Last night hurt.
The kind of loss that stuns you — and stays with you long after the final buzzer.
My friend, @katecbowler professor at Duke Divinity School, author and podcast host, offered beloved Coach Jon Scheyer a blessing at the beginning of the season. Part of it reads:
Bless the one who leans in again,
bravely tested by
the game that gives,
the game that takes.
And last night, we felt the taking. Deeply.
For Jon—and for all of us in the Duke community —we’re still here, still leaning in. Proud of you, always. 💙
@jscheyer@dukembb@dukeuniversity
It’s been a long week with a kid with Norovirus and a dog with giardia. In other words, the perfect time to turn to the Book to be reminded of the bigger questions and the deeper answers.
This week’s Torah portion reminds us that Judaism is not a faith of blind obedience, but of lifelong learning. We are commanded not just to believe, but to ask, to study, to argue.
Ours is a tradition that sanctifies questions. Dialogue with Gd is not rebellion—it is devotion.
As we watch events unfold under authoritarian Islamist regimes, where questions are punished and education is feared, the contrast is stark. When inquiry is silenced, it isn’t faith that’s being protected—it’s power.
Judaism assumes the opposite: that truth expands when minds are free. Perhaps this is why Jews have so often gravitated toward medicine, law, science, and philosophy. Not because we claim to have all the answers, but because we are trained never to stop asking questions.
Education is a moral stance. To teach a child to think is to declare that their mind matters. In a world where darkness thrives on silence, Judaism insists on illumination. We choose learning. We choose expansion. We choose the holy act of asking why.
Shabbat Shalom to my family and friends all over the world. 🌎 🌙🕯️
Did you watch Hamnet? It is likely you need to see this video, taken after wrapping the last scene. 🎬
@hamnetmovie@chloezhao will win everything and deservedly so.
Color doesn’t soften the truth.
These are Jewish families being marked, loaded, and sent to their deaths in 1942.
They had names.
They had lives.
They were murdered for being Jewish.
We will never let this happen again.
repost @ibsinow
Last night in Bondi Beach, Australia, Jews were attacked and murdered while celebrating Hanukkah—the festival of light, resilience, and miracles.
Let us be clear: we are not broken. We will not be intimidated. We will not dim our lights, hide our symbols, or stop showing up as Jews.
But Jewish strength alone is not enough.
This is the moment for non-Jews to stand with us—publicly, consistently, and without hesitation.
If you believe in safety, pluralism, and basic human dignity:
• Speak up when Jews are targeted
• Show up when your Jewish community is threatened
• Refuse to normalize or excuse this violence
Hate must be confronted everywhere. Silence is not neutrality.
We will keep lighting candles.
We will keep choosing life.
And we ask our allies to stand beside us—now.
Thank you to my community. I deeply value you and your support. 💙
Thank you to @potus President Donald Trump, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and @ivankatrump for working hard to bring us closer to ending suffering and creating stability in the Middle East. Whatever your politics are, this historic moment deserves acknowledgment.
Peace must transcend politics and I honor progress wherever it comes from.
#TheyAreHome 🎗️🇺🇸🇮🇱
Yesterday began with the news of a man named “Jihad” murdering Jews on our holiest day, inside a synagogue in Manchester, U.K.
Like so many Jews around the world, we spent the day moving between prayer and grief, reciting words that have carried us for thousands of years—through exile, through persecution, through war. Those prayers remind me that our survival is not just about resilience, but about love, community, and a shared determination to bring light into a world that can be unbearably dark.
It’s easy to believe, scrolling through social media or watching the headlines, that the world is going the way of “Jihad.” But my inbox tells a different story. Strangers and friends alike write to me, aching for sanity, for peace, for a way forward. Platforms may profit from outrage, but I believe in the people quietly resisting hate. I believe in the silent majority who want something better.
The Jews are not trying to replace anyone. We are trying to heal, to invent, to create, to teach, to make you laugh, to make life a little kinder and a little brighter. That has always been our way.
To the allies who speak out, and even to those who stand quietly but firmly beside us- I am deeply grateful. I know you are scared about what is happening, too. But together, with courage and love, we will keep choosing light. 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️
L’Shana Tova to all who celebrate.
Thank you for having me @easthamptonlibrary . I’m excited for another Author’s Night! There are some fantastic authors coming this year (as always). Check out authorsnight.org for the list.
See you Saturday, August 9th at 5pm.
We couldn’t figure out why Bee Movie was #2 trending movie on Netflix. It came out in 2007! Thankfully, one of my followers (Rebecca 💙) did a simple Google search and we learned that Bee Movie had only just arrived on Netflix. Perhaps we will see a whole next generation of Barry Bee Benson fans. 🐝 Thank you @netflix !
