Rabbi Bruce's Reflections on Life

  Dear Friends, Terribly lonely....but never alone... How could I be alone when after last week's blog, I received over 100 hugs from people who are reading these glimpses into my heart and soul.  And believe me, each and everyone of them is so appreciated and so needed right now. The student who responded with the emojis with smiling faces hugging, the friend who told me that Sue was my best "catch" after reading about the game of catch at the Field of Dreams, the student who wrote a beautiful reflection who I hope reads this and contacts me again, the friend who wrote a poem,  and so many good wishes.  I am grateful to each and everyone of you. Today we finished reading the Biblical Book of Numbers during our Shabbat worship services.  Each week we read from a portion of the Torah (Five Books of Moses) and when we complete a book, we say in Hebrew, "Chazak, Chazak, v'nitchazek." which translates as "may we be strong, may we be strong and may we streng...

 Dear Friends, I need a hug today....Please bear with me as I write this blog which will be a window to my soul. It was 27 years ago that my father died and a participant at the International Teen Kallah (Learning Institute) asked me if my father and I ever kissed each other.  I only remembered a few times he would kiss me on the "kepe" (Yiddish for forehead).  I told this to the teenager who was disappointed that my Dad and I  hadn't shared our affection with a kiss. As he walked away, I called him back and told him that my Dad and I liked to play catch and that each time the ball hit the glove, we were kissing.  He walked away smiling, feeling that my Dad and I had shared special moments in a meaningful way. What does that have to do with the Field of Dreams and Kaddish? I have struggled over the last 15 weeks to find a meaningful way to remember Sue in a Jewish ritual way.  I have dutifully said Kaddish and you all know that I am thinking about...

  Dear Friends, Today we read the Biblical portion Balak which deals with the Prophet Balaam being asked to curse the Jewish people. In the end, Balaam blesses the Jewish people. I want to discuss the fine line between blessings and curses and how or whether it is possible to ascertain whether something is a blessing or a curse. In the Biblical portion we are reading, there is a discussion about the Jewish people being a people who dwells alone.  In the midst of the antisemitism in today's world, the discussion is very relevant. Are the Jewish people supported or alone in the midst of the challenges we are facing in the Middle East and around the world?  How do we know whether people will support the Jewish people or whether the Jewish people will ultimately be on our own to face adversity?  There is this fine line where one wonders whether there will be support or whether there will be ongoing aloneness.  I do not have a crystal ball but hope that there wi...

 Dear Friends, I am grateful to all of you who are reading these and who are taking the time to respond to me.  Writing these blogs has become cathartic for me and I hope they are not a burden to you.  You can always delete them:-) It has been 13 weeks since Sue passed away and as I think about what I miss the most and the issues with which I wrestle, I wanted to share the following thoughts. There is a song from the broadway show, "Camelot" that has made me think a lot about one of Sue's many gifts to me.  Please listen to the song ​ ​ ​YouTube • Julie Andrews - Topic So I wonder what does a simple guy do, to escape when he is feeling blue...What would Sue do to deal with sadness? Her love of the simple things in life was inspirational.  She was not a whistler, and those who know me know I certainly am not a singer.  She used to love Israeli dancing and in the past year attended some sessions at a local synagogue. I think her gift to me now would...