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Here’s my D’var Torah for this week’s Detroit Jewish News:

BE LIKE NACHSHON!

In 1991, the sports drink company Gatorade launched a multi-million dollar advertising campaign featuring basketball superstar Michael Jordan. The ad’s slogan was “Be Like Mike.” This catchphrase was either to get us to drink Gatorade after a workout as Michael Jordan does, or it was to encourage us to perform at the superhuman level of this icon on the basketball court and to then refresh and replenish ourselves with this beverage (which by the way does not bear a Kosher symbol while its competitor PowerAde does). Try as I might, I was never able to take off from the free throw line headed for the basket, with my legs, arms and tongue extended, to then complete a perfect ballerina-like slam dunk in mid-air. I am sure I was not the only one unable to fulfill this “Be Like Mike” charge.

In Judaism, we have our own paradigm to emulate and it is more attainable than trying to be like Michael Jordan. In this week’s Torah portion, we see our ancestors cross the Sea of Reeds in the pinnacle moment of the exodus from Egyptian slavery. God divides the sea so that the Israelites traverse on dry ground while the Egyptian army then drowns in defeat. As the fleeing nation is cornered into a difficult decision on the shores of the sea before it is divided, a significant moment of faith in God takes place. Our ancestors are trapped between the waters of the sea and the pursuing Egyptian army.

A midrash has Moses standing and praying at great length during this pivotal instant when the Holy One chastises him, “My beloved are on the verge of drowning in the sea, and you spin out lengthy prayers before me?” Moses was uncertain what his action should have been at this time. God explains, “Speak unto the children of Israel and tell them to go forward.”

The rabbis in the Talmud explain that while Moses was off to the side praying to God for support, the different tribes were all expressing that they would not be the first to descend into the sea. Out of fear, each tribe was unwilling to enter the water first. One might imagine the many tribal leaders all staring at the fearsome waters and nervously declaring “Not it!” to each other.

It was at this point, Rabbi Yehudah explains to Rabbi Meir (Tractate Sotah 37a), that the leader of the tribe of Judah, Nachshon ben Aminadav, leaped forward and descended into the sea first. Nachshon had faith in God. He had the courage and conviction to act first. Our Tradition teaches that once Nachshon entered the sea and the water was up to his neck, he began to pray to God. This demonstrates his belief in the efficacy of prayer, but also shows that he understands the primary necessity for action. It was only when Nachshon acted out of faith that God divided the walls of the sea for the rest of the nation to cross to safety.

For his courage to take action and be the first one to cross the raging sea, Judah, Nachshon’s tribe, was greatly rewarded throughout Jewish history obtaining royal dominion in Israel. In Psalms, we read “Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The sea saw it [Nachshon] and fled.”

In life, it is much simpler to be a follower. It takes less courage to wait until someone else has taken that first step to determine the outcome. It is the one who has faith and is willing to take risks who is truly emulating Nachshon.

It is common today in Israel to hear the adjective nachshoni describing one who is acting with great faith and conviction, and is not afraid of initiating. While being the pioneer is often risky and requires great faith, it is a virtuous characteristic. So, while trying to be like Michael Jordan is an unattainable fantasy for most of us, we do have the potential to be like Nachshon ben Aminadav. He took the leap of faith that changed the destiny of our people. Be like Nachshon!

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been 12 days since I last posted anything to this blog. I suppose the 3 kiddies under age 2 is a good excuse for that. Well, after today I will no longer be able to say that I have 3 kids under age 2 since my Big Boy turns two-years-old today. Happy Birthday Josh! Here’s a photo of him eating his “breakfast of champions” for his Birthday Breakfast.

It’s also the 250th birthday of Mozart. So in his honor I post this wonderful quote from “Red” (played by Morgan Freeman) in one of the greatest films ever, “The Shawshank Redemption.”

On Mozart’s piece “Duettino-Sull’aria” from Act III of The Marriage Of Figaro

“I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singin’ about. Truth is, I don’t want to know. Some things are best left unsaid. I like to think they were singin’ about something so beautiful it can’t be expressed in words and makes your heart ache because of it. I tell you, those voices soared, higher and farther than anybody in a gray place dares to dream. It was like some beautiful bird flapped into our drab little cage and made those walls dissolve away. And for the briefest of moments, every last man at Shawshank felt free.”

