In working on my book about “kosher” backpacking, one thing stands out – Judaism isn’t really big on the outdoors. Even Sukkot, which to me screams “outdoor holiday,” is commoditized and safely packaged, even among the Ultra-Orthodox. Sure, there’s camp, but take your kids to one, and it’s not about outdoor adventure. It’s about Zionism,
“…a regular snowstorm has commenced, fine flakes falling steadily, and rapidly whitening all the landscape. In half an hour the russet earth is painted white even to the horizon. Do we know of any other so silent and sudden a change?” Thoreau Leah and I decided to rename our property עץ קר, or “cold tree”,
Hempfield School District in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, made national news recently, and not in a good way. Before I continue, both of my parents, my uncles, my aunts, most of my cousins, all graduated from Hempfield School District. My nephew presently is a student in the district. Many of my friends, non-Jewish and Jewish alike,
A number of friends have, more than likely with good intentions, posted a viral social media message with a suicide hotline attached. I won’t repost it. To me it’s representative of the detached engagement we have from our fellow humans in spite of our “connectedness.” Our generic ministrations only highlight the lack of an immediate,
Amelia and I undertook our first real serious Maine hike together over Thanksgiving weekend. We went to Sears Island, walked along the shoreline, and talked about the deep things that Amelia likes to let out on long hikes. This is an amazing honor roll student. This is a kid that is already formulating her plans
I posted this on social media: …I don’t want anything after Tuesday anyway. I want everyone to think about these kids putting on the uniform now, for the first time. They’re so proud, so eager to serve this nation. In the wake of this divisive election, while we’re still talking about bigotry and stupidity, kids
Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s most famous poem came to mind recently. Laugh, and the world laughs with you, or something like that, cry, and you cry alone. Grief has been bad. It’s been isolating, I think, for all of us. I took Herschel to the vet on Friday. He tried so hard to pretend to be
Amelia and I went on one final backpacking trip this past summer before we moved to Maine. We took our big, loyal, and lovable Great Dane, Herschel, with us to the Pine Grove Furnace section of the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. Starting from the state park, we made our way to a nearby pad-site /
The cougar sighting appears in my forthcoming book, THE KOSHER BACKPACKER, a self-help book on being an observantly Jewish outdoors enthusiast.. In 2002 or 2003, I saw a cougar in the Adirondacks. Max, my black Labrador Retriever, and I were coming down Bennies Brook Slide from Lower Wolf Jaw, and in the middle of the
Tevye and Golde sang: “May the Lord protect and defend you. May He always shield you from shame. May you come to be In Yisroel a shining name.” When it’s just us in the car, Amelia demands Manilow. There’s something disconcerting about a 12-year-old who likes Lorde and Pink and whatever else is contemporary singing
Writer, President of Bangor's Congregation Beth Israel, soon-to-be-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.
