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Obituary 44 Years Later
Jerry Horwitz was born in 1930 and died 14 March 1980. His aunt, Minnie Ladasky Levie was my great grandmother. I’m sure there is nomenclature to explain the family relationship; cousin seems to be the easiest. Jerry’s mother was Bertha ‘Birdie” Ladasky Horwitz, and Benjamin Horwitz rounds out the parents. He had two brothers and…
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I don’t sing or whistle anymore.
I’m not sure when it happened, but I don’t sing or whistle anymore. There are times I will think about it, the melody fills my head. My lips form a note, and it is as if all the air inside my lungs has dissipated. Nothing. Just the opposite occurs – it feels like someone, or something has taken up…
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The Cost of a Belief
The sharp pain resulting from “We need to recognize we are not Second Pres(byterian) down the street…. why would we call attention to ourselves?” is recognition of my strength and weakness.
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Pandemic + Membership = Responsibility
Engagement in Kedoshim ti’hiyu belies the definition of a commodity. As we face this post-pandemic Jewish world, leaderships’ choice is succumbing and recreate our centuries old culture as a series of purchasable, disjointed objects or to accept the challenge to be holy.
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Happy Birthday Pandemic
Pandemic, may I call you Pandemic or would you prefer COVID, or perhaps just 19 for short. You are about to celebrate a birthday. Turning one year old is a milestone. When our sons turned one, we had a lovely birthday cake with circus decorations. We had a house full of adults who had any…
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The End of a Generation…Thank you.
I never understood what was meant when ‘the end of a generation’ was used to describe a death. Many of us represent the sandwich generation; an opportunity to experience and reflect on three generations concurrently sharing space on this planet. I often liken age to seating at a party. When young, we are far from the…
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How will your actions appear in the history book?
I was teaching a healthcare policy course many years ago at Indiana University. The subject matter included the concepts of epidemics and pandemics. The undergraduates had a relatively easy time understanding epidemic; pandemic was a different matter. The textbook definition: “A pandemic is a global outbreak of disease; pandemics happen when a new virus emerges…
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Is It Safe: Moments in Time at Religious School
There are moments – hours, days, weeks, and even months, when you begin to question your actions, intentions, and beliefs. These moments may be fleeting or harangue in your mind for long periods of time. Then, there are those moments which are supportive of your thoughts. The kind of moments you tuck away when your…
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Happy Birthday….and what did you learn this year?
I turned another year older on 22 October. It is apparent that I have moved beyond middle age; the notion of living to 110 years is not the least bit appealing. Therefore, our journey is one toward conclusions rather than beginnings. That happy thought aside, each year my brother asks, “What did you learn this year?” as…
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What do you do with the mastodon on your team?
The strength, or weakness, of our relationships is a leading indicator of success. A quick review of Amazon or the local mega book seller reflects our collective desire to build strong, meaningful, supportive relationships with colleagues and coworkers. One suggestion before purchasing the self-help books or downloading your favorite podcast is to consider the biological…