As a 9th grade student in Washington Heights, NY, I had the zechus of visiting the home of Rav Shimon Schwab, zatzal, Rav of Khal Adas Jeshurun, each week together with my classmates. The rav would share divrei Torah that would conclude with some relevant message for his teenage audience. I enjoyed and grew from each of these special
This week’s parasha presents a strong contrast in priorities, as expressed by Yaakov and Esav in their historic standoff. The conflict that is subtly expressed at the parasha’s onset presents a fundamental attitudinal difference which underscores the personal weltanschauung of these two men. Yaakov arrived in Eretz Yisrael after two decades of tireless service in the house of Lavan. It was there that
We all know the reasons that we type so many of our correspondences instead of write them down on a piece of paper. It’s often faster, it’s neater, and it can easily be saved and categorized for future reference without paper-sifting and clutter. Electronic communications can be shared far and wide and allow us to reach out and reply when it works for us, not having to be concerned as much with the other’s schedule and readiness to communicate.
One of the hardest talks that I had to give took place right before the beginning of my third year as head of school. It was at the back-to-school full faculty meeting and I needed to clear the air about an issue that was on many people’s minds. The issue was me. Not that I necessarily did
A primary challenge for supervisors is to encourage others within their organizations to go the extra mile and get the job done in a timely manner. In order to do so, they oftentimes bulldoze their agenda through, or, at the most, appeal to the employee’s reason and/or emotion. The conversation may sound something like this:
The decision to open a new organization or introduce a novel program can be very exciting. Those of us in the Torah service community are driven to give, to educate and to inspire, and oftentimes look for new ways by which we can engage others. Yet, any new endeavor comes with risks, not the least of which is fiscal and logistical viability.
Pesach ended the other night and the immediate, desperate reaction from Jews worldwide was Cookie Monster-esque. ”Chametz!” (Not sure if anyone also broke into the “C is for chametz” refrain, but it wouldn’t shock me if they did.) Lest the reader think that I am some cave-dwelling hermit that subsists on potato starch and macaroons all year ‘round, allow me to share that I also love a good slice of pizza, particularly
A challenge for today’s organizational leaders is to find ways to encourage younger constituents to assume meaningful service roles within their organizations. Many factors contribute to the challenge, including the fact that potential lay leaders maintain busy lifestyles, juggling a full (if not extended) workday, together with familial and other responsibilities. When considering how to engage today’s younger generation, it is important to know that its members largely operate by a
When we think about the Mishkan (tabernacle) and the priestly vestments, descriptors such as artistry, exquisiteness, skill and dedication come readily to mind. Without question, the young Jewish new nation put their utmost into supplying and crafting materials to beautify Hashem’s structure. While each descriptor represents a primary quality of our first national house of service,
