Truthdig Book Review: Is Judaism a Recent Invention?

To me the striking factor of the book review and most of the responses to it was the common humanity revealed. The Truthdig community engaged in a meaningful discussion of the Jewish experience.
For a decade I participated in morning prayers with Holocaust Survivors who became my friends and mentors. We were open to men and women with intellect of any age. We traded in wisdom not easy to come by or to explain.
My immersion in the ancient stream of Jewish consciousness will remain. Every man can be a Rabbi if he is literate and wise in the ways of the Torah. Our Bible states succinctly, “Don’t worship idols.” The rest is commentary.
Imagine Jews as a resource for mankind. We were common people with the abilities to read and write as witnesses to Cyrus the Great and Alexander.
We are not unique, but we have had a unique set of circumstances.

Cohen is Dead

Cohen has Died

During morning prayers Cohen officiated from the back bench of the Synagogue. Every word and movement had to be right. God was watching.

To me as an American the men at worship were obsessive compulsives in need of a little improvisation. I kept that bit of ‘wisdom’ to myself, as it was challenging enough to follow the prayers.

Nevertheless, I clashed with Cohen. He insisted on pruning the rose bush in the garden. It is a sin to interfere with living things animal or vegetable.

Last week he succumbed to a heart attack. He was 83.