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Jewish Journal

Connect. Inform. Inspire.

October 29, 2014

Letters to the editor: Molly Forrest, economics in Palestine and good-looking Jews

Leave a Comment / Letters to the Editor /

Golden Years Shine at the Home

My mother was one of the fortunate people who became a resident at the Joyce Eisenberg facility (“Molly Forrest Plans the Future,” Oct. 24). They provided her with outstanding care and attention, for which I will be forever grateful.

Rosita Vandervor via jewishjournal.com

‘Groundhog Day’ or ‘Dog Days of Summer’?

Thank you for Rob Eshman’s incisive op-ed piece on the next Gaza war (“The Fourth Gaza War: 5 Predictions,” Oct. 17). I’m trying really hard to keep despair at bay, but it ain’t easy. My barometer is the attitude of my Israeli friends who, despite their long left-wing beliefs, still speak of hope for their future. I don’t even know how to respond to that. What choice do they have? From here it is all so foreboding, just as you’ve written. But Eshman at least brings up “Groundhog Day,” which after all has a positive, affirming ending. Don’t stop believing. 
Ken yehi ratzon. I admire and depend on your work. Thanks.

Rabbi Keith Stern, Newton, MA

Nay, They Say

I found Stuart A. Gabriel and Rabbi Ed Feinstein’s article “The West Bank and Gaza: Give Economics a Chance” (Oct. 24) a bit controversial, due to the lengths at which they describe the plan in helping Gaza and the West Bank achieve economic success. Economics is a highly important aspect of any community and is crucial for its survival, which is why I fully agree with the portion of the article that states the plan for funding these communities, which will improve education and bolster job creation. This can provide these children with a route out of the vicious cycle of poverty and to learn skills to achieve success in the future. However, disengaging roadblocks and building trains between Gaza and the West Bank can cause major issues of weapons smuggling. A large supply of arms and weaponry will build up in Gaza and give them a plethora of new weapons to attack the people of Israel with. In conclusion, yes, the plan for helping their economic success could begin to solve the conflict, but it must be a controlled process, not a free-for-all that could greatly threaten the people of Israel.

Aliza Gindi, Los Angeles

I think Stuart A. Gabriel and Rabbi Ed Feinstein’s article on building up the economics in the West Bank and Gaza was a very thought-provoking article. In theory, I think it would be good for both Israel and Palestine to build up the West Bank and Gaza and bury the hatchet to finally make peace. In reality, though, I don’t believe it can work. Over the last several years, Israel has been making efforts at gaining peace, and if it was as simple as most people talk about, it would have already been done. In addition, the prospect of just developing an area with hotels and other attractions for tourists to enjoy could pose great danger. The recent war in Gaza this past summer exposed Hamas as an organization that doesn’t value the life of its citizens, placing them in harm’s way to protect its weaponry and gain international sympathy. So, yes, the development of the disputed area sounds amazing and should technically be done, however a historical look at the conflict between Israel and Hamas should prove it won’t work.  

Kayla Kamornick, Sherman Oaks  

Just What We Need …More Dime Pieces

Why is it so hard to find any image of a Jewish man or woman with moderate sex appeal, anywhere in American media? I know from experience what it’s like to turn 13, have your bar mitzvah, and then realize you’re doomed to be associated with short, curly-haired males with funny voices for eternity. I love Seth Rogan, but why is one of the few young, popular Jews in movies only allowed to be visible as long he is humorous and average-looking? Every other race implicitly knows to put its best foot forward when it comes to visual media, so why can’t the Jews? It’s not like there is a greater ratio of handsome gentiles to average-looking gentiles. There are handsome Jewish men who possess a bit of swagger, and plenty of beautiful Jewish women with a bit of style, so how about it?  Why not put one of them on your cover?

Daniel Conte, via email

correction

An Oct. 24 article (“In Lawsuit Against Rechnitz, Many Accusations but Lack of Clarity”) incorrectly stated that Goldstar Healthcare of Santa Monica is owned by Shlomo Rechnitz. Rechnitz is not the owner and never has been.

