If you are a regular reader of this blog, please note that starting tonight through next week I will be sitting in my Sukka and have very little access to the web, and there will be no post next week.
For this week, I submit to you one question and two gripping videos for your enjoyment.
Question for your table: What is more amazing, the universe or the mind that contemplates it?
(not my favorite choice of background music, but it works)
Chag Sameach – gut yontiv – happy holiday.
And if you are in our neck of the woods, please stop by and sip a cold drink with me and my family.
Alexander Seinfeld
Speaking schedule
October 15-16 – San Francisco area
October 17-18 – Los Angeles
(For details, send an email)
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Save This!
Question: What can you do in ten minutes to have the biggest impact on your Yom Kippur tomorrow?
A. Examine your past and take responsibility for your mistakes
B. Introspect and/or pray
C. Give tzedaka
E. All of the above
F. None of the above
It seems to me that a lot of people are pretty good at #1 and #2 but we are collectively falling short on #3. This past year you were given 10 percent more net income than you need for yourself in order to enable you to give to others. Have you given them their due or are you spending it on yourself?
If you have ten minutes, please try these three steps to a home-run Yom Kippur.
1. Watch this short clip:
2. Ponder these stats:
Some 1.6 million Israelis lived under the poverty line in 2006, according to a report released on Tuesday by the National Insurance Institute...the percentage of children who suffered from poverty rose from 35.2% to 35.8%...According to the report, an estimated 404,000 families - 1.65 million people and 796,000 children - lived under the poverty line.
-- THE JERUSALEM POST Sep. 4, 2007
3. Give generously:
There are many good organizations helping the poor. I have chosen a couple to promote that do not carry any overhead. They are run by volunteers and every penny you give goes to the needy. Remember that for Israeli children and families, Sukkot (next week) is analagous to Thanksgiving-Xmas here: it’s a festive time and those in poverty can feel particularly left out.
Meir Panim
1-877-7-DONATE (1-877-736-6283)
www.meirpanim.org
TorahLab Tzedaka Fund
212-561-5131
www.torahlab.org/tzedaka
Keren Y+Y
www.kerenyehoshuavyisroel.com/
Checks: Keren Y&Y, 805-A Roosevelt Ct., Far Rockaway, NY 11691
From their website:
Small family - $180, Medium family - $360, Large family - $ 540
6 small families - $ 1080, 4 medium families - $ 1440
5 medium families - $ 1800, 4 large families - $ 2160.
Any amount will help.
What We Do:
* To each family we give cash coupons that are redeemable at one of 2 large full-service supermarkets.
* They can use these coupons to buy food and other such items only from these stores.
* The stores give us a discount of 7 1/2% to 10%, therefore making the donor's dollar that much more helpful.
* The stores will not give change, only credit for another purchase.
Checks and Balances
* Each Coupon has a serial number and expiration date.
* After the expiration date, we collect and collate all coupons according to serial number to check if the coupons were redeemed. If not then we contact that family to find out the reason.
Key Points
* We offer the coupons only to those in grave need.
* Coupons can only be used at these stores, and are non-transferable.
* Coupons can not be exchanged for cash- to make sure they're used the right way.
* Nobody knocks on our door. The Individuals responsible for determining who will receive assistance - and how much assistance - are kept anonymous. In other words, the families do not come to us- we go to them.
* Collectively the 3 Rabbis on the board know most of the families personally, and the ones we don't know, we inquire about.
+ + +
After you do this, you will be almost ready for Yom Kippur. Make a big festive meal Friday afternoon, eat the kinds of foods that make it easy to fast – not too spicy, no alcohol. You will be hungry for most of Saturday, but then by about 5:00 Saturday afternoon, you’ll get beyond the hunger – you will transcend the hunger, and thereby transcend your body. That’s when you’ll be ready to really connect to #1 and #2 on the list above.
Please save this info for future reference.
Wishing you and yours a gut yontiv.
