Reb Blog

Will Men Stand Up Against the Sex Slave Trade?

Published on 2012-02-01 07:09:00

Right underneath a giant football (hey, it is singing day after all) the Huffington Post Religion section has published a piece I penned on the efforts to curb the sex trade in Israel.   Thank you to the editors (Paul especially) for drawing attention to this issue.

Some Torah from Bill T. Jones

Published on 2012-01-23 09:44:00

At the end of Bill T. Jones' new piece "Story/Time" he tells a story about the Jazz artists Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach. The two were working on a song by Thelonius Monk, rehearsing it so that Monk could drop by later and listen to their interpretation. They play the song for Monk and he listens intently. They look towards him for his reaction and he says: "Next time make a mistake."

Rabbi Tim Tebow

Published on 2012-01-12 12:18:00

O.K. - this is not really about Tim Tebow. But the conversation about Tebow, and his near miraculous play, and his prayer pose, and all that, got me to look at an essay I wrote about ten years ago. I post it below for all folks who mix prayer and sports to enjoy. If God Ain’t A Tarheel Fan, Then Why Is The Sky in Carolina Blue?By Rabbi Daniel S. BrennerNothing drives me more crazy than when I

City of Brotherly Love

Published on 2012-01-05 10:06:00

8:10 AM, Arch Street, Center City Philadelphia. Clicked it while stopped at a red light.

Rabbi Shmuely Boteach Wins Hyperbole Award: Claims that if Leaders Had Listened to Einstein the Jewish People May Have Perished

Published on 2011-12-06 19:53:00

I am a fan of Rabbi Boteach’s books and essays and seeing that he had a piece up on the Algemeiner website on one of my favorite topics (the Yakov and Esav story) I stopped to read. But when I got to this line of Boteach, I nearly fell out of my chair. He writes: “Had the leaders of the Allies taken the advice of Einstein or Gandhi, the Nazis would have taken over the entire world, and the

Paterson New Jersey's Great Falls -- a breathtaking waterfall surrounded by post-industrial decay!

Published on 2011-12-06 13:29:00

With a warm December day (thanks global scorching!) I suggested to the familia that we take the dog for a walk to a new park. Having exhausted most of the wooded areas nearby, I consulted Reb Google and then rallied the troops into the car to a destination in Paterson, NJ -- a spot a mere 17 minutes from Montclair. After driving through an old factory district (with a beautiful brick something or

Cowboys and Momma's Boys

Published on 2011-11-17 20:03:00

My latest rant on football culture and parshat toldot is now running on the front page of New Jersey Jewish News (thanks again Andrew!) I reflect on the atrocities that occurred in connection to the Penn State football program and the wider culture that values loyalty and competition above all.

A Message from the Almighty

Published on 2011-09-20 08:54:00

A little instrumental tune I wrote called "there's three things (i like to do)"

Published on 2011-09-06 09:25:00

Ten Years Ago: 9/11, Corned Beef Sandwiches and the Red Cross

Published on 2011-09-06 08:45:00

I wrote this piece a week after 9/11. Hard to believe that we are approaching the tenth anniversary. But it has, indeed, been a decade -- My daughter, born in January of 2001, is now a fifth grader. The day still haunts me, this city, and beyond. My heart is with all the families who are headed to memorials this week.  Even in Tragedy, A Little HumorBy Rabbi Daniel S. BrennerOn the Thursday