Letters to the editor: Molly Forrest, economics in Palestine and good-looking Jews Read More »

Obituaries

Leave a Comment / Obituaries /

Sonia Abrams died Sept. 24 at 95. Survived by daughter Barbara (Charles) Kimelman; sister Helen (Maury) Goosenberg; 2 grandsons. Groman Eden

Andrew Bajor died Sept. 28 at 82. Survived by wife Barbara; daughters Lydia (Jeff) Smith, Renee; stepsons Marc Tushnet, Joel Tushnet; stepdaughter Sherri Williams; 3 grandchildren; brother George (Ellie); brother-in-law Richard (Rae) Axelrod. Mount Sinai

Sidney S. Bann died Sept. 29 at 94. Survived by sons Larry (Bonnie), Mark (Pat); daughter Janice; 7 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; brother Herbert (Bea). Mount Sinai

Finy Bergman died Sept. 1 at 88. Survived by daughter Esther (Gary) Liberman; sons Gabriel (Michelle Glasky), David (Pam Marsh), Benny (Amy); 4 grandchildren. Malinow and Silverman 

Andrew “Andy” Boczan died Sept. 28 at 67. Survived by wife Debra Jan; daughter Jaren. Mount Sinai

David Brown died Aug. 30 at 84. Survived by wife Etta; daughters Suzanne (John) Caron, Kelly; sons Larry (Jennifer), Michael (Donna); 13 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren. Malinow and Silverman 

Pat Cyril died Sept. 28 at 90. Survived by husband Bill; daughter Pam. Mount Sinai

Stephen Earle died Sept. 19 at 95. Survived by sons Mitch, Andrew (Corrine). Hillside

Harold English died Sept. 24 at 89. Survived by daughter Elaine (Joe) Shink; son-in-law Bob Feldman; 3 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; brothers Bill (Laura), Norman (Beverly), Harvey (Genie). Groman Eden

Albert Frankel died Sept. 26 at 93. Survived by wife Marianna; daughter Judy Stahl; son Robert (Kimberly); 4 grandchildren. Groman Eden

Pearl Goldberg died Sept. 20 at 81. Survived by daughters Suzanne (Michael) Shoen, Robin (Jim) Wasco; sons Harold (Diane), David (Mary); 9 grandchildren. Hillside

Lillian Heller died Sept. 25 at 90. Survived by daughter Lynda (Gary) Nord; son Henry (Linda); 4 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren. Groman Eden

Sylvia Joyce Hoffman died Sept. 27 at 91. Survived by daughter Fae Hoffman-Buckner; sons Abram Jon, Joel (Judy), Nathan (Madelyn); 7 grandchildren; sister Gloria Spodick. Mount Sinai

Sergio Igdal died Aug. 21 at 55. Survived by wife Nell. Malinow and Silverman 

Sylvia A. Kaplan died Sept. 25 at 95. Survived by daughters Evonne Davis, Loretta (Glen) Sawyer; son Gene (Becky); 8 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; 8 great-great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Ronald Labowe died Sept. 26 at 84. Survived by wife Trana; sons Mark (Lena), Ken (Chantelle), Richard “Ricky”; daughter Sara; 11 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Henryk Leman died Sept. 21 at 95. Survived by wife Herta; son Bernard (Dana); 2 grandchildren. Hillside

Rebecca Lever died Sept. 16 at 91. Survived by sons Mark, Ed, John; 1 grandchild. Hillside

Miriam Levin died Sept. 26 at 95. Survived by daughters Gwen (Major) Abrahms Marks, Helaine (Howard) Ross-Pearlstein, Lisa (Michael) Abel; son Michael Swerdloff; 3 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Helen Sufrin Levine died Sept. 22 at 87. Survived by husband Benjamine; sons Barry (Sharon Gernsheimer), Jacob;  daughter Caren Levine-Prince (Jim Prince); 8 grandchildren;  6 great-grandchildren. Groman Eden

David H. Menashe died Sept. 25 at 93. Survived by daughters Carole (Bill) Gewant, Donna (Frank) Mazzulo, Diane; sons Howard, Jay; stepdaughter Susan (Stephen) Weisbaum; 11 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; brother Abe; sister Esther Spector. Mount Sinai

Henrietta “Penny” Miller died Sept. 25 at 86. Survived by daughters Joy (Robert) Stigile, Darlene; 1 granddaughter; sister Lorraine Arnold. Mount Sinai

