Table Of Contents
Part One — Judaism 101: Simchas, Nachas and All That Jazz
Hineni: Just Do It!
Kedusha: The Imperative of Holiness
Simcha: The Joy Inside My Tears
The Science of Struggle
Nachas: What Everybody Needs
Shefa: The Jewish “Secret”
Part Two — Judaism 202: The Artform of Jewish Living
Can’t Beat Bitachon
B’chira: Lessons in Free Will from a Talking Donkey
Middot: The Measure of a Mensch
Halacha: The Chok’s on You
Eretz Yisrael: The Gift of the Promised Land
Redemption Song
Part Three — We Got to Pray Just to Make it Today
Be a Blessing
The Amidah: United We Stand
Surviving Shacharit: Kabbalistic Insights into the Morning Service
Mincha, Mincha
Ma’ariv: Shuckling on the Dock of the Bay
Part Four — Sacred Stuff: Putting the “Rich” in Rituals
Mezuzah: Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
Kippah: Skullcandy
Tallit: Life on the Fringe
Tefillin: Strapping Up
More Precious Than Pearls: An Inside View of “Women’s” Rituals
Part Five — The Joy of Jewish Holidays: Spring and Summer Festivals
Shabbat: TGIF
Shabbat: Get Unplugged
Pesach: War of Worldcraft
Pesach: Unbreakable Soul
Minor League Holidays
A Shavuot Revelation
The Three Weeks: My Family Vacation
Tisha B’Av: Jews and Aspens
Part Six — The Joy of Jewish Holidays: Fall and Winter Festivals
Elul: T’shuva—Masters of Return
Rosh Hashana: The Parade of Tears
The High Holidays: Why Are We Here?
Sukkah’s On Fire
Sukkot vs. Halloween
Chanukah: I Have a Dream
Purim: From Exodus to Esther
Part Seven — Transitions and Celebrations: Jewish Lifecycle Events
Brit Milah: A Cut Above the Rest
Bar/Bat Mitzvah: Great Expectations
Marriage: Lucky Seven
Bumps Along the Road: The Other Lifecycle Events
Epilogue: Engage the Dying of the Light
Part Eight — Organized Religion: Navigating Jewish Institutions
Towards Loving-kindness: The Holiest Shul in Town
Finding a Rabbi: Asey L’cha Rav
In Search of Jewish Unity: The Family Portrait
Can I Get a Witness? A Tachlis Twelve-Step Program
Jews in the Pews: Hillel and Holy Chutzpah
Chabad: The Closest Thing to Judaism
The Biennial: The Good, the Bad and the Plenar
Nurturing Jewish Educators: NewCAJE OutRAJE
Self-Hating Jews: Terror at the GA
Jewish in America: The United States of Israel
Part Nine — Raising Jewish Kids
Love and Marriage
Early Childhood: Telescope Parenting
Day School: The Key to Continuity
Reward and Punishment: The Gift of a Reprimand
The Teenage Years: Better Run Away
Keeping Consistency Constant
Kids on Meds: Mood-Altering Drugs
A Love Letter to my College-Bound Son
Dear YULA Graduates: A Commencement Speech
The Baby and the Bathwater
Part Ten — Music of the Soul
Music in Judaism: In Search of the Tenth Song
The Making of a Musician
Deepening the Experience: Ode to the 8-Track
Legacy: The Yellow Violin
Mentors: Losing Debbie
Music Festivals: The Treasure of the High Sierra
The Jewish Music Manifesto
Coda: The Secret of Six
Appendix
Dedications
Hebrew Alphabet and Gematria
Biblical Chronology
Hebrew Month Chart
Reading List/Sources
Music that Moves Me
