The Rabbi and I

Using Sacred Literature to promote war, conquest, and death has never had a good outcome. Political leaders use sacred literature to gather support and power for wars that only they and their supporters consider valid. Stop distorting the teachings that would unite us. Do not use God and prayer to justify your political position!

Iran has been using its proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Ansar Allah to kill, murder and create instability in the Middle East. These proxies were abetted by countries other than Iran in the area. Iran’s plan was not only to eliminate Israel but to conquer and control the other Muslim countries in the Middle East. Iran is now attacking the Muslim countries that are its neighbors. One can no longer pretend that Iran’s goal was solely destroying Israel. Stop Iran from its expansionist policy!

Christian Zionism is not fringe. It is organized, funded, politically sophisticated, and deeply sincere. And its view of Iran is not primarily strategic — it’s prophetic. That changes everything about how its members engage with policy.We need to understand them. Because if we want to make sense of why U.S. policy around Israel and Iran looks the way it does, we can’t ignore the millions of Americans who believe they’re watching biblical prophecy unfold on the evening news.Christian Zionists claim that Armageddon has BEGUN!

“War is worse than Hell, the people in Hell deserve to be there, in war innocent people die along with the guilty!” Said “Hawkeye” Pierce to Father Mulcahy. Iran had to be stopped and contained. Even the great deal maker couldn’t make a deal with Iran! What choice did he have. Does he have a plan or how to end the war?Starting a war is easy, ending it not so much!#Iranwar#iran#israel

We all do it, except the birds and the bees don’t, the animals in the forest don’t, only humans use social media to avoid reality. How does “doom scrolling” work for you. Time to stop focusing on our under 18 youth and focus on all of us. Drugs, alcohol, rock & roll, social media are all ways to keep our attention off of what surrounds us. Social media is not an acceptable diversion when it prevents us from being engaged in our lives.

Israel has been steadily moving towards annexing The West Bank. The passage of the most recent legislation is one step away from Annexing The West Bank. With a wink and a nod from the United States Israel will annex the West Bank. Israel is preparing to annex the West Bank

At some point in your coming of age your parents or grandparents said to you “What were you thinking”. When you make jokes, use cartoons, or substitute language you are actually expressing what you really believe. Mens Rae, your guilty mind!

It is not too late to revise your Holocaust observance statement to include the reality that the Jews were the victims of Nazi antisemitism. Your opinion matters and what you don’t say is as important as what you do say. So say it now “the Nazis murdered Jews and those who helped and defended them”. And in the end over 30 million other innocent people were murdered.

The shofar, a ram’s horn, is blown at the High Holy Days (Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur), serves as a call to wake up to the results of our actions during the past year. Four sounds are blown to wake us up. The Tekiah, a long, loud blast, gets the listeners attention. The Shevarim, 3 broken sounds, calls for repentance. The Teruah, 9 staccato notes, wakes the soul. And finally the Tekiah Gedolah, a long sustained blast, calls us to live our religious teachings. Wake up and live the teachings of Jesus, Moses, Mohammed, etc.

ס'וועט גאָרנישט העלפןגאָרנישט העלפןGar nicht helfen" or “gor nicht helfn” in Yiddish means "nothing helps" or "beyond help," expressing that a situation is hopeless or that efforts are futile, often with a sense of resignation or a recognition that intervention isn't useful. We do however have another option. Do what MacGyver did! He looked at the tools and things he had around himself and used what was at hand to solve the problem!Feeling news overload, be MacGyver!

I had a sign on my computer in my Hospital office that read: “You Are Going to Have A Good Day Because You Found Someone to Blame For Yesterday’s Mistakes!”That is exactly what we hear from Orthodox and Conservative Rabbis. Interfaith marriages are destroying Judaism! Rather than addressing their failure to present a positive, spiritual, and guilt free Judaism they choose to blame others.

Your company your rules. If you accept outside funding it is no longer your company. The distinction is important!

Joe and the Rabbi discuss the 10 events of the year 2025 that require our attention. In the year 2025 humankind survived

Merry Christmas and a joyous Chanukah 365 days a year! There is no need to limit good will and peace on earth to just one day. Let’s take the holiday message seriously and include it every day. ​EX 22:20 “You shall not wrong a stranger, nor oppress them for you were strangers in the land of Egypt”.

Laws need to be in place concerning firearms of all types. The sale, use, and ownership of guns should be regulated for public safety. Gun laws will not stop angry, hateful people from massacring and killing. Stopping using anger and hate to get elected to public office will. We are harvesting the seeds of hate that we planted!

