One of the major premises in my work, both my writing and teaching, revolves around the need to give as well as to receive. The two are integrally connected. Indeed, when we give, we open ourselves to receiving. Yet, we don’t want to give in order to receive. When we give, we make room to [...]
Why It's Important to Give Gifts
Two weeks ago I attended the San Francisco Writing for Change Conference. There I met an amazing woman: Cami Walker. She authored the book 29 Gifts and started 29Gifts.org. Cami lives with the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. While she suffers from many of the symptoms and for a while could hardly walk, she now mostly [...]
If Fulfillment of Our Desires Won't Make Us Happy, What Will?
While it is all well and good to want “things” in the physical world, and it is part of our nature as physical beings to want and to need material stuff, the Kabbalists teach that such desires — and even the fulfillment of those desires — will never make us happy. Additionally, they will never [...]
Going with the Flow

Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. This has nothing to do with Judaism or any particular religion. However, I think that almost every spiritual or religious tradition has a teaching about being led by God or feeling guided. I think being in the flow is a bit like feeling God’s hand pushing [...]
Jews Can Dream Big on MLK Day
Today, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jews can have a dream, too. We can dream of peace in Israel. We can dream of religious equality for Jews all over the world. We can dream of an end to anti-Semitism. (For more on this, click here.) We also can have more personal dreams. Do you [...]
Are You Living Your Dream or Dreaming Your Life?
Are you living your dream or dreaming your life? While Law of Attraction proponents would say that dreaming your life will create it, you might spend a lot of time dreaming — visualizing and combining thought and feeling — and never actually living your life — taking action and doing what you want to do. [...]
What do Black Monday, the Economic Crisis, the Divine Name, Giving, and Receiving Have in Common?
What do Black Monday, the current economic crisis, the Divine Name, giving, and receiving have in common? I found out today while reading and participating in a dialogue on a list serve to which I subscribe. It all began with a post by someone who shared information about a man in Jerusalem who five years [...]
Season of Our Fear
Not everyone knows that Sukkot is known as the “Season of our Joy.” This year, given the unstable economic situation in the United States, as well as around the world, however, I think many people are experiencing it as the season of our fear. However, the fact that this Jewish holiday is characterized by joyous [...]



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