Nancy Nitkin died Sept. 21 at 79. Survived by daughter Leslie (Ed) Hurtado; son Michael (Debbie); daughter-in-law Ruby; 4 grandchildren; 8 great grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Shimon “Stuart” Orenstein died Sept. 25 at 84. Survived by daughter Rena; son Ron (Pamela); 4 grandchildren; brother Sam (Dori). Mount Sinai

Leah Pariser died Sept. 1 at 82. Survived by husband Jack; daughters Linda, Sandra (Scott) King; brothers Bernard (Christina) Freedman, Maurice (Paula) Freedman; 2 grandchildren. Malinow and Silverman 

Simy “Mimi” Revivo died Sept. 27 at 68. Survived by husband Joseph; sons Allen, Glen; daughter Ricki; 4 grandchildren. Hillside

Alvin Rosenthal died Aug. 24 at 94. Survived by wife Deana; sons Robert (Catherine), Kenneth (Leslie); 2 grandchildren. Malinow and Silverman 

Francoise Ruddy died Aug. 19 at 77. Survived by daughter Erika Glazer. Malinow and Silverman 

Irving Schlosberg died Sept. 26 at 94.  Survived by sons Jeffrey (Karyn), Steve (Leslie); daughter Susan (William) Brown; 6 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Sabrina Courtney Sherman died Sept. 26 at 45. Survived by father Harvey; mother Judy. Groman Eden

Roberta Stock died Aug. 31 at 66. Survived by husband Robert; brothers Howard; Lenny Borer. Malinow and Silverman

Mikhail Tsotselashvili died Sept. 6 at 62. Survived by brother Harry. Hillside

Ruth Weinberg died Sept. 25 at 88. Survived by daughter Valerie (Randalf) Kincaid; sons Lawrence (Daisy), David (Stephanie); 7 grandchildren. Hillside

Marilyn Weinblatt died Sept. 24 at 85. Survived by daughters Susan (John) O’Connor, Barbara Mansinne, Geriann Bargar and Debra (Rich) Siegel; 8 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. Mount Sinai

Evelyn R. Weinstein died Sept. 28 at 93. Survived by daughter Iris Onkin; son-in-law Ronald Onkin; 1 grandson. Mount Sinai 

Robert J. “Bob” Wunsch died Sept. 26 at 80. Survived by wife Judith Lee; daughter Maggie (John) Scott; son Rafe (Penelope); 5 grandchildren. Mount Sinai

Obituaries Read More »

Things Are Not Always As They Appear

Leave a Comment / Blogs, Culture, First Person, Funerals, Judaism, Living Well, Mitzvahs and More, Personal Voice /

As we approach Halloween, the non-Jewish (as opposed to Purim) holiday of masks and costumes, perhaps now is a good time to reflect on the truism that things are not always as they first appear to be.

I was reminded of this last week, at lunchtime. As I approached the local Mexican food joint, outside I saw a (seemingly) homeless man I don’t recall seeing before speaking with a (seemingly) homeless women to whom I have given money on several occasions.

I entered the restaurant, and the man came in and stood in line behind me. He said something, I responded, and he complimented me on my smile. Then he asked, “Are we having lunch together?”

I said, “No, I’m getting my food to go, but I’d be happy to buy you lunch.” He declined, while showing me a folded $100 bill in his hand. He then offered to buy me lunch, and I declined. He ended up buying lunch for a local grocery store employee he recognized, who was also in line.

Thinking about how you can’t tell how much money a person has by looking at them, I remembered another recent encounter that surprised me.

I was walking around the Civic Center lagoon near my synagogue, when I noticed four young men on a bench up ahead. I am sad to say, my first uncharitable thought was they might be young troublemakers who might try to steal my cell phone or something. I believe in trusting my instincts, however, and I saw nothing alarming in their manner.

As I got closer, I noticed they were eating, and I thought, “Would a group of thugs bother to come out to the lagoon to eat their dinner? Probably not. They’re probably just enjoying the last of the good fall evening weather, like I am,” and I walked on by them without incident.

On my way back toward my car, I again saw the four young men. However, this time, they were walking toward me. “They didn’t bother me the first time,” I thought, “so surely they won’t bother me now.” Again, my instincts raised no alarm bells.