Einstein quote of the week:
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
- Albert Einstein
Speaking schedule:
September 20 – Beverly Hills, private home (“The Happiest Yom Kippur of Your Life”, with Helkeinu)
September 21-22 – Yom Kippur – The Helkeinu program • I will be running workshops throughout the day
September 27-Oct 4 – Sukkot – if you are in town, please join us in our Sukka. Good time guaranteed.
October 15 – Burlingame, Calif., Peninsula Temple Sholom, “The Art of Amazement”
October 16 – Mill Valley
October 17-18 – Los Angeles
(For details, send an email)
Yiddish of the week:
Gut yontiv – Happy Holiday (chag sameach)
Yiddish review - how many do you know?
anee — poor person
koptsen — panhandler
ballaboss — homeowner; layman
nu — various meanings (see archives)
mishpocha — family
mameh — mother
tateh — father
mazal – (MAH-z’l) luck or fortune, as in, “It was good mazal that....”
beshert – (b’shairt) - meant to be, as in “It was beshert that...”
mine eltern – my parents
mine lair-er – my teacher
hamantashen – Haman-pockets
zeigezunt – all the best (said upon parting)
kesher - connection
Ikh volt veln a kave, zayt azoy gut. - I'd like a coffee, please.
...kave mit shmant. – ...a coffee with cream.
...kave mit milkh. – ...a coffee with milk.
...kave mit tsuker. - ...a coffee with sugar.
Di Fir Kashes - The Four Questions
Oy vey! - Good grief!
mensch — a decent person
rachmanos — mercy
neshoma (neh-SHOH-ma) — soul
minig — custom, as in, "Why do you do that?" "It's my minig!"
Gavaltig — wonderful
Oy gavalt — how wonderful (sarcastic)
Azoy gait es! — That’s how it goes!
Shabbos — Cessation; stopping; day of stopping; weekly sabbatical experience
"Gut Shabbos" — "Enjoy your weekly sabbatical experience"
Neshoma — Soul
meshugass — insanity
meshuganeh — insane
kyna hara — no evil eye
shvitz — sweat
shanda — shame
Lechayim! — Cheers!
Pinteleh Yid — the Jewish feeling in the heart of every Jew
Zreezus — zeal
Mkohm — place (pl. mkohmas)
mamalashen — mother tongue
bentch — make a bracha
bashert – meant to be, pre-destined, as in, “He’s my bashert” or “It was bashert that...”
kvetch — complain
kvell — burst with pride
hishtadlus — effort, due diligence; as in, “Do your hishtadlus and let Hashem worry about it.”
Yiddishe kopf — Jewish knowledge and perspective (lit., Jewish head)
Gut yahr! – Happy New Year!
A. Examine your past and take responsibility for your mistakes
B. Introspect and/or pray
C. Give tzedaka
E. All of the above
F. None of the above
It seems to me that a lot of people are pretty good at #1 and #2 but we are collectively falling short on #3. This past year you were given 10 percent more net income than you need for yourself in order to enable you to give to others. Have you given them their due or are you spending it on yourself?
If you have ten minutes, please try these three steps to a home-run Yom Kippur.
1. Watch this short clip:
2. Ponder these stats:
Some 1.6 million Israelis lived under the poverty line in 2006, according to a report released on Tuesday by the National Insurance Institute...the percentage of children who suffered from poverty rose from 35.2% to 35.8%...According to the report, an estimated 404,000 families - 1.65 million people and 796,000 children - lived under the poverty line.
-- THE JERUSALEM POST Sep. 4, 2007
3. Give generously:
There are many good organizations helping the poor. I have chosen a couple to promote that do not carry any overhead. They are run by volunteers and every penny you give goes to the needy. Remember that for Israeli children and families, Sukkot (next week) is analagous to Thanksgiving-Xmas here: it’s a festive time and those in poverty can feel particularly left out.
Meir Panim
1-877-7-DONATE (1-877-736-6283)
www.meirpanim.org
TorahLab Tzedaka Fund
212-561-5131
www.torahlab.org/tzedaka
Keren Y+Y
www.kerenyehoshuavyisroel.com/
Checks: Keren Y&Y, 805-A Roosevelt Ct., Far Rockaway, NY 11691
From their website:
Small family - $180, Medium family - $360, Large family - $ 540
6 small families - $ 1080, 4 medium families - $ 1440
5 medium families - $ 1800, 4 large families - $ 2160.
