This 2018, it so happens that 9/11 is the second day of Rosh Hashanah. 

While Rosh Hashanah is its best known name, this holiday of the Jewish New Year has 4 names:
(1) Rosh Hashanah – Head of the (new) … Read the rest

Our usual garbage dumpster pickup day has been Thursday but this month has been quite sporadic. Once the driver came on Saturday, another time he missed a week. Today is Rosh Hashanah and we already have an overflowing dumpster because … Read the rest

A few years ago we shared “A Simple New Year Wish” that we heard from a developmentally challenged Chassid in a Monsey eatery before Rosh Hashanah that year.

One of the beautiful things about that wish/blessing is how … Read the rest

Thanks to the many who responded quickly and generously to this summer’s Machzor (high holiday prayerbook) campaign, we now have new Machzor prayerbooks for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom-Kippur services at UAlbany. Each Machzor will bear the dedication that … Read the rest

A vivid, uplifting memory of the Rebbe’s Shofar blowing in 770 – Lubavitch:

Before Rosh Hashanah the Rebbe would receive many thousands of letters known as Pan/Panim/a soulful letter. Some came by mail from all corners of the world, and … Read the rest

Some #highholiday thoughts gleaned from #Kavanaugh & the #KavanaughConfirmationHearings taking place in the days leading up to #RoshHashanah & #YomKippur… thread >

To be clear: these are not meant to be in political or support/detract from the issues, concerns, positions … Read the rest

In preparation for Mois Navon’s talk here on September 5th, 2018, I read up a bit on the Israeli company MobilEye (bought by Intel), to the limited extent that my untrained non-technical eye can understand. And I came across this … Read the rest

This isn’t really a question, because the real reason UAlbany hosted a (very talented) illusionist on the first night of freshmen move-in was for entertainment purposes and a form of enjoyable bonding on a night that could be full of … Read the rest

It so happens this year that college move-in and the start of classes for UAlbany’s Fall semester 2018 falls between the Torah portions of Ki-Teitzei (“when you will go out / or go forth”) and Ki-Tavo (“when you will come … Read the rest

Shoftim is the Torah portion with the famous verse which compares “man to a tree of the field”. True, this is usually celebrated on Tu Bishvat (Jewish New Year for Trees) but this Parsha and verse is a good time … Read the rest