Celebrate Your Financial Health
The Beholder’s Eye by Doug Brook
The most interesting rabbi in the world
When you have control over your money, you have control over your life. Money is Your Home, Your Children’s Education. Your Health, Your Retirement Make wise decisions about money by selecting a professional wealth manager like the team at BCR Wealth. We take a holistic approach to help you achieve your life goals and objectives. And that’s reason to celebrate. Norman Berk Sandra Cleveland Marshall Rathmell Harold Sasnowitz
Your Life In Balance.
205.298.1234 Birmingham, AL 607.238.7718 Binghamton, NY
www.bcrwealth.com
Where you are the Rock Star!
WorkPlay’s unique vibe will make your event the talk of the town. We can host anything — “just because” parties, birthdays, charity events, silent auctions, fundraisers, weddings, wedding receptions, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, corporate events, meetings, luncheons, dinners, art shows…
For Our Upcoming Concerts Calendar, Visit www.workplay.com events@workplay.com • (205) 879-4773 500 23rd Street South • Birmingham 30
May 2014
Southern Jewish Life
When he graduated from the Seminary, the rabbis on faculty asked for his reference. He officiated his own bar mitzvah. His congregants complain that his services aren’t long enough. He can wing a drash better than the best cooks can sling corned beef hash. His opinions are so insightful, that the Great Sages decided to put them in the Talmud. Two thousand years ago. When he pours Manischewitz, it actually tastes good. He is a Jewish exorcist — he knows how to throw de book at “I don’t always drink a dybbuk. schnapps. But when His congregants walk to services, no matter how far away I do, I prefer to drink they live. l’Chayim…” His kitchen is kosher enough for everyone. When he drinks enough on Purim to not be able to tell Mordechai from Haman, he can still tell Mordechai from Haman. His tallis never falls off his shoulders. Even without tallis clips. He doesn’t need a second rabbi; he can have three opinions all by himself. And it’s hard to dispute any of them. His marror has been productized by drug companies as a cold and allergy cure. He figured out how to make chicken parmesan kosher. And it was very good. His b’nai mitzvah all lead Jewish lives. He has to urge people to leave the sanctuary after services to go to the Oneg before everything gets cold. He teaches b’nai mitzvah students without them knowing they’re learning. On Purim, he can chant in one breath the names of Haman’s 11 sons. And the rest of the chapter. His congregants all know what they believe, what they don’t believe, why, and what makes it okay. He can trace his lineage, name-by-name, back to the Exodus from Egypt. And he still uses his great(x88)-grandmother’s original recipe for matzah. Every wedding he officiates lasts for their lifetime. After he takes off his tefilin, his arm doesn’t have strap marks. When he shakes a lulav, the change in air current affects the weather. His kippah never falls off. He knows every Yiddish joke ever told, and tells them all better. He makes religious school parents care about religious school. When he throws out the first pitch at Jewish Heritage Night, the home team has him stay in the game for the first seven innings. His ritual committee agrees with him. His congregants complain that his sermons aren’t long enough. He counts as two people toward a minyan. He is so skilled a moyel, he doesn’t need a scalpel. And the baby
Continued on previous page