Drug use and abuse have reached a new high. Availability is not the cause it just fuels our inability to deal with our lives. Perhaps if drug escape is less available we will be forced to develop strategies for dealing with what is. Using drugs has never had a good outcome.

President Trump’s peace plan requires an International Stabilizing Force (ISF) without a referee Israel and Hamas will keep fighting each other. The Arab League needs to step up and supply personnel. Stop blaming Israel & Hamas, ask where is the all important ISF!

We have only ourselves to blame when the Terminator comes calling. It’s not too late for us to control AI and it will be soon! Watch the movie “I, Robot”

Let’s put aside the history of how the Judeo-Christian developed and changed and realize that it is time for a change. “There is a time for everything under the heavens” and now is the time to recognize that there are as many ways to unite with God as there are blades of grass on the fairway. We are all God’s children and no one religion has a monopoly. We all don’t need to have the same religion to make America Great!

Hate speech is free speech! What do you think we should do about it? Listen to the hate spewed forth from talk show hosts and then notice who doesn’t object. The Orcs are massing and Saruman is rising!

In his first term as president Trump said that he had “A Big Beautiful Health Plan”. Now it is time to bring it out and show the Democrats that there is something better than the “Affordable Care Act”. Reopen the government now. The Democrats are holding the country hostage.

Heaven is not owned by any one religion, it is God’s personal property. There are as many ways to get into heaven as there are blades of grass on the fairway! There are organized religions, individual paths, and group spirituality that can help us find our path to what happens next. Your journey to Heaven is waiting

Yogi Berra said it best: “when you come to a fork in the road take it!” Peace in Gaza and the Middle East is upon us. It can really happen. Gaza peace and Israeli security

The return of the hostages accomplished. Next comes nation building. Let’s not lose sight of the peace agreement; safety and security for everyone in the region. Hostages Home! Peace and safety. Next,

Anti-Semitic lies & rumors go and prosper on Social media. TikTok provides fertile ground for people to make irresponsible and inaccurate statements about Jews. Anti-Muslim content enjoins free rein. T Gaza peace plan is. ..

A new influencer tells what misconceptions are in the media about Jews. We discover that ignorance and antisemitism are mixed. He has the initiative to a Rabbi to help sort out truth from lies. Antisemitism is rampant

Of course we disagree when it comes to religion and politics. We disagree about movies, videos, and food. To disagree is human but hate is a choice and so is murdering someone because they disagree with you. The survival of our democracy depends on freedom of speech. Using hate as a political tool and weapon will do what our enemies have been unable to do, destroy our democracy. I want to be free to listen to those I agree with and those that I don’t agree with!

Whose first? Whose second? Who cares? Israel is a country that has a right to exist and defend itself. People were displaced when Israel was founded and now need a permanent home. Let’s solve the problem The Philistines were first that is why it is called Palestine

Action and prayer belong together like Peanut & Jelly, fish & chips, mac & cheese, Taylor & Kelce , Tom & Jerry, and Kermit & Miss Piggy. Action and prayer aren’t mutually exclusive. Most of us wear a pair of socks not a sock, a pair of shoes not a shoe, actions and prayers are a team doing one does not preclude the other. Prayer and action belong together like Taylor & Kelce

We are being tortured into thinking that we can balance our personal lives with our work. It can be done depending on your job. However the myth requires us to do what can’t be done. Isn’t that why it is a myth!Your job will determine the work/life balance

United, Judaism will survive and prosper, divided we will do to ourselves what anti semites couldn’t! We don’t need to agree to everything, each of us can have our own solutions to problems. Unless we stop demonizing others and share our views Judaism can not and will not survive. Reform Jews were not kidnapped and brainwashed.

Imagine by John Lennon“You may say I'm a dreamerBut I'm not the only oneI hope someday you'll join usAnd the world will live as one”“Imagine" is not a Beatles song. It is a song written and performed by John Winston Lennon released in 1971 on his album of the same name. I am proud to be accused of being a dreamer 

Before we can fix Gaza with need to agree on Gaza. People are dying while we debate who is doing what to whom. Stop looking in the small rear view mirror and start looking ahead through the much larger windscreen. Genicide or not Genicide that is not the Question!

The phrase "if you will it, it is no dream" is a famous quote by Theodor Herzl, the founder of the modern Zionist movement. It encapsulates his belief that with strong will and determination, even seemingly impossible goals, like establishing a Palestine can be achieved. Without terror, rape, murder, or kidnapping we can have 2 states the respect each others right to exist A challenge to the UN, 2 countries coexisting in peace!

