While the 4th of July is always one of my favorite holidays of the year, this year's celebration was tempered once again by COVID.

Over time we tend to forget what and how we feel in the moment we are experiencing it. However, I feel like with something as monumental as COVID, these feelings would remain longer than they have for me.

Now with the COVID restrictions lifted, the feelings of apprehension, uneasiness, and nervousness is normal and should go away in due time.

Governor Newsom has officially lifted almost all of the COVID-related restrictions, but it does not mean the end of the pandemic.

We look to our educators to nurture and safeguard the lives of their our youth. When they support causes like United Teachers Los Angeles' support of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), they do the exact opposite... they make Jewish students the target. 

Our Jewish world is in the midst of an inflection point as illustrated in the Pew Research Center's Jewish Americans in 2020 survey. It is up to the Jewish organization and Jewish professionals to meet today's Jews where they are at, instead of insisting that they conform the "accepted" Jewish worlds expectations of how they should engage. 

The last 15 months have taught us many things... including how ingenious and creative people can be when confronted with challenges.

When Israel is perceived to have done something wrong, or heavy-handed, it is worldwide Jewry that is attacked. Jews all over the world become the target of hate speech, antisemitic diatribes, and other verbal or even physical attacks. We are being blamed and targeted as a group because of this. It is beyond reproach and needs to stop.

I want to share some personal perspectives on the situation in Israel

This week's episode focuses on a powerful teaching from Pirkei Avot (Sayings of our Fathers) that is as relevant today as it was over 1500 years ago.