As they approached me, one of the men said, “I hate to bother you, but…” As he spoke, I noticed a few important cues. First, he spoke in a non-threatening manner. Second, he was holding out a CD, which isn’t something I’d expect a mugger to do. Third, the others with him stood back from him and from me. They did not, in any way, come too close or get behind me or make me feel surrounded.

Instead, the young man with the CD explained it was a demo, which I could have for any dollar amount I may want to give him for it. He said they were rap artists, who sing and speak to various groups about non-violence, as well as HIV awareness.

So not only were they not young troublemakers or muggers, they were, in fact, trying to be part of the solution to the problems of youth violence and the spread of HIV. In other words, they were the very opposite of what I feared they might be. And I never would have known, had I acted on my fear rather than trusting my own instincts.

—————-
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The David and Goliath exchange, part 1: On Israel’s popularity before 1967

Leave a Comment / Domain's Guest, Israel, Israel, Middle East, Rosners Domain-mobile /

Joshua Muravchik is a fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University School for Advanced International Studies and formerly a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. He has published more than three hundred articles on politics and international affairs, appearing in, among others, the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, the New York Times Magazine, Commentary, the New Republic, and the Weekly Standard. Muravchik, who received his Ph.D. in International Relations from Georgetown University, serves on the editorial boards of World Affairs, Journal of Democracy, and the Journal of International Security Affairs. He formerly served as a member of the State Department’s Advisory Committee on Democracy Promotion, the Commission on Broadcasting to the People’s Republic of China, and the Maryland Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights.

The following exchange will focus on his recent book Making David into Goliath: How the World Turned Against Israel (Encounter Books, 2014).

***

Dear Professor Muravchik,

I don’t normally do this, but I’d like to start this exchange by asking about your book’s politically charged title, “Making David into Goliath: How the World Turned Against Israel”.

The tale of David and Goliath is perhaps the ultimate underdog story. It is also one in which it is very clear who the reader needs to root for, a black and white affair in which a man chosen by God slays an evil giant.

The beginning of your book describes a time when “Israel was admired (almost) all around”. It then proceeds to describe a long, complex process in which “David” was “made into Goliath”. My question:

Did the world really see pre-1967 Israel as a vulnerable “David” fighting an evil “Goliath”? Should it have? How far should we take this biblical metaphor?

Yours,

Shmuel.

***

Dear Shmuel,

Let’s start with the first question:  Did the world really see pre-1967 Israel as a vulnerable “David” fighting anvil “goliath”?

For the Western world, the answer is clearly yes. A Gallup poll found that 55% of Americans favored Israel, and only 4% the Arabs. A newspaper ad by leading American academics read: “The issue can be stated with stark simplicity . . . whether to let Israel perish.”

And unlike today when America stands virtually alone in its support of Israel, in 1967 all of Western Europe was of a like mind. In the UK, the disparity in public opinion was even sharper than in the US, 55% to 2%, while in France it was 56% to 2%. Thousands of Britons and Frenchmen, many of them gentiles, volunteered to go to Israel to help in its defense. A public declaration of solidarity with Israel featured the names of France’s cultural icons – Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Pablo Picasso, and more. In Holland, the Sunday of that week was designated a day of prayer for Israel in all of the country’s churches.  Other countries witnessed other such outpourings of sympathy with the Jewish state.

Of course, the Communist world was on the other side – meaning the regimes, since the people had no voice.  But even here there is evidence that the muffled opinions of the public were much more sympathetic to Israel. Opinion in the Third World was mixed. But Israel had enough non-Western support that when the Communist and Arab blocs worked to secure a resolution in the UN General Assembly to counterbalance Security Council resolution 242, they were unable to achieve the needed two-thirds majority. Resolution 242, introduced by the UK, was accurately seen as tilted toward Israel because it called for a return to “secure and recognized boundaries” rather than to the pre-war lines.

Now for the second question – Should it have?

The war’s outcome suggests that the military balance may have been misjudged, although Israel was indeed outnumbered and outgunned. Its military strategy depended on striking the first blow, which succeeded in all but wiping out the Arab air forces.  Had the contest begun with a different opening move it would not have been so one-sided – as indeed was the case in the Yom Kippur war, six years later.