Since Rabbi Block is on vacation his AI takes his place. If this works out Rabbi Block will be permanently on vacation. AI is coming for you next!

“Religious Freedom” Sacred scriptures in each tradition contain principles that can be interpreted to support religious tolerance, freedom of conscience, and respect for diverse paths to truth.Freedom of belief and worshipFreedom to convert or not convertRespect for other traditionsNon-coercion in matters of faithI. JudaismJudaism is not a proselytizing religion. It emphasizes mutual respect and ethical pluralism, accepting that non-Jews can live righteous lives within their own traditions.II. ChristianityWhile missionary in outlook, Christianity’s core message emphasizes free choice and personal conviction. Religious freedom is consistent with respecting the dignity of every person.III. IslamIslam upholds religious freedom as a divine principle, while also maintaining its truth claims. Historically, Islamic societies recognized and protected religious minorities through legal frameworks like dhimma.IV. BuddhismBuddhism strongly supports freedom of conscience, rational inquiry, and tolerance toward other paths. Coercion is fundamentally incompatible with its teachings.V. HinduismHinduism celebrates diversity of belief and practice as spiritually legitimate. Religious freedom is seen as a natural reflection of cosmic pluralism

Our responsibility for caring for the world stems from our understanding of being stewards of God's creation. This resonates with the Christian concept of dominion as responsible care, the Islamic understanding of humans as Khalifah with environmental responsibilities, the Hindu reverence for nature, and the Buddhist principle of interconnectedness that demands we protect the delicate balance of life. We must stop destroying our home planet

The pursuit of knowledge and intellectual exchange has always been valued within all of the traditions we have been exploring. Jews are called the people of the book, constantly learning and interpreting. Christianity has a rich intellectual history and kept learning a live through out the dark ages.. Islam places a profound emphasis on the seeking of knowledge. Hinduism elevates Jnana, the path of knowledge, as a path to liberation. And Buddhist wisdom (Prajna) is essential for understanding the true nature of reality.

Should I worry now or wait? The news tells us all the details and we will be bombarded with opinions. How do we handle this newest potential for war?The USA vs Iran and it is not the Olympic Games!

Where the UN has failed Costco can succeed! You and I can not change the decisions of Russia, Ukrainian, Israel, Iran, or any other country. We can change how we treat our fellow Americans. And that will change foreign policy. Will Israel and Iran draw the world into war?

Across the 3 Abrahamic traditions, Buddhism, and Hinduism, justice-based giving is more than charity:It is a form of righteousness, ensuring moral balance and social responsibility.Whether as legal obligation (Judaism, Islam), living Jesus (Christianity)or spiritual imperative (Buddhism, Hinduism), giving reflects a just and compassionate worldview.These teachings promote dignity, redistribution, and care for the vulnerable—not from pity, but from duty and divine accountability.Providing for the “least among us” is response to God.

The impulse towards acts of kindness and compassion is a universal language of the human heart. Our tradition elevates chesed as a cornerstone of our faith. Christian love (agape) is defined by selfless care. Islamic Rahmah, divine compassion, inspires acts of mercy. Hindu teachings overflow with the importance of Daya and Karuna. And Buddhist practice centers on the cultivation of Metta and Karuna for all.The understanding of Tzedakah as justice-based giving finds resonance in other traditions. While the mechanisms may differ, the underlying principle of ensuring the well-being of the community and addressing systemic inequalities is present. Christian teachings on social justice, Islamic Zakat as a right of the poor, Hindu Dana aimed at social balance, and Buddhist Dana as a means of reducing suffering all point to this shared concern.

Respect for others is grounded in the belief that all humans are created in the image of God. Respect is inseparable from love and humility. Every person is worthy of care and dignity. The Quran and Hadith repeatedly emphasize the importance of caring for orphans, widows, the poor, and the needy. Respect for others arises from recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings. It is cultivated through mindfulness, compassion, and non-harming. The concept of Karma suggests that actions towards others have consequences, reinforcing the importance of treating all beings with respect.Respect everyone, including yourself

Fairness Fairness refers to treating others with impartiality, justice, and equity. It encompasses truthfulness, just judgment, and ethical reciprocity. Though each religion frames fairness within its own metaphysical worldview, all uphold it as a central moral and spiritual value.The Golden Rule is found in the 3 Abrahamic Religions, Buddhism, & Hinduism.