My classroom. North Portland. September 2016. This week, I will meet five new sets of students. It’s my seventh year as a full-time high school math teacher. Today is our second day and the second day that I’m not doing any mathematics in the classroom. I’m hoping to beat last year’s record of six days […]
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Yesterday I was moved by the wise words from CNN commentator and former Obama advisor Van Jones: Some things you have to see believe – like what we saw today at the Capitol. But there are also things you gotta BELIEVE in order to SEE. I believe breakdowns can lead to breakthroughs if you use them right.
Two Lessons for 2021 ### The 77% Weekly. ### Rabbi Brian. ROTB.org ### 40/52 weeks a year in your in-box 1. Good enough is good enough The second section of this article, the next part, has been upcycled from a 2019 issue. By upcycling, I mean I’m reusing, elevating some of my previous
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Christmas Magic ### The 77% Weekly. ### Rabbi Brian. ROTB.org ### 40/52 weeks a year in your in-box No Wreath Annie and I are BFFs. Her dance card opened up for me as her pubescent brother prefers to spend more time with his peers. We are gabbing, pretending that waiting outside Trader Joe’s is as
Empathy By Jane B. Mayer Empathy By Jane B. Mayer A wise friend and I were discussing the difficult time so many folks are having right now. We spoke of how extending support and empathy to another often activates discomfort (and sometimes even shame) in the person on the receiving end of
Thinking like a push broom—or a leaf blower Jane and I are not engaged in conversation at the moment. We spoke some twenty minutes ago, before I came into the backyard, went to the garden shed, and got the black-moustached push broom that I now push. We are mellow, intimately connected—enjoying our crisp autumn straightening-up
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The Best $20 I gave away New York City. Manhattan. 2005. I had a presentation in Philly and extended the trip to visit my family of origin. It’s a humid Tuesday afternoon, and I’m picking up my niece at her Spanish language summer School slash day camp. Maya is almost 5. I love her hard.
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Cancel Culture—with God rB:“God, I have some thoughts I need to work out. You mind me using the artifice of an imagined conversation with you?” God:“Fair enough. Glad to help. Go ahead.” rB:“OK, so last night, I’m watching Family Guy with Emmett, and they do a homage to Bill Cosby’s Noah routine.
True Miracles “So whatever is bringing you from Los Angeles to Lynchburg,” asks the woman with the slight southern drawl next to me on the route from Dallas. “This airplane,” I tease and quickly follow up, “but seriously, a mentor of mine invited me to perform as part of a revue show at the Hyatt
Revelation: Love. As is. Not far from the first synagogue where I am working as a rabbi, on Ventura Boulevard, about a mile to the west of Lindsey Avenue, and just east of Balboa, I have a revelation. It happens as Jane and I are eating a sushi dinner. I am a pretentious New Yorker,
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