The new OyBaby 2 DVD features a cameo appearances by my (almost) 2-year-old son Joshua as the credits roll at the end of the video.

There will be a print ad that will be appearing next month in Hadassah Magazine. The “credits kids” make up the border of the ad, which features the headline: 10,000 Jewish Kids Can’t Be Wrong! (an oblique reference to an Elvis Presley album called “50 Million Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong.”) See Josh who appears in the upper right hand corner of the ad below.

For those who haven’t seen OyBaby yet, it is a very well done DVD for Jewish babies and toddlers much like the Baby Einstein DVDs. As a Jewish educator I think the OyBaby DVD and its sequel are wonderful tools for getting the youngest members of the Jewish community excited about Jewish music, Shabbat, holidays and ritual.

You can order the DVDs and music CDs here

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This is hillarious. It’s President George Bush (well, actually Will Ferrell impersonating President Bush) doing a videotaped talk on Global Warming. Funny Guy.

From MediaMatters.org

On the January 5 edition of Christian Broadcasting Network’s (CBN) The 700 Club, host Pat Robertson suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s recent stroke was the result of Sharon’s policy, which he claimed is “dividing God’s land.”

Robertson admonished: “I would say woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the EU [European Union], the United Nations, or United States of America.”

Although Robertson professed that “Sharon was personally a very likeable person,” he nonetheless declared that “God has enmity against those who, quote, ‘divide my land.’ “

I think Jon Stewart set the record straight on the January 5 edition of “The Daily Show” when he showed a photo of the portly Ariel Sharon and surmised that the actual reason Sharon had a massive stroke was because of “fat, age and stress.”

Here’s the brilliant Pat Robertson quote in its entirety:

From the January 5 edition of CBN’s The 700 Club:

ROBERTSON: I have said last year that Israel was entering into the most dangerous period of its entire existence as a nation. That is intensifying this year with the loss of Sharon. Sharon was personally a very likeable person. I am sad to see him in this condition. But I think we need to look at the Bible and the Book of Joel. The prophet Joel makes it very clear that God has enmity against those who, quote, “divide my land.” God considers this land to be his. You read the Bible, he says, “This is my land.” And for any prime minister of Israel who decides he going carve it up and give it away, God says, “No. This is mine.” And the same thing — I had a wonderful meeting with Yitzhak Rabin in 1974. He was tragically assassinated, and it was terrible thing that happened, but nevertheless, he was dead. And now Ariel Sharon, who was again a very likeable person, a delightful person to be with. I prayed with him personally. But here he is at the point of death. He was dividing God’s land, and I would say woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the EU, the United Nations or United States of America. God said, “This land belongs to me, you better leave it alone.”

I certainly didn’t think that my (almost) 2-year-old son was in any danger when I let him sit on the lap of seven-time world champion boxer Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns last week at the Detroit Pistons basketball game at the Palace of Auburn Hills. But I was certainly shocked and upset to read today that Tommy Hearns was arraigned on assualt and battery charges after allegedly assaulting his own 13-year-old son.

Had “The Hitman” so much as looked at my kid wrong, no doubt I would have KO’d him — I have a deceivingly strong right hook for a rabbi… don’t be fooled!

From the Detroit Free Press

Boxer Hearns charged with assault

Former boxing champ told to stay away from son
By FRANK WITSIL

Thomas Hearns, a a seven-time world boxing champion, is expected to go before a judge Friday in a preliminary exam on charges he assaulted his 13-year old son Monday.

Hearns, 47, was arraigned Monday before 46th District Magistrate Eugene Friedman in Southfield and charged with misdemeanor assault and battery. He was released on $10,000 personal bond Monday and ordered to have no contact with his son.

Police arrived at Hearns’ house in the 20500-block of Norwood in Southfield at about 6:45 p.m. Sunday, after receiving a call from Hearns’ wife, who said there had been a domestic dispute. The teenage boy had a swollen eye and a small cut on his chin, Southfield Police Detective John Harris said.

