Located in New Albany, Ohio
When the Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that 11 more wealthy individuals and families have signed on to the Giving Pledge, I am moved. Not simply because I have dedicated my professional career to the pursuit of philanthropy and making the world a better place. Or because many of those who have pledged to give away at least half of their wealth to charity – inspired by Bill and Melinda Gates’
In this season of graduations, many parents take stock of themselves. Have we conveyed good values to our children? Has our exhausting and completely love-filled child-rearing been net positive? Here are a few choice quotes from the tradition, offered by Wexner Graduate Fellowship Alum, Rabbi Justus Baird (Class 15), to help us think about the enterprise of bringing children into the world: It takes three to make a child
May 2013
Go down this checklist and see if your worship community is facing the same challenges as the one in which I participate: You are growing so fast that finding appropriate spaces is a problem. 20 and 30-somethings are being drawn to your mix of innovative and accessible services and programs and spreading the word virally by social media and by word of mouth. Jews-by-choice, intermarried couples, LGBT and simply disaffected
It is nearly six years since we came to Efrat for “the Summer”… It looks like we’re staying. Our oldest daughter, who married two years ago at age 18, is expecting her first child in July. She and her husband live across from us. Our son, who was eagerly anticipating his States-side bar mitzvah when we came here – and was justifiably outraged when we decided to stay on at
This past weekend, nearly 80 percent of our Wexner Heritage SF ’08 group came together for the third year in a row to learn, celebrate and enjoy Shabbat together with spouses, significant others and families. On location at the beautiful Mayacamas Ranch retreat center in Sonoma, CA, our Shabbaton has evolved into annual tradition rooted in our group’s desire to stay connected despite hectic lives and considerable geographic distance between
May 2013
My wife and I arrived in Budapest, Hungary days for an unforgettable Shabbat and three day World Jewish Congress (WJC) Plenary Assembly held on May 5 – 7, 2013, which we attended as part of the 18-person Canadian delegation. This was our first time visiting Budapest and although it seems to be a rather cosmopolitan city, certain of its elements were reminiscent of a past Soviet era. The WJC
May 2013
When Tishrei comes early Wexner members, fellows, and alumni help each other. The high holidays fall early this year, with Rosh Hashanah beginning on September 4th. Some Wexner Alumni have realized their college kids will have just arrived on campus. In cases when that campus is cross country, it is unlikely they will turn around and come back home for the high holidays. Thankfully, many Wexner Alumni who live
May 2013
Conversations among Wexner alumni almost inevitably include discussion of our work as leaders in the Jewish community. When that topic comes up, I feel somewhat abashed. The truth is that I committed a huge amount of my time and energy to leadership roles before I entered the Wexner Heritage program. I don’t think I ever said no to a committee membership, a chair position or a board seat, and I
There are moments that are (as my father Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach would say) “Beyond the Beyond” — moments of infinite, abundant, joy and truth, where we can fully access the power of who we are. Shavuot is a time when we are supposed to head to the Mountain, to try to receive the word of G-d, to go beyond the beyond. Personally, I beg for these moments, live for them,
Below is a recording of a lunch and learn that Gidi Grinstein, Wexner Israel Fellow Alumnus, Class XIII, led for the Wexner Heritage Alumni and the current Wexner Russian Speaking Jews Class in New York last week.