Mark Zuckerberg charity

Mark Zuckerberg’s Stunning Act of Jewish Piety

Mark Zuckerberg stunned the world yesterday. Not with the announcement of a baby girl. Everybody knew that was coming.

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It was an accompanying letter outlining his and his wife Priscilla’s plan to donate 99 percent of Facebook stock (valued now at $45 billion) to a foundation.

The foundation will address global issues like disease, poverty and lack of educational access around the world. If Zuckerberg’s success with Facebook is an indication, his and Priscilla’s giving will improve the world.

A 4000-Year-Old Tradition

As a rabbi, what truly inspires me is not the amount. It is the way Zuckerberg is following a 4000-year-old Jewish tradition. Tzedakah–the Hebrew word meaning both “charity” and “justice”–is a core Jewish value, as important as prayer and study.

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May the God of Light Bless the City of Light

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This week’s Jewish Bible reading contains one of our most poignant stories. Jacob wrestles with an angel from dusk until dawn.

He survives, but he emerges with a limp, a sign of the struggle he experienced and will continue to face his entire life.

All of us are limping after the horrific acts of terrorism in Paris this week. Paris symbolizes the values of freedom and democracy that are an anathema to much of the world. Seeing the hundreds murdered and injured leaves us in utter pain and shock.

Yet, when Jacob finished wrestling with the angel, he asked him for a blessing. According to the Jewish sages, this teaches us to try to find a blessing within every struggle.

Finding a Blessing

It is too early to find a blessing in the mayhem we have witnessed in Paris. Yet, we can find traces of a potential blessing in the voices from all religions, including moderate Muslims, who have condemned these despicable acts of hate and terrorism.

In the coming days and weeks, let us find ways to join with them in the critical work of bringing peace and security to Europe, Israel, America and all those places where forces of light and darkness continue to clash

Our prayers join with those of people around the world. May our Eternal God, the One who makes light and peace, bring peace to the City of Light. Amen

Nice Guys Do Not Finish Last

I conducted a wedding recently where the bride and groom decided to give away all their gifts.

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They were not an affluent couple. They could have used the utensils, china and other household items. They simply wanted to start their marriage off with a feeling of abundance.

Nothing demonstrates our abundance more than generosity. By giving away their gifts, they reminded themselves of the gifts of love and companionship that are more valuable than all the others. Continue reading

yogi berra bible

Did Yogi Berra Read the Bible?

The late great Yogi Berra famously said, “If you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

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The not-so-subtle point of Yogi’s saying was that we sometimes overthink our decision. Sometimes when just need to make a choice and stick with it. 

Unfortunately, making the wrong choice can get us in trouble. And the more trouble it causes, the harder it is to turn back.

Abraham and Lot

Amongst the most searing biblical illustration of this truth is Lot. In Genesis 13, he and his uncle Abraham come to a fork in the road. They have decided to go their separate ways. Continue reading

The Most Revolutionary Part of the 10 Commandments

With the passage of time, the extraordinary can become ordinary. The revolutionary can seem normal.

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Take trial by jury. When introduced in England, jury trail was a monumental development, and it spurned great resistance. Now we are so accustomed with the practice that we feel inconvenienced when we have to show up to serve on a jury.

Such is the case with the Ten Commandments. We tend to take them for granted. Even pastors or rabbis who teach and preach about them can forget how revolutionary they once were. Continue reading

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