But if the “David’ was less vulnerable than many feared, the “Goliath” was not less evil.  After mobilizing his army on Israel’s border and closing the Tiran Straits to choke off Israel’s sea lane to the east, Egypt’s President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the leader of the Arab camp, proclaimed: “the battle against Israel will be a general one. . . And our basic objective will be to destroy Israel. . .  This is Arab power.  This is the true resurrection of the Arab nation.” PLO chief Ahmed Shuquairy added this piquant touch: “We will wipe Israel off the face of the map,” and “no Jew will be left alive.”

Today, much is made of the fact that the Arabs felt the creation of Israel was unjust.  So what?  The greater part of Africa, Asia and the Middle East had been transformed in that era from conquered lands to independent states. Virtually nowhere did the new borders neatly encompass homogeneous nationalities. Scores of peoples felt they had not gotten a fair shake. None of it justified the attempt to annihilate another state, much less with genocidal intent.

The David and Goliath exchange, part 1: On Israel’s popularity before 1967 Read More »

Discover Ocean Prime Beverly Hills

Leave a Comment / Travel /

Enjoying Ocean Prime Beverly Hills: Seafood, Steaks & Cocktails

VIDEO:

Header  
Dynamite Roll with Tempura Shrimp, Spicy Mayo, and Sesame Seeds
Filet Oscar Style
Sea Scallops, Parmesan Risotto, English Peas, Citrus Vinaigrette
Berries & Bubbles Made with Belvedere citrus vodka, marinated blackberries, house made sour and Domaine Chandon
Ahi Tuna Tartare with Avocado and Ginger Ponzu
Alaskan King Salmon with Lobster Gnocchi, Spring Peas and Lemon Jus

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF – October 28, 2014  – Cameron Mitchell Restaurants is thrilled to announce that its award-winning modern American supper club Ocean Prime has officially opened today in Beverly Hills, Calif. Its first foray into Southern California, Ocean Prime is located at 9595 Wilshire Boulevard at the apex of Wilshire, Dayton Way and Camden Drive. Serving lunchMonday through Friday and dinner nightly, Ocean Prime offers guests the highest quality seafood, steaks, handcrafted cocktails and award-winning wines. “We are excited to unveil a new culinary experience in the Beverly Hills community,” said Cameron Mitchell, Founder and CEO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. “The menu features some of Ocean Prime’s signature items including filet mignon Oscar style and Chilean sea bass, as well as new additions inspired by the West Coast such as fresh, hand-rolled sushi.” Executive Chef Matt Briggs, and General Manager, Stephen Cook, bring a combined four decades of service experience to Ocean Prime, and are already immersed in the Los Angeles community, having worked and lived here for many years. The Ocean Prime Beverly Hills menu pairs the freshest seafood with the finest prime steaks and features the highest quality ingredients available. Made from scratch dishes showcase simple, pure and regional flavors unique to the Los Angeles culture and area. Some signature dishes include the seared ahi tuna with roasted marble potatoes, fava beans, mushrooms and truffle jus; and Alaskan king salmon with lobster, gnocchi, spring peas, and lemon jus. New menu items include a sushi menu that includes a lobster roll with kiwi, pickled jalapeno, masago, and spicy mango puree; and hamachi crudo with seaweed salad, pickled mango, sesame ginger vinaigrette, and cilantro. To view the full menu, Monday through Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Sunday from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Happy Hour is Monday through Friday, from 4p.m. to 7 p.m. Reservations can be made by phone 310.859.4818 or ” rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank”>www.ocean-prime.com.

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The Father of Adventure Travel: Richard Bangs

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Richard Bangs is a judge for the ” target=”_blank”>Outside Magazine. Sponsored by

The Father of Adventure Travel: Richard Bangs

For more than 40 years, no one has done more to shine a light on the globe’s most intriguing corners for workaday adventurers than Richard Bangs. Now 64, the father of American adventure travel is proof that old-school adventure is as alive as ever.

 
604SHARES

    Photo: Didrik Johnck

Every once in a while, in every industry, there comes along a game changer. One whose ideas, innovation, and, most important, courage take ordinary people into extraordinary new worlds, sending them home with epic tales of wonder and triumph. These true adventurers brave harsh and often hostile environments to pave the way for new frontiers. Their stories, told around campfires in the wilderness, inspire millions of others to pioneer their own paths. This legend, commonly referred to as the father of adventure travel, carries with him a certain admiration that rubs off on the many who follow him into the most remote regions of the world … The Big Bangs Effect The adventurer wore cutoff jeans, a T-shirt, and an old leather belt as he piloted the raft down one of Africa’s more treacherous rivers. Out there, the three best tools a man could carry dangled from around his waist. Pliers could tighten the boat’s stubborn valves and hoist a hot Dutch oven out of the coals. The Buck knife made quick work of rope, meat, and wood. A metal cup with a hook-shaped handle marked him as a genuine river man. It was as functional as it was iconic, a vessel for breakfast gruel and evening drinks. Get thirsty during the day and straight into the river it’d go.