Harris said Hearns apparently told the boy to go to another room; the teen refused and there was a scuffle. But, Harris said, Hearns and his wife gave slightly different accounts of how the boy was injured. Police arrested Hearns and took him into custody until he was released on bond.

Hearns could not be reached Tuesday for comment. He is to face district Judge Sheila Johnson on Friday.

A court clerk said Tuesday that Hearns attorney had not been identified yet in the file.

Hearns made a boxing comeback in July, after five-years without a fight, beating younger boxer John Long with an eighth-round TKO in the cruiserweight bout at Cobo Arena. At the time, Hearns, who boxed out of Detroit’s Kronk Gym, said he planned “to keep fighting for a long time.”

Working at the U-M Hillel, I have a vested interest in the University receiving large sums of grant money, however, I just read of one significant grant I’m happy the university did not receive. Turns out that U-M was invited to apply for a $20 million investment (only $80 million less than Stephen M. Ross donated to the Business School) from a Saudi Prince who chose Georgetown and Harvard instead. Too bad those schools didn’t do what Mayor Bloomberg did and just return the check uncashed. I wonder what the reaction would have been like in Ann Arbor had the Saudi Prince chosen U-M for his donation. I also wonder if New York Time interviewer Deborah Solomon used her real name when she sat down to talk with Bin Talal?

From the NY Times Magazine

Questions for Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal: Big Imam on Campus
Interview by DEBORAH SOLOMON

Q: You just gave $20 million to Harvard and another $20 million to Georgetown to advance the study of Islam, and some are concerned that you are trying to increase the on-campus influence of the Saudi royal family, of which you are reportedly the single wealthiest member.

I don’t have control, and I don’t want control. Period. They approached us with a proposal. Harvard, Georgetown, University of Chicago, University of Michigan and several of the Ivy Leagues.

But your investment company, Kingdom Holding, invited the schools to submit the proposal, didn’t it?

Whom else did you approach? Please. Keep the other universities out. I’d rather not embarrass them. The two winners were Georgetown and Harvard.

Since you’re said to be worth more than $20 billion, with major holdings in Four Seasons Hotels, Saks Fifth Avenue and Murdoch’s News Corporation, why not give an unrestricted gift instead of such a narrowly focused one?

The gift is unrestricted!

No, it’s not. It has to be spent on Islamic studies. Georgetown is renaming a center after you, and Harvard is naming a program after you.

Well, sure! The studies that concern me and fit my overall global vision – they’re Islamic studies. As you know, ever since 9/11, we have been trying to bridge the gap between West and East.

Which has backfired at least once. You became notorious in New York when Mayor Giuliani declined to accept a $10 million donation from you to victims’ families after you suggested that the U.S. was too friendly with Israel.

By the way, my check was taken to the bank and cashed. The problem was with my statement. I accepted that. Subject closed.

Subject reopened. The money was returned to you. Have you told Harvard, as you told the City of New York, that the U.S. needs to “adopt a more balanced stance toward the Palestinian cause”?

Let me tell you my position. We need to have good relations between the Arab world and Israel. When I sold my Plaza Hotel in New York, it was sold to Elad, which is an Israeli company.

Doing business with the citizens of a country is not the same thing as believing in that country’s right to exist.

We are doing so many things to bridge the gap between Christianity and Islam and Judaism. For example, at my hotel in Paris, George V, you are going to find the Christian Bible, the Jewish Bible and the Islamic Koran in each single room.

That’s a wonderful idea, but a luxury hotel in Paris is a long way from Saudi Arabia, where you could surely spend more money on Judeo-Christian studies.

Look. You have to understand that the population of Saudi Arabia has zero Christians.

From the NY Jewish Week

Toward A Passionate Conservative Judaism
By Rabbi David Lerner

In case you’ve missed the newsflashes, the Conservative movement is in trouble. The National Jewish Population Survey 2000-2001 has sounded the alarm of the impending demise of what once was the largest religious movement in American Judaism.

