Congregation Beth Israel in Bangor was fortunate to host Dr. Amy K. Milligan, Batten Endowed Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies and Women’s Studies and director of the Institute For Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding, as our scholar-in-residence this weekend. Leah and Amy met at their alma mater, Elizabethtown College. Amy did considerable research at Degel
Yesterday, and I will not identify my unit because I don’t want to make this specifically about my chain of command, our company commander asked our first formation what anniversary falls on May the 4th. Given our upcoming training, an internal groan started in the pit of my stomach as I realized where this was
The shooting this past Shabbos at a Chabad shul near San Diego is a harsh reminder of the reality we now inhabit. I’m not a security “expert.” I’ve been in the military for over two decades, as an infantryman, and I worked as a civilian for nearly a decade for a security products manufacturer. I
I ended Part I talking about the low personal worth many veterans struggling with moral injury suffer. Just as you are often told you go from “zero to hero” when you enlist or commission, you go from “hero to zero” in a manner I would equate with driving a car into a concrete wall when
Moral injury refers to an injury to an individual’s moral conscience resulting from an act of perceived moral transgression which produces profound emotional shame. The concept of moral injury emphasizes the psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual aspects of trauma. Wikipedia Definition for “Moral Injury” I’ve been reflecting of late on my work, now a few years
In the 19th century, textile workers afraid of machines replacing their role in their industry started destroying mechanical equipment as a form of protest. Now, they weren’t, as many people believe, opposed to technological advancement, but they were highly concerned about their diminishing role in the future of their work. Today, we do associate that
Or anyone else, for that matter. A few years ago, Microsoft made a chatbot using an Artificial Intelligence farm, called “Tay,” designed to make Tweets from the perspective of a teenage girl. Within 24 hours, Internet trolls managed to subvert the chatbot AI into racist and antisemitic, claiming Jews caused 9/11 and that Hitler was
No, I’m not making a Game of Thrones reference, unless I’m skiing like there’s a hot Targaryen at the bottom of the ski hill. I’ve been a telemark skier for about 23 years. I’ve done alpine and I’m fine with it, and I’m mildly curious about splitboarding, but telemarking has become special to me. I
I was a little despondent when Nick Isgro was elected to be the Maine GOP’s vice chairman last week. I don’t know him personally, so I can’t say whether I like or dislike him, but I’m troubled any time someone with a profoundly milquetoast resume waxes “tough guy” on social media using a lexicon enjoyed
This has for us been the most engaged week of Chanukah in a long time. We had a friend’s family over for the second night, we went to Chabad’s lighting and party in downtown Bangor, we had 11 friends over last night, and after the Chanukah party at our shul on Sunday, we’re enjoying the
Writer, President of Bangor's Congregation Beth Israel, retired soldier, programmer, father, musician, Heeb, living in the woods of Maine with three ladies and a dog. Brian is also a rabbinical student with the Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary.
Director of Education for Congregation Beth Israel in Bangor, Maine, runs joint religious school with our sister congregation, special educator and former school board member, mother to Avi and Nezzie.