  Read the full article on ” target=”_blank”>Tudor

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There I Was, Dead

Leave a Comment / Culture, Education, First Person, Funerals, Judaism, Personal Voice /

There I was, lying on the table pretending to be dead.  Six intensely focused people were huddled around me reciting specific liturgy from Scripture and dressing me in burial shrouds.  I tried to just be “dead weight” – loose, relaxed, and present.  As I followed their progress, I soon found myself in a bright white light.  Soon, reality was gone; all that existed for me was the light.  That’s all I could see, hear, feel, or experience.  Time stopped.  Place stopped.  Voices stopped.  Life stopped. 

I was suspended in pure, brilliant “beingness” – aware, but not limited in time, space or personality.  Everything was pure white light.

Earlier that week in the Spring of 1996, a friend of mine who was our “lay rabbi” at the local shul, had called me, suggesting that I attend a training in a nearby city about an “esoteric side of Judaism that we should check out to see if we want to do it here”.  So I went, and it turned out to be training for the Chevrah Kadishah, the Jewish team whose job it is to prepare the dead for burial.  We had a verbal training in the morning.  Now, we were doing a role-play experiential training in which the team practiced the entire procedure of the Taharah, the ritual of washing and dressing the dead.   I was playing the role of the deceased. Luckily, this time they were simulating the washing of the body and the spiritual pouring of water.  I was, after all, not dead.

Suddenly, I was “awakened” by one of the team.  I slowly opened my eyes and tried to adjust to the real world again.  It was a hard transition.  They said, “We could tell by the look on your face that you were somewhere else!” When I explained what had happened, everyone was amazed, including me.  Where I went and what happened to me are still unexplained phenomena.  It was an extraordinary experience for all of us – so much so that I returned home to start a local Chevrah Kadisha.   If a dry run could be so transformative, how much more powerful must be the real thing! 

This is how the Chevrah Kadisha in Los Alamos, NM, came into being.  (Today it is part of the Chevrah Kadisha of Northern New Mexico [CKNNM], a chevrah that includes six shuls encompassing the entire spectrum of Jewish faith traditions.)   Since that experience in 1996, my life has changed significantly because of my involvement in this holy work.  Entering into the “liminal space” that is the boundary between death and life, we touch some part of us that is eternal and communal and special, maybe even holy.  It changes how we live.  It changes how we view others.  It elevates all who are privileged and have the courage to enter.

Working with the dead, helping midwife a soul from this world to the next, transforms how we live, enlivening wonder and gratitude.  Today I look at life differently.  People are no longer just people.  They are holy souls riding in holy vehicles called bodies, attempting to make sense of a complex and often confusing world.  They are doing the best they can to figure out this thing called life.  It’s easier for me now to be more kind.  It’s easier for me to give rude customers the benefit of the doubt.  I have more respect for every aspect of this beautiful and wondrous world.

It is very special work indeed.  I invite you to learn more about it, get involved even if you never see a dead body.  This is one of the most holy activities we can participate in, and by the way, it often creates one of the greatest blessings we can receive.  For as we help souls move between holy realms of existence, we too, are blessed by them.

 

Rick Light has been teaching spiritual development for more than 30 years, and started the Chevrah Kadisha in Los Alamos, NM, in 1996.   In 1998 he published the first edition of Guidelines for Performing Taharah as a manual to guide the local chevrah doing its holy work (the 4th edition is now available under the title, “>Final Kindness: Honoring K’rovei Yisrael, a manual for preparing non-Jews for burial who are part of the Jewish community.  Rick is a Vice President of the North American educational organization, “>Gamliel Institute.  He continues to teach and raise awareness about Chevrah Kadisha, Taharah, and Jewish death and burial practices at the local, state, and national levels. 

 

 

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There I Was, Dead Read More »