Any amount will help.
What We Do:
* To each family we give cash coupons that are redeemable at one of 2 large full-service supermarkets.
* They can use these coupons to buy food and other such items only from these stores.
* The stores give us a discount of 7 1/2% to 10%, therefore making the donor's dollar that much more helpful.
* The stores will not give change, only credit for another purchase.
Checks and Balances
* Each Coupon has a serial number and expiration date.
* After the expiration date, we collect and collate all coupons according to serial number to check if the coupons were redeemed. If not then we contact that family to find out the reason.
Key Points
* We offer the coupons only to those in grave need.
* Coupons can only be used at these stores, and are non-transferable.
* Coupons can not be exchanged for cash- to make sure they're used the right way.
* Nobody knocks on our door. The Individuals responsible for determining who will receive assistance - and how much assistance - are kept anonymous. In other words, the families do not come to us- we go to them.
* Collectively the 3 Rabbis on the board know most of the families personally, and the ones we don't know, we inquire about.
+ + +
After you do this, you will be almost ready for Yom Kippur. Make a big festive meal Friday afternoon, eat the kinds of foods that make it easy to fast – not too spicy, no alcohol. You will be hungry for most of Saturday, but then by about 5:00 Saturday afternoon, you’ll get beyond the hunger – you will transcend the hunger, and thereby transcend your body. That’s when you’ll be ready to really connect to #1 and #2 on the list above.
Please save this info for future reference.
Wishing you and yours a gut yontiv.
Einstein quote of the week:
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
- Albert Einstein
Speaking schedule:
September 20 – Beverly Hills, private home (“The Happiest Yom Kippur of Your Life”, with Helkeinu)
September 21-22 – Yom Kippur – The Helkeinu program • I will be running workshops throughout the day
September 27-Oct 4 – Sukkot – if you are in town, please join us in our Sukka. Good time guaranteed.
October 15 – Burlingame, Calif., Peninsula Temple Sholom, “The Art of Amazement”
October 16 – Mill Valley
October 17-18 – Los Angeles
(For details, send an email)
Yiddish of the week:
Gut yontiv – Happy Holiday (chag sameach)
Yiddish review - how many do you know?
anee — poor person
koptsen — panhandler
ballaboss — homeowner; layman
nu — various meanings (see archives)
mishpocha — family
mameh — mother
tateh — father
mazal – (MAH-z’l) luck or fortune, as in, “It was good mazal that....”
beshert – (b’shairt) - meant to be, as in “It was beshert that...”
mine eltern – my parents
mine lair-er – my teacher
hamantashen – Haman-pockets
zeigezunt – all the best (said upon parting)
kesher - connection
Ikh volt veln a kave, zayt azoy gut. - I'd like a coffee, please.
...kave mit shmant. – ...a coffee with cream.
...kave mit milkh. – ...a coffee with milk.
...kave mit tsuker. - ...a coffee with sugar.
Di Fir Kashes - The Four Questions
Oy vey! - Good grief!
mensch — a decent person
rachmanos — mercy
neshoma (neh-SHOH-ma) — soul
minig — custom, as in, "Why do you do that?" "It's my minig!"
Gavaltig — wonderful
Oy gavalt — how wonderful (sarcastic)
Azoy gait es! — That’s how it goes!
Shabbos — Cessation; stopping; day of stopping; weekly sabbatical experience
"Gut Shabbos" — "Enjoy your weekly sabbatical experience"
Neshoma — Soul
meshugass — insanity
meshuganeh — insane
kyna hara — no evil eye
shvitz — sweat
shanda — shame
Lechayim! — Cheers!
