldn’t tear ourselvesRead More...
In 2001, Indra Nooyi was named president of PepsiCo. Five years later, she was promoted to CEO, and in 2007 she would become chairman of the company as well. She recently described the day she was appointed president and put in charge of running the $166 billion company. Her parents happened to be visiting that night,Read More...
In 1966 Time magazine ran a now-famous cover story asking: Is God Dead? Nearly 50 years later, a Wall Street Journal article entitled, “Science Increasingly Makes the Case for God” records: The fine-tuning necessary for life to exist on a planet is nothing compared with the fine-tuning required for the universe to exist at all.Read More...
The sitting and waiting was becoming unbearable. A week of preparations, warnings, and constantly tracking a shifting cone can leave you exhausted even before the hurricane begins. It is easy to stay calm and confident until the many wonderful, well-intentioned people and organizations around the world let you know they are holding Tehillim ralliesRead More...
Vice President Mike Pence hosted a historic celebration at the White House on Tuesday in honor of Yom Ha’atzmaut. He made headlines for remarking that President Trump is giving serious consideration to moving the Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. I had the great privilege of attending the event and while I am veryRead More...
On the morning after this week’s historic upset in the election, the chazzan at the minyan I attended finished the repetition of the Amidah and something unusual occurred. One person called out “Hallel,” indicating that for him it was a miraculous day in which we should sing out to the Almighty in appreciation. Immediately, anotherRead More...
“Rabbi, what is that on your wrist?” “It’s a Fitbit.” “Why do you wear it?” “It tracks how many steps I take each day, the quantity and quality of my sleep, and other important pieces of information.” “C’mon Rabbi, sounds like shtick to me. Do you really need that? What does it do for you? Read More...
The home of the great composer Ludwig van Beethoven has been preserved and serves as a museum in Bonn, Germany. One historical gem in the museum is the piano upon which Beethoven composed most of his renowned works. The piano is estimated to be worth more than $50 million and is understandably roped off andRead More...
There are 7.4 billion people on earth at this moment. When contemplating that staggering number, it is easy to feel insignificant, inconsequential, even invisible. It is only natural to wonder, do I—or my actions—even matter? It is difficult to comprehend that God could have a personal relationship with me or could care about what IRead More...
Imagine being a prisoner in your own body, fully aware, entirely conscious, thinking and emotionally feeling, and yet unable to move or speak at all. For many suffering from ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, that is exactly what their life looks like day in and day out. Through a couple of viral videos, last weekRead More...
Last month marked thirty years since the tragic explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Seven crew members died after the shuttle broke apart 73 seconds after takeoff. As I’m sure is the case with many of you, I vividly remember exactly where I was when this catastrophic event occurred. Along with many American children, myRead More...
Was it President Lincoln in 1863, President Washington in 1789, or the Pilgrims themselves in 1622? While historians may debate when the holiday of Thanksgiving was first instituted, the practice of giving thanks began much earlier. We read in last week’s parsha, Vayeitzei, that Leah names her fourth son Yehudah from the root hoda’ah outRead More...
Follow your heart. I Love you with all my heart. Have a heart. Wounded heart. Heartache. Heartbroken. Disheartened. It is clear that of all organs in the body, the heart is the accepted symbol of emotion. But this metaphor is not only employed by our English vernacular. The Torah itself promotes this symbolism. “V’yadata ha’yomRead More...
Cremation in the Jewish community is growing at disturbing rates, with advertisements appearing in Jewish newspapers promoting it as a legitimate post-death option, including in some cases, shockingly, endorsements by rabbis. The prohibitive cost of traditional burial is often given as a reason for this trend, but it undoubtedly is the result of ignorance asRead More...
While Human Growth Hormone is considered performing enhancing and has been banned by most professional sports, it is becoming increasingly necessary and popular with a different group. Pediatric endocrinologists will tell you that as a result of all of the hormones in our food, milk and even shampoo, many children’s growth is being highly affected.Read More...
It was one of the most inspirational and hopeful interactions I have ever had. A young man from our community who is back from college was telling me about the incredibly positive transformation that has taken place in his life. Sadly, like too many of his peers from all over the country, when he wentRead More...
It has been almost two weeks since the mysterious disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370. As we follow the story the way we may read an incredible suspense novel – eager to skip to the last chapter to see how the story ends – it is easy to lose sight of how unbearably painful andRead More...
(Adapted from a Yizkor Derasha delivered on Shmini Atzeres 5774.) Many years ago, two bachurim, students, came to the yeshivah of the Chasam Sofer, Rav Moshe Schreiber (1763-1839) in Pressburg, Hungary to take a farher, an entrance exam, to determine whether or not the boys qualified for admission as talmidim in his prestigious yeshivah. ItRead More...
He was a complete stranger when I sat down, but after a three and a half hour delay, I had made a new friend. My flight to NY to attend what would be the magnificent Tirschwell wedding was delayed significantly and so I found myself a comfortable seat to settle into for a few hours.Read More...