Angel for Shabbat

The Charisma Conundrum: Thoughts on Parashat Vayera, November 7, 2009

Some years ago, I learned about a doctoral dissertation that explored the nature of charisma. The author spent many hours talking with and observing individuals who were widely regarded as being very successful in their interpersonal relationships. Among the group of charismatic people were clergy, doctors, teachers, businesspeople, and a bartender.

What qualities did these individuals have that made others feel attracted to them? What was at the root of their charisma? Why were these men and women so highly regarded among their peers?

Thoughts for Thanksgiving 2009

President George Washington proclaimed Thursday November 26, 1789 as a
day of national thanksgiving to God "for His kind care and protection
of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for
the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of
His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the
great degreee of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since
enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been

online discussion group for University Network members

Shalom. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving holiday, and wish you a happy Hanukkah in advance.

We now have about 150 members in our University Network, with students from throughout the US as well as several other countries. Our group continues to grow, and we hope you'll invite your fellow students to sign up for the University Network by going to our website jewishideas.org

University Network online discussion group

Shalom. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving holiday, and wish you a happy Hanukkah in advance.

We now have about 150 members in our University Network, with students
from throughout the US as well as several other countries. Our group
continues to grow, and we hope you'll invite your fellow students to
sign up for the University Network by going to our website jewishideas.org

Important Reminder

Our last University Network Newsletter offered you a free copy of Rabbi Marc Angel's new book, "Maimonides, Spinoza and Us: Toward an Intellectually Vibrant Judaism." The book is due out early in November. In order to receive your copy, you need to send an email to [email protected], and give your current mailing address with your request for a copy of the book. Many of you have already done this, so you need not do so again. However, if you haven't yet requested your copy, please do so asap. THIS OFFER IS GOOD ONLY UNTIL NOVEMBER 1.

Hearing and Listening: Thoughts for Rosh Hashanah 5770

Suppose that two people were walking by a synagogue on Rosh Hashana just at the time when the shofar was being sounded. The synagogue windows were open, so that both people outside heard the shofar. The first one thought: I wish to be included among those who are fulfilling the mitzvah of hearing the shofar. The second one simply kept walking, having heard the shofar but without paying any particular attention to the sounds. Did either, or both, or neither of them fulfill the mitzvah of shofar?

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