Pico/Robertson: Saturday night. Pouring rain. Video
I get a taste of LimmudLA and it left me hungry for more.
LimmudLA is a weekend of Jewish learning. I want to go but it costs $500 bucks and I don’t have a spare $5, let alone $500. So I want a loyal reader to lend me the money so that I can better serve my audience.
(I just got a $100 contribution. Yay!)
I get in a bunch of conversations about Americanism vs. Judaism. They are not identical. Judaism focuses on the community while America (because of its Protestant heritage with its focus on individual salvation) looks first to the individual. America disdains ritual, Judaism revolves around it. Americans have little use for history while Jews are part of a 4,000-year old continuum.
As I walk out, I’m congratulated on my good behavior and urged to clean up my blog and my life.
That’s what friends are for.
I’m putting more emphasis these days on building bonds rather than burning bridges. So if you are dissatisfied with this blog post, if you want to know more about my night at LimmudLA, if you want more details on what was said and by whom, well, I am being a respectful guest and I asked permission before I wrote and permission was denied so you’re stuck with this sacharine entry.
That’s what friends are for.
It’s impossible to have an honest conversation without privacy… I respect that. Though I’m an exhibitionist in some ways, I make sure to have plenty of safe places in my life. The most precious things in my life don’t get blogged about. In Judaism, we cover up the most precious things in my layers (such as our women and our Torah scrolls). For revelation, first you must have discretion (I think Rabbi Shmuley Boteach said that to Dr. Susan Block).
There’s a Jewish bookstore-coffee shop opening tonight in West Hollywood. The Scribe. 8731 Santa Monica Blvd. It’s got a Moroccan flavor and it aims to bring God’s Terrible Moral Law to the sodomites.
I got some good advice over Shabbos. Next time I can’t sleep at 1 a.m., read a book, don’t make a video. They’re too creepy.
Here’s my next video: "Gillette Presents the First Annual Shaveoff(k) for Chabad:" A palm of foam, a blade and a prayer. All proceeds to benefit the Schneerson is Moshiach Fund. Honorary chairmen: Brad A. Greenberg, Al Goldstein and the ghost of Irv Rubin.
Brad Greenberg’s family tree: Paul, Edith Stein (used to bring rugelach and the Sunday Times) and Stokely Carmichael (ex-frum).