Pinteleh Yid — the Jewish feeling in the heart of every Jew
Zreezus — zeal
Mkohm — place (pl. mkohmas)
mamalashen — mother tongue
bentch — make a bracha
bashert – meant to be, pre-destined, as in, “He’s my bashert” or “It was bashert that...”
kvetch — complain
kvell — burst with pride
hishtadlus — effort, due diligence; as in, “Do your hishtadlus and let Hashem worry about it.”
Yiddishe kopf — Jewish knowledge and perspective (lit., Jewish head)
Gut yahr! – Happy New Year!
Friday, September 07, 2007
Dessert
Dedicated to Yiddel ben Fruma for a complete and speedy recovery.
To dedicate a future Table Talk, please send an email.
This is it, the last Table Talk of the year. How do I make up for all the less-than-amazing Table Talks of the past year?
One of the best sources of stories in this space is our daughter Emuna. Born five and a half years ago in Palo Alto, she started kindergarten this week. That means that she’s now wearing the plaid uniform that she envied her sister over the past 2 years. On Tuesday morning, she was up and dressed an hour early, racing down the stairs with such joyous anticipation in her eyes.
“Abba,” she informed me, “I’m going to kindergarten today!”
“Are you really? That’s wonderful. And is that your new kindergarten uniform?”
She beamed and nodded her head. She couldn’t even speak.
In contrast, her older sister Goldie was more serious, a bit apprehensive about entering third grade. She didn’t want to tell me why, but after school she revealed what was going on: “It wasn’t as hard as I thought,” she said. “I saw that whole long list of supplies we needed and thought it was going to be really hard.”
+ + +
A transition into a higher level, a new job, a new relationship is always a wonderful moment of anticipation, maybe a little apprehension.
That’s what’s happening to all of us next Wednesday night, Thursday and Friday. It’s a chance to start anew. But you’ve got to get your uniform and supplies ready.
Then you have two jobs:
1. End this year well
2. Start next year right
Did you ever go to a movie or read a book that was pretty good or even great until the end, and the ending was bad and it soured the entire story for you?
I remember thinking that about Born on the 4th of July. Great story, weak ending. That’s how I’ll always remember it.
On the other hand, did you ever have a humdrum meal that ended with an awesome dessert, leaving quite literally a good taste in your mouth?
How to end the year well: Look back on the past twelve months. Where did you fall short that you kind of regret? This is the last chance for this year to leave a good taste in your mouth. How you experience this Shabbat will “fix” the past year’s worth of Shabbats. How you treat your loved ones these next few days will “fix” a year’s worth of relationships. Make this last Shabbat and last few days of the year the kind of spiritually-connected uplifting, serene existence that you know you have in you, if you only would make a little more effort. Apologize to everyone you need to. Say I love you a few extra times. Go out with a bang, have a strong finish, a great ending.
How to start next year right: Is it really so easy to “fix” the past? Join me for a national call-in class on “How to use the holidays to repair the past and become the kind of person I want to become, (including how to run an amazing Rosh Hashana feast for the entire family)” this Monday night September 10 at 7pm PDT/10pmEDT. Cost will be $10 ($5 for teachers and students, free for Helkeinu members and JSL members). Registration required; to register, please send an email to RH2007@jsli.org.
Writing this Table Talk blog is a particular challenge because the audience is as diverse as can be. If I have written anything in the past that has offended you, bored you, irritated you, annoyed you or in any way failed to inspire you; if you have emailed me and not received a reply fast enough, please forgive me!
Wishing you and your family a sweet, healthy, prosperous and amazing 5768!
L’Shana Tova u’Metuka. May you be written and sealed in the Book of Life.
Shabbat Shalom.
(with thanks to Michael Lipson)
Einstein quote of the week:
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them."
- Albert Einstein
Israel fact of the week:
Israel has the highest per capita high tech investment in the world.
Announcements:
New Amazement website launching – sneak preview: http://jewishspirituality.net – please send your feedback!
Speaking schedule:
September 12-14 - Rosh Hashana – Baltimore/Etz Chaim (“The Un-Shul” for those who want to connect but don’t connect to shul)
September 21-22 – Yom Kippur - Los Angeles/Helkeinu (“The Happiest Yom Kippur of Your Life”)
September 27-Oct 4 – Sukkot – if you are in town, please join us in our Sukka. Good time guaranteed.
