I will be serving as one of two leaders on an upcoming Taglit-Birthright Israel trip and I’m very excited, as it will be my first time ever going as a trip leader (I went 13+ years ago on a trip as a participant). The trip provider with whom we willContinue Reading
As the spring semester is wrapping up, I wanted to share which discussions I have led at which campuses here in Southern California, through my current position as rabbi of Southern California Jewish Student Services. I will start off with my two discussions at California State University, Fullerton with theContinue Reading
The other night, I led an in-depth textual exploration of the prohibition of intermarriage in Judaism. It was the fourth and final event in a series to combine a spirits-tasting alongside a deep textual exploration of a topic in Jewish tradition in the 2013-2014 (5774) year. One of the moreContinue Reading
One of my takeaways from having attended TribeFest last month is that many young adult Jewish communal professionals are really looking for something [that is not yet being offered to them] (when speaking about young adults, for the context of the organized Jewish community these days are 20s-30s (for some,Continue Reading
Recently, I came to the realization that I was approaching each and every teaching opportunity as an experiment. As opposed to a set way of leading a discussion, I needed to different styles at each and every opportunity. I think I had come to the realization that the style to whichContinue Reading
This past weekend, I had the honor of being one of the presenters at the tenth annual Jewlicious Festival. Taking place on the historic RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, the festival began in the late afternoon of February 28th and concluded in the late morning on March 2nd.Continue Reading
In just five weeks, the tenth annual Jewlicious Festival will be taking place and I have the honor of being involved in promoting it as well as speaking at it. This upcoming Jewlicious Festival will be my fifth Jewlicious Festival with which I have been involved, meaning that I willContinue Reading
A month ago, I not only had the pleasure of attending a conference for Hillel professionals on the west coast, I also co-chaired it! Taking place December 16-18, it was a good mid-year opportunity to reconvene with fellow Hillel professionals! Every year that I’ve been serving as the rabbi forContinue Reading
On Sunday, I led a Scotch-tasting and learning event for adults. This was the second in a 2013-2014 series that combines a spirits-tasting, in-depth exploration of a topic in Jewish tradition and an opportunity for people to give tzedakah to the Jewish enrichment endeavors for young adult Jews with whichContinue Reading
Fifty months ago today, my wife and I began working here in sunny Southern California! Having arrived the night of November 8, 2009, we then began working the very next day on November 9th. So, that means 4 years and 2 months ago, we began and we have made itContinue Reading