In Douglas Adams’s cult novel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, several characters build a giant computer to tell them the meaning of life. After millions of years of experimentation, the computer (with much fanfare) finally spits out an answer: the number 42. But that makes no sense! How can “42” be the answer toContinueContinue reading “Wherein I Reveal the Meaning of Life”
Author Archives: mstreiffer
Why I Walk to Shul: Shabbat As Mindfulness
It’s raining outside today, which has me thinking about an old joke: Q: What does a bear do when it rains? A: It gets wet. Let’s contrast that to what I do when it rains: First, I check the weather with Siri to see exactly what time it will be raining and for how long.ContinueContinue reading “Why I Walk to Shul: Shabbat As Mindfulness”
Go Ahead and Try: Why Pesach (and Judaism) Aren’t All-or-Nothing
I’m going to risk the wrath of the Star Wars gods and disagree with Yoda. In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker is required to lift his ship out of the Dagobah swamp using only his mind. Skeptical of his own ability to wield the Force, Luke says, “Alright, I’ll give it a try,” toContinueContinue reading “Go Ahead and Try: Why Pesach (and Judaism) Aren’t All-or-Nothing”
“Stayed On Freedom”
“I woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom.” This week, as part of the CCAR rabbinical convention in Atlanta, I had the opportunity to explore the Civil Rights movement, through a tour of the Center for Civil and Human Rights, lectures from leaders of the Southern Poverty Law Center and the NAACP,ContinueContinue reading ““Stayed On Freedom””
Rabbi Micah Streiffer 