October 14-16 – San Francisco area
October 17-18 – Los Angeles
(For details, send an email)
Yiddish of the week:
Gut yahr! – Happy New Year!
Yiddish review - how many do you know?
anee — poor person
koptsen — panhandler
ballaboss — homeowner; layman
nu — various meanings (see archives)
mishpocha — family
mameh — mother
tateh — father
mazal – (MAH-z’l) luck or fortune, as in, “It was good mazal that....”
beshert – (b’shairt) - meant to be, as in “It was beshert that...”
mine eltern – my parents
mine lair-er – my teacher
hamantashen – Haman-pockets
zeigezunt – all the best (said upon parting)
kesher - connection
Ikh volt veln a kave, zayt azoy gut. - I'd like a coffee, please.
...kave mit shmant. – ...a coffee with cream.
...kave mit milkh. – ...a coffee with milk.
...kave mit tsuker. - ...a coffee with sugar.
Di Fir Kashes - The Four Questions
Oy vey! - Good grief!
mensch — a decent person
rachmanos — mercy
neshoma (neh-SHOH-ma) — soul
minig — custom, as in, "Why do you do that?" "It's my minig!"
Gavaltig — wonderful
Oy gavalt — how wonderful (sarcastic)
Azoy gait es! — That’s how it goes!
Shabbos — Cessation; stopping; day of stopping; weekly sabbatical experience
"Gut Shabbos" — "Enjoy your weekly sabbatical experience"
Neshoma — Soul
meshugass — insanity
meshuganeh — insane
kyna hara — no evil eye
shvitz — sweat
shanda — shame
Lechayim! — Cheers!
Pinteleh Yid — the Jewish feeling in the heart of every Jew
Zreezus — zeal
Mkohm — place (pl. mkohmas)
mamalashen — mother tongue
bentch — make a bracha
bashert – meant to be, pre-destined, as in, “He’s my bashert” or “It was bashert that...”
kvetch — complain
kvell — burst with pride
hishtadlus — effort, due diligence; as in, “Do your hishtadlus and let Hashem worry about it.”
Yiddishe kopf — Jewish knowledge and perspective (lit., Jewish head)
To dedicate a future Table Talk, please send an email.
This is it, the last Table Talk of the year. How do I make up for all the less-than-amazing Table Talks of the past year?
One of the best sources of stories in this space is our daughter Emuna. Born five and a half years ago in Palo Alto, she started kindergarten this week. That means that she’s now wearing the plaid uniform that she envied her sister over the past 2 years. On Tuesday morning, she was up and dressed an hour early, racing down the stairs with such joyous anticipation in her eyes.
“Abba,” she informed me, “I’m going to kindergarten today!”
“Are you really? That’s wonderful. And is that your new kindergarten uniform?”
She beamed and nodded her head. She couldn’t even speak.
In contrast, her older sister Goldie was more serious, a bit apprehensive about entering third grade. She didn’t want to tell me why, but after school she revealed what was going on: “It wasn’t as hard as I thought,” she said. “I saw that whole long list of supplies we needed and thought it was going to be really hard.”
+ + +
A transition into a higher level, a new job, a new relationship is always a wonderful moment of anticipation, maybe a little apprehension.
That’s what’s happening to all of us next Wednesday night, Thursday and Friday. It’s a chance to start anew. But you’ve got to get your uniform and supplies ready.
Then you have two jobs:
1. End this year well
2. Start next year right
Did you ever go to a movie or read a book that was pretty good or even great until the end, and the ending was bad and it soured the entire story for you?
I remember thinking that about Born on the 4th of July. Great story, weak ending. That’s how I’ll always remember it.
On the other hand, did you ever have a humdrum meal that ended with an awesome dessert, leaving quite literally a good taste in your mouth?
