Building New Identities, Business & Education, Uncategorized, Wisdom Daily News / 24 Mar 2023
Where Everything New Is Old Again
“Old” connections create new paradigms
Uncategorized, Wisdom For Builders / 21 Mar 2023
Non-Linear Growth
Growth does not have to be immediate and exponential for things to have value…
This Week In Wisdom, Wisdom For Builders / 16 Mar 2023
The Adjacent Possible
Life has to be lived forward but can only be understood backward
Uncategorized, Wisdom For Builders / 16 Mar 2023
Ready… Set… Set…
It took G-d a mere week to create the world, but how often do we describe the eternity of preparation that must have preceded this watershed moment? Before G-d turned the light switch on, the infinite possibilities of what could be resided in an amaranthine packet of latent potential. None of it existed until G-d took that brave leap allowing the implicit to coalesce into the explicit. Hebrew has the same root for the word Universe (Olam) and Unknown (Alum). The margin between the abyss and genesis is both infinite and imperceptible. Perhaps this is also true, albeit in far more humble dimensions, for humans engaged in sacred work. Last year I finally launched The Amen Institute – an organization that brings art and Torah into conversation with one another. We have 4 programs that engage thousands of Jews around the world to achieve this in our: Rabbinic-Artist Fellowship High School Mentorship Program Weekly Art Circle Gatherings Educational Music Resources After spending a year and a half having conversations with artists and strategizing our approach, I witnessed my countless all-nighters materialize into an international center of Jewish culture. It felt like an eternity had preceded this landmark moment as I fine-tuned my vision and methodically made my pitch to prospective stakeholders – inviting artists, rabbis, teachers, synagogues, and funders to dream with me. We anticipated an explosive inventiveness that would result when Torah scholars are pushed to see new perspectives on the texts with which they were so familiar when the probing mind of a creative soul could animate their imaginations through the medium of art. Excitement is an infectious creature. As our tent widened and more keen individuals were introduced to our world, their enthusiasm egged me on and inspired me to think even more expansively. The possibilities kept…
Spirituality & Faith / 14 Mar 2023
Sisterhood Goals in the Torah
Here’s to an enlightening Women’s History Month for us all!
News & Politics |
February 22, 2023
The True Impact Of Mass Shootings Will Never Really Be Understood
The impact of the lives lost from gun violence on those who are left behind. ...
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A lot of us have been led to believe that to be redeemed means the conclusion of all challenges. There is a model for that. But it’s certainly not the only model, and living in the real world, I don’t think it’s the most helpful model, especially for builders. Moreover, I don’t even believe that finding redemption in the midst of our building is predicated upon success. Now I want to be clear: I want more success than failure. I couldn’t stay in the game if I didn’t have more success than......
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Inspiring Story, Longform, This Week In Wisdom, Weekly Parsha |
February 02, 2023
Take the Long Way: Parashat Beshalach
In my family, we have the concept of the “Stanton shortcut.” It pertains to an unnecessarily long path that my father, my brother, or I take when going from one place to another, leading to wonderful adventures or learning opportunities – and a far longer duration of travel than any of us anticipated at the outset. We’ve taken some wonderful “shortcuts” all over the world, using many different modes of transportation, and we continue to revel in the time we wound up spending together en route. Evidently, this is far from an......
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In the Spring of 2017, a group of neighbors gathered with the question: ‘What are we going to do this Shabbat?’ After seeing the need for a prayer space in Harlem that felt truly inclusive and accepting of anyone who may walk through the door, they were determined to build the community they could not find. Born from this was Kehillat Harlem, a prayer space committed to Halachah (Jewish law) while holding this mission of inclusivity at its core. Fortunately, a proclivity for creativity led to the creation of the Harlem Shtiebl......
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Spirituality & Faith |
January 30, 2023
Is the Tree of the Field Human? A Teaching for Tu BiShvat 5783
A Teaching for Tu BiShvat ...
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The American founding father, who was born on January 17, 1706, has had a lasting impact on Judaism....
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In my first job out of rabbinical school, I served as an assistant rabbi of a congregation of over 1000 families. As many new rabbis experience, I felt I should know everything and was embarrassed that I didn’t. On bigger points about the direction of synagogue programs, I guessed. I tried to create new things and make changes, but it didn’t feel like enough people heard or were inspired by my vision. This week’s Torah portion contains a story embedded in most Jews’ memories from years of Passover seders: the 10 plagues.......
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Latest Video
Listen To The Names Of The Victims First
A video where Brad Hirschfield lists the victims names in the recent Orlando shooting. Because first we need to internalize a tragedy before we jump to speak.
