News & Politics, Wisdom Warehouse |
August 06, 2015
Sounding the Alarm in America: The Legacy of Ferguson
Originally published last year on The Wisdom Daily, this piece remains acutely relevant as we approach one year since the fatal shooting on August 9, 2014, of Michael Brown: In the summer of 1982, I went looking for a new apartment in St. Louis (I lived and served as a rabbi there until 1987, making lifelong friends). There were many nice things about the area – the Arch, the Cardinals, Washington University, the Symphony – but race was not one of them. My introduction to the problem of race in St. Louis......
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On The Wisdom Daily this week (June 29 – July 3), we looked at the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to strike down all bans on same-sex marriages, the need for all Americans to actively participate in the fight against racism, the extraordinary day for dignity as a leading American value and the smart insights we gain from paying attention to new perspectives. Did you grow wiser this week? We hope The Wisdom Daily played a part. Humility and Grace in a Profound Visit to Charleston – Irwin Kula I traveled to......
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From Odyssey Networks’ Faith on the Record series: In Biblical times, the ritual of scapegoating involved sending a symbol of sin over a cliff, to help the community heal. But as I wrote about last year on The Wisdom Daily, the process requires looking inward before casting blame. Today, those in the South rushing to ban Confederate flag symbology from public grounds may be seeking “an easy answer on something that is far more complicated.” Watch my video (originally recorded June 26, 2015) for more insight and discussion. Odyssey Networks......
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Spirituality & Faith, Videos, Wisdom Warehouse |
June 30, 2015
Humility and Grace in a Profound Visit to Charleston
About ten days ago, I traveled to Charleston to hold hands and hearts, to listen and learn, to comfort and console. I am still trying to metabolize the profound sacred mixture of anger, sadness, forgiveness, wisdom and grace I experienced. My tradition teaches that immediately after a loved one dies there is no work to be done and no meaning to be made. Rather, with exquisite attention and intention, we honor the dead by exclusively focusing on every last detail of the funeral and burial. Now, in Charleston, S.C., almost two weeks......
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That morning, they lined up outside the College of Charleston’s arena, a diverse crowd taking time to be present, knowing the emotions they felt transcended the moment and were inseparable from a greater historical struggle, far from over. The gathering took shape at the very same moment the U.S. Supreme Court prepared to reveal its landmark ruling, affirming the dignity of men and women regardless of who they love and how they live. Thousands attended the church viewing and the overflow service to pay last respects to the Honorable Rev. Clementa C.......
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To kick off another new week, we’re sharing recent pieces published elsewhere, along with the excerpts that moved us to highlight them here on The Wisdom Daily. Don’t miss these thought-provoking perspectives on singer Nina Simone, toys and dolls created for surveillance, the ultimate day-off indulgence and more. Whatever’s transpiring in your life, may you find the words of wisdom you need. ?1. Play It Again, Simone “This resurgence in Nina Simone’s legacy may be due in part to the fact that several political and societal themes from the Civil Rights......
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As a new week begins, check out these insightful pieces – about topics like overcoming defeat and spotting patterns – with the excerpts that moved us to highlight them here on The Wisdom Daily. You may be particularly intrigued to read about the Pixar film captivating people of all ages with its profound take on how our brains fight for emotional health. Whatever’s transpiring in your life, may you find the words of wisdom you need. 1. Inner Life of Riley “The neurological basis of emotions turns out to be a......
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From Odyssey Networks’ Faith on the Record series: When is the time to ask the questions I have about Charleston? Such as: “Why is it when a Black person commits murder we talk about them as thugs when a Muslim commits murder we call it terrorism when a White guy does something like this, we immediately start talking about mental illness?” Today, if we are truly one human family, we can certainly agree on one indisputable fact – each of the good people slain this week in church was a......
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On The Wisdom Daily this week (May 18 – May 22), we explored bumper sticker irony, the tech industry’s strong push to keep private smartphone data protected from government overreach, the longing to spend our time and energy on purposeful endeavors, and the candid new video giving young Black men and boys a voice. Did you grow wiser this week? We hope The Wisdom Daily played a part. Coexisting Beyond Bumper Stickers – Brad Hirschfield Walking with a friend the other day, I noticed these bumper stickers on the back of......
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I was in Baltimore this past weekend for the bar mitzvah of my close friend’s grandson. The site of our last racial hot zone, Baltimore is still reeling from the recent unrest over Freddie Gray’s death (tourism is reportedly down; some students are turning down Baltimore universities where they’ve been accepted for 2015-’16), while at the same time, people I spoke with repeatedly told me things are returning “back to normal.” But as I drove out of Baltimore, it struck me that I went an entire weekend without having a conversation with......
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