These days it is in vogue to bash Conservative Judaism’s focus on halacha, Jewish law. Law is passe, so 20th century. Apparently no one believes in law anymore. At the Rabbinical Assembly convention in Houston last March, speakers lined up to take potshots at the movement calling itself “a halachic movement.”

The noted author Rabbi Harold Kushner stated, “When I was a rabbinical student, the chancellor of the seminary was a Talmudist and we advertised ourselves as a historical movement. Two generations later, the chancellor of the seminary is a historian and we define ourselves as a halachic movement. I am not sure how that changed.”

Is this correct? The movement always espoused halacha, utilizing Jewish law to guide its religious decisions, even if the members of Conservative synagogues did not always observe all of its mitzvoth, commandments.

A few weeks ago, at the United Synagogue biennial convention in Boston, the attack on halacha continued full force. Professor Neil Gillman spoke at length about how Conservative Judaism is not a halachic movement. He claimed that given that most Conservative Jews do not keep halacha strictly, this phrase “halachic movement” is a mere slogan “by rabbis for rabbis to make them feel more authentic.” [more…]

From the Detroit Free Press
By Mitch Albom
Writing a column for Christmas Day, on a Sunday, can be intimidating. After all, you’d think people would have better things to do than read the newspaper.

But if today is a time to ponder religion, then I’d like to give a nod to the earthly people who facilitate that. They are often overworked. They are constantly overlooked. And they have taken some bad publicity lately.

I’m talking about clerics.

I’m talking about priests, rabbis, pastors, ministers, imams, bishops and preachers.

For the overwhelming majority of these, every day is a humbling challenge. They must try to convince followers that life is more than money and pleasure.

They must try, in a world that tells people to stay beautiful, rich, young and powerful, to persuade followers that none of these things matter.

In short, they are faced with an almost impossible task. No wonder when God came to Moses and asked him to lead his people, Moses suggested God choose his brother instead.

I mean, who would want the job?

Following their faith

The answer, it seems, is that the job wants you. Most clerics I speak to feel they were called to the role. Not in some flashy, Cecil B. DeMille way. Not a bolt of lighting or a burning bush. Just a small voice inside them that said, “This is your path.”

Of course, small voices don’t make headlines. And in recent years, we’ve seen too many loud and frightening “men of God” acting like anything but.

We’ve seen Catholic priests do unspeakable things to children. We’ve seen Muslim clerics calling for mass murder. We’ve seen Pat Robertson tell the world who should be assassinated. We’ve seen a rabbi convicted of arranging his wife’s death. We’ve seen TV evangelists showering themselves in money.

Headlines like these make you think religious leaders are little more than power mongers with fancy garments.

But that’s wrong.

For the hundreds of thousands of small-town pastors, synagogue rabbis, monastery ministers or mosque clerics, the job involves no TV cameras and no newspaper reporters. In fact, it’s the opposite. Most of the time is spent trying to get someone to listen.

A rabbi I know, Albert Lewis, one of the wisest men I’ve ever met, once told me this story. I’m going to paraphrase it here:

There’s a door-to-door salesman. And he had one customer who never wanted to buy anything. “Maybe tomorrow,” the salesman would politely say.

But every day he came back, the customer got angrier and angrier. “I don’t want anything. Don’t come back!” But the salesman always smiled and said, “Maybe tomorrow.”

Finally, one day, the customer got so mad, he spit in the face of the salesman.

The salesman wiped the spit from his cheek, looked up in the sky and said, “Hmm. It must be raining.”

That, the rabbi said, is what the job is really like.

Living life the right way

I think of some of the clerics I’ve had a chance to meet or work with. Many have been at weddings and funerals. But some have been at shelters, dishing out food. Some have swung hammers, building homes for the less fortunate. Some have counseled young soldiers off to war.

If I had to pick one trait that was present in all of these men and women, it would be calmness. A certain serenity that they were doing something that mattered. That can’t be easy when people so often, metaphysically, spit in your face, ignore God, ignore ritual.

So on this nontraditional column day, I’d like to thank the group that serves between God and man. Perhaps for a few hours today, they can feel what the world might be like if we paid more attention to the good lessons they try to share.