Anyone who starts a blog has to answer an important question: With the amount of conversation available on the internet, why should people read what I have to say? Writing a regular blog should be more than “the thing to do” or “a way to get your name out there.” Starting a new blog makes sense only if it enriches the reader, entertains the reader, or gives an insight or perspective that furthers a conversation or adds something new. Otherwise, a new blog is only a repetition of something else that’s online.
My goal in writing this blog is to make a meaningful contribution to the discourse about Judaism and how Jewish values relate to our lives and our world today. My learning and experience as a Rabbi, attorney and scholar combine to give me what I hope will be a unique perspectives on some issues. I’ve often been told that people have learned something from my sermons and appreciated my perspective, even when they didn’t agree with my positions. In my mind, that’s the greatest compliment a Rabbi may receive, so I hope this blog with do the same. I’ve been told that I have a way of explaining aspects of Judaism in a clear and (sometimes) amusing manner – at least that’s what people who have read my book, Idiots’ Guide: Judaism, have told me. So feel free to contact me to purchase an autographed copy as well as reading this blog.
You’ll see what I mean in my first substantive posting soon to come – a surprising comparison of a Talmudic problem with a debate going on right now in America, complete with references to one of the greatest Jewish films ever. Have I caught your interest? I hope so.
Thank you for joining me on this blog.