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Amy Klein

Amy Klein

Color me spiritual

It\’s another bright sunny day in Encino, but Deborah Gordon manages to almost outshine the sun. In her hot pink and purple ensemble — from ankle-length skirt to long-sleeved blouse topped by a fuchsia hat — this rebbetzin wasn\’t kidding when she said she was all about colors.

‘Tis the season to be sorry

It\’s the season to be sorry. It\’s that time of year when we go over all of our deeds, things we have done to others, to God, to ourselves and ask for forgiveness — and grant it to those who need it from us.

Can happiness be taught?

Anyway, what does it mean to be happy? Does it mean to experience constant pleasure? Bouts of joy? Moments of ecstasy? Does it mean to suffer no pain? Never be sad? Never struggle with challenges? Whatever it is, how does one get happy? It\’s a High Holy Days challenge if ever there were one, since if we all lived happier lives, wouldn\’t the world be a better place?

Prayers for women, by a woman

One day, Dinah Berland was browsing in Sam Johnson\’s Book Shop on Venice Boulevard in Mar Vista, and in the Judaica section, tucked between the tomes, she noticed a slim, well-worn volume with a mysteriously blank spine. She picked it up out of curiosity — later she would say it was fate — and she found that the book spoke to the heart of her suffering at the time.

The Rule of Three

The weird thing about mixed seating in synagogue is that sometimes couples are all over each other. Inappropriate during prayer time for sure, but somewhat more distracting when one half of that couple happens to be a guy you once dated.

ORT’s Israel schools meld technology and tikkun olam

With 167 high schools and colleges serving 100,000 students, the independent, apolitical ORT Israel system is taking over many Israeli schools, teaching a curriculum of both technology — from the cutting edge of satellites and nanobiotechnology to the basic nuts and bolts of mechanical engineering — and instilling Jewish values of giving back to society. With these two focal points, ORT Israel hopes to revolutionize the Israeli educational system — and Israeli society.

Israeli, Iranian and Russian immigrants learn the American way of giving

Indeed, immigrant communities often struggle with loyalties to the social mores of their old country and their new one. In the world of philanthropy and volunteerism, many Jewish leaders have learned that immigrant Jewish communities also have attitudes different from their American-born Jewish brothers and sisters. Those attitudes stem from the political systems and types of communities from which they came and what was expected of them in their native lands.

Tisha B’Av 101 — the basics

Tisha B\’av is the Fast commemmorated on the ninth day of the month of Av. It begins at sunset Monday July 23, 2007 and ends at nightfall on July 24.

Judaism vs. ‘The Secret’

\”Ridiculous.\”

\”Solipsistic.\”

\”Paganistic.\”

\”Idolatrous.\”

\”Dangerous.\”

This is how Los Angeles rabbis reacted to \”The Secret,\” the best-selling DVD and book that has sold millions of copies and has all the trappings of a widespread religious/spiritual/self-help/New Age phenomenon.

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