I wanted to share with the congregation that this morning I was at Navy Base Ventura County. One of my projects has been to contact their Chaplaincy Unit and make known that CAH is in Ventura and able to offer Jewish support and worship for Jewish servicemen/women at NBVC. In...
Coming into the New Year, I thought I’d begin by actually sharing some insights from Torah. I know its a bit of a radical idea, a rabbi sharing thoughts from scripture, but there are two readings that sit with me and we did not have a chance to meet in...
My friends, our joy in observing the Chanukah holiday is diminished by the news from Australia this morning. My colleague, Rabbi Ahud Sela, wrote this note this morning from the LA Board of Rabbis. I wanted to share his words with our community. My words would be, we mourn and...
Heading into December, our thoughts turn to many things, Christmas holiday music from every speaker in the mall and on TV, thoughts of the New Year before us and for the Jewish community, we think of the Festival of Lights or Chanukah. I want to share a few thoughts about...
While taking a moment to catch my breath after the end of the Jewish holiday season, I pondered what to write about in my article for the Migdalor. Like any reasonable man, I considered my options and possibilities and did what any man on wife #2 would do. I asked...
Each of our Shabbat’s and holidays together, we have paused our service and recited the prayer “ahainu” (Our Brothers). A simple prayer asking G1d to free those held captive and let that release come soon. We’ve all seen or heard the news of a ceasefire in Gaza. And with that...
My friends, I’m writing my article today on the Thursday after celebrating Rosh Hashanah with our Congregation Am Hayam community. As I catch my breath and look forward to observing Yom Kippur, a few thoughts run through my mind and a few things I’d like to share. Clearly Rosh Hashanah...
I have to tell the truth. If you had asked me last Saturday at lunch after Shabbat Services, “Rabbi Ron, what do you think of Charlie Kirk”? I would have had to reply, “I have no idea who that is”. Today, like my fellow American citizens, I’m very aware of...
With great joy and a smile both on my face and Judy’s face, we wish everyone a שנה טובה-a good and sweet New Year! The Congregation Am HaYam community has been so warm and kind in welcoming Judy and me to congregation, that means so very much to us. It...
I live my life guided by a theme of my maternal grandfather. The theme he imprinted on my psyche is “10 minutes early, is almost late”. Now this flies directly in the face of the concept of “JST” or more commonly, “Jewish Standard Time”, where 20 minutes late is on...
