Thoughts on being Jewish

No - I'm not saying good evening to our dear Taps. For some reason, yesterday as it grew dark outside, I had a nostalgia attack remembering the song we sang in camp at the end of each long day; Taps. It was simple, beautiful and comforting: Day is done Gone the sun From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky. All is well Safely rest God is neigh. Though it became rote after 8 weeks, I now realize it impelled us to be conscious of the wonders around us. Have a safe and beautiful day, everyone! Sign in to see full entry.

Tonight - the first night of Passover - we recreate the Exodus from Egypt at the seder table. I've been cleaning and cooking for our 18 guests (taking a minute for Blogit), and will get back to tending to our annual ritual. Tonight, we'll recite prayers and poems and questions from the Haggadah; a guidebook of sorts. "Seder" means "order" in Hebrew - and we do follow a certain order; dipping parsley in salt water to remind us of the tears the Jews cried while enslaved. Eating a mixture of... Sign in to see full entry.

The IDF has over 700,000 citizen soldiers and reservists who are expected to live up to the IDF's ethical standards. In any army, some soldiers violate the rules of combat. In the IDF, all alleged violations are investigated, and offenders are punished. Yet, today there is an attempt to defame the IDF through allegations that there were instances of misconduct during Israel's Gaza operation. The accusations are based on unverified hearsay, and are proving to be false. Many IDF soldiers feel a... Sign in to see full entry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l9DT6lvPsg Sign in to see full entry.

No one can predict the tomorrow of a human being. We move from abject poverty to opulent wealth on the spur of a moment, from hedonism to spiritual heights in a sudden flash. We are creatures who know no bounds, with limitless power to be whatever we want to be. We get stuck - but not from a shortage of power. Rather, it is from our failure to recognize the knots with which we have tied ourselves. No one is a greater tyrant than your friendly neighbor. Or fellow workers at the office. Or friends... Sign in to see full entry.