How to end the year well: Look back on the past twelve months. Where did you fall short that you kind of regret? This is the last chance for this year to leave a good taste in your mouth. How you experience this Shabbat will “fix” the past year’s worth of Shabbats. How you treat your loved ones these next few days will “fix” a year’s worth of relationships. Make this last Shabbat and last few days of the year the kind of spiritually-connected uplifting, serene existence that you know you have in you, if you only would make a little more effort. Apologize to everyone you need to. Say I love you a few extra times. Go out with a bang, have a strong finish, a great ending.
How to start next year right: Is it really so easy to “fix” the past? Join me for a national call-in class on “How to use the holidays to repair the past and become the kind of person I want to become, (including how to run an amazing Rosh Hashana feast for the entire family)” this Monday night September 10 at 7pm PDT/10pmEDT. Cost will be $10 ($5 for teachers and students, free for Helkeinu members and JSL members). Registration required; to register, please send an email to RH2007@jsli.org.
Writing this Table Talk blog is a particular challenge because the audience is as diverse as can be. If I have written anything in the past that has offended you, bored you, irritated you, annoyed you or in any way failed to inspire you; if you have emailed me and not received a reply fast enough, please forgive me!
Wishing you and your family a sweet, healthy, prosperous and amazing 5768!
L’Shana Tova u’Metuka. May you be written and sealed in the Book of Life.
Shabbat Shalom.
(with thanks to Michael Lipson)
Einstein quote of the week:
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them."
- Albert Einstein
Israel fact of the week:
Israel has the highest per capita high tech investment in the world.
Announcements:
New Amazement website launching – sneak preview: http://jewishspirituality.net – please send your feedback!
Speaking schedule:
September 12-14 - Rosh Hashana – Baltimore/Etz Chaim (“The Un-Shul” for those who want to connect but don’t connect to shul)
September 21-22 – Yom Kippur - Los Angeles/Helkeinu (“The Happiest Yom Kippur of Your Life”)
September 27-Oct 4 – Sukkot – if you are in town, please join us in our Sukka. Good time guaranteed.
October 14-16 – San Francisco area
October 17-18 – Los Angeles
(For details, send an email)
Yiddish of the week:
Gut yahr! – Happy New Year!
Yiddish review - how many do you know?
anee — poor person
koptsen — panhandler
ballaboss — homeowner; layman
nu — various meanings (see archives)
mishpocha — family
mameh — mother
tateh — father
mazal – (MAH-z’l) luck or fortune, as in, “It was good mazal that....”
beshert – (b’shairt) - meant to be, as in “It was beshert that...”
mine eltern – my parents
mine lair-er – my teacher
hamantashen – Haman-pockets
zeigezunt – all the best (said upon parting)
kesher - connection
Ikh volt veln a kave, zayt azoy gut. - I'd like a coffee, please.
...kave mit shmant. – ...a coffee with cream.
...kave mit milkh. – ...a coffee with milk.
...kave mit tsuker. - ...a coffee with sugar.
Di Fir Kashes - The Four Questions
Oy vey! - Good grief!
mensch — a decent person
rachmanos — mercy
neshoma (neh-SHOH-ma) — soul
minig — custom, as in, "Why do you do that?" "It's my minig!"
Gavaltig — wonderful
Oy gavalt — how wonderful (sarcastic)
Azoy gait es! — That’s how it goes!
Shabbos — Cessation; stopping; day of stopping; weekly sabbatical experience
"Gut Shabbos" — "Enjoy your weekly sabbatical experience"
Neshoma — Soul
meshugass — insanity
meshuganeh — insane
kyna hara — no evil eye
shvitz — sweat
shanda — shame
Lechayim! — Cheers!
Pinteleh Yid — the Jewish feeling in the heart of every Jew
Zreezus — zeal
Mkohm — place (pl. mkohmas)
mamalashen — mother tongue
bentch — make a bracha
bashert – meant to be, pre-destined, as in, “He’s my bashert” or “It was bashert that...”
kvetch — complain
kvell — burst with pride
hishtadlus — effort, due diligence; as in, “Do your hishtadlus and let Hashem worry about it.”
Yiddishe kopf — Jewish knowledge and perspective (lit., Jewish head)
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