Counting The Omer Day 49: Nobility in Leadership

Today is the 49th day of Counting the Omer, seven weeks of counting, and today is the last day and tonight we celebrate Shavuot. Shavuot marks the arrival of the Israelites at Mt. Sinai Tonight, seven weeks after their exodus from Egypt and they arrive at Mt. Sinai and receive the Torah from God.

I hope we all take the time to give thanks. Give thanks for being you. Take the time to appreciate the gifts that you have, and the gifts that you bring to others and remember that God created a special person and that person is you.

Counting the Omer Day 48: Connection in Nobility

Yesterday RRC graduated another set of amazing Rabbis. I am so honored to know them. They are my teachers, my friends and my rabbis. Congratulations Tamara, Nick, Ilanit, Ellen, Danielle and Malka, I love you all.

Today is 48 days, which are six weeks and six days of the the Omer

Counting the Omer Day 47: Humility in Nobility

Today is 47 days of the Omer: Humility in Nobility. Our ability to have nobility, and leadership comes from our ability as human beings to be close to each other, to care for each other and to know each other and with our humility recognize that we are dependent on each other and need each other to survive.

Today is 47 days, which are six weeks and five days, of the Omer.

Counting the Omer Day 46: Endurance in Nobility

Today is 46 days of the Omer: Netzach of Malchut: Endurance in Nobility. A person’s dignity and a leader’s success are tested by their endurance level. Will and determination reflect the power and majesty of the human spirit. How determined am I in reaching my goals? How strong is my conviction to fight for a dignified cause? How confident am I in myself? Is my lack of endurance a result of my low self-esteem? Do I mask my insecurities by finding other excuses for my low endurance level?

Exercise for the day: Act on something that you believe in but have until now been tentative about. Take the leap and just do it! – Rabbi Simon Jacobson

Counting the Omer Day 45: Compassion and Balance within Leadership

To be created in the image of God is to have compassion, mercy and love of others. They are also the characteristics of a good leader.

Counting the Omer Day 44: Strength, and Discipline in Leadership

Today I was asked to fill some very big shoes and for me those shoes feel a bit like clown shoes. Then I was reminded by a special friend that I am needed to hold that space, that space of scared time. I was not asked to do this task because of my amazing liturgic or rabbinic skills, after all I am a student. I have been asked to hold the space of sacred time and guide a family through the journey of their son becoming a Bar Mitzvah. What an honor.

Then I got another gift today, a gift of rediscovery. I rediscovered my Jewish roots. And my roots represent where I come from and where I am going.

Today is the 44th day of counting the Omer: Strength in Leadership. Strength is the power that comes from within to lead us on our journey

Counting the Omer Day 43: Lovingkindness in Leadership

Today we enter the final week of counting the Omer, moving closer to Sinai.

When I was young I thought (and sometimes still do) that that leadership meant to be strong and tough. Often forgetting about compassion, kindness and love. To be compassionate, to love and to be kind; these are also essential parts of what it means to be a leader.

Today is 43 days, which are six week and one day of the Omer

Counting the Omer Day 42 Leadership in Foundation

Let’s lay the ground work for tomorrow,

Plant the seeds for the next generation

And make the world better than we found it

Today is 42 days, which are six weeks, of the Omer

Counting the Omer Day 41: Connections within Foundation

 Today I’m thinking about the connections we form in the relationships we make with other people. We are meant to connect and these connections form in us like roots on trees, grounding us and shaping us into wonderful and beautiful human beings

Counting the Omer Day 40: Humility in Connection and Bonding

Today is Humility in Connection and Bonding

It’s Memorial Day weekend and not sure if I ever mentioned this before..Yep I have…I spent a good part of my young adult life serving in the United States Army. Serving my country. I don’t think that makes me more patriotic than the next person, but it does give me a unique perspective on our country….(Just thinking out loud)

As Memorial Day approaches I think of the many people that I met, worked with, loved all while serving my country. Some I still know but many I have lost contact with.

Being a member of the Armed Services requires a great deal of trust, bonding and connection, with others.  I often miss those days, miss my friends, miss those relationships, those connections…but life moves on, sometimes in ways that one would never expect, and we take those experiences and grow. Those experiences have helped to shape the person I am today, and today I am a stronger, kinder and gentler person and I am eternally grateful for my time serving my country.

Moving closer to Sinai

Today is 40 days, which are five weeks and five days, of the Omer