• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to footer

The JackB

"When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, 'Damn, that was fun'." Groucho Marx

  • About Jack
    • Other Places You Can Find Me
  • Contact Me
    • Disclosure
  • About Jack
    • Other Places You Can Find Me
  • Contact Me
    • Disclosure

Archives for February 2005

Fragments of Fiction- A New Entry

February 25, 2005 by Jack Steiner Leave a Comment

There is a new entry on the Fragments of Fiction blog called Georgie in the Mountains. I am still learning about the characters, I don’t have an outline and I am not really sure where this is going. Everything you read is a first draft, which is really how I prefer to write

Eventually I plan on putting it together so that it reads more like a book, but for now this is what I have. Your thoughts and comments are welcome..

Filed Under: Fragments of Fiction

Jewish Philanthropy

February 24, 2005 by Jack Steiner 1 Comment

This is a topic that I have found myself discussing quite a bit recently. In large part because there has a been a discussion within my shul about where and how we should best apply our philanthropic donations.

Miriam touched briefly upon this here:

“Allison links to an article I looked for yesterday while I was writing about the JNF, but couldn’t find (thanks, Allison). “According to the annual report summarizing philanthropic activity in the U.S, six out of the 10 largest donors – with donations between $100 million $375 million – were Jews, and none of them made any significant donation to Jewish needs. Only 20 percent of the donations by Jews are directed to Jewish concerns, while 50 years ago that proportion was 50 percent. ” Another reason — if another was needed — for Jewish organizations to clean up their act asap. While recent scandals have nothing to do with the stats above, tainted reputations and credibility issues aren’t going to help matters.”

There are a number of issues here that need to be addressed and like all organizational matters much of the problem revolves around politics and not altruism. To me the issue of credibility is actually secondary in nature because it is most easily solved. Develop and implement mechanisms and procedures that make it easy to see how and where the dollars are being spent.

Transparency will help restore credibility, but that is just a small part of the problem. The big issues in my book are related to the lack of connection that many Jews have for Israel and Judaism or the fear that some have that by giving to Israel/Jewish causes they have opened themselves up to questions about their patriotism.

There needs to be a focus on building a connection toJudasim, establishing lines of communication throughout the community and by that I mean interdenominationally and otherwise as well as the connection to Israel.

Too many Jews remain unafilliated and unattached because they lack the necessary education to understand fact versus fiction and where the lines of propaganda blur truth. And I mean that to cover all sides.

We can be a vibrant, active community that takes care of our own as well as one that interacts with the rest of the world and engages in Tikun Olam and social action programs that are not solely focused upon Jewish causes.

It is possible to have a balance, it needn’t be an either/or decision.

Filed Under: Judaism

Things My Four-Year-Old Has Done

February 24, 2005 by Jack Steiner 2 Comments

*Hit his little sister in the head with a ball. Fairness dictates that he called her name and said catch prior to throwing the ball. Fairness also dictates that I asked him not to do this because she is only 7 months old and is not able to catch it yet.

I was about three feet away from her and was not able to get to her in time to prevent said ball from bonking her in the head.

*He tried to make an egg fly by throwing it. It didn’t work, but he did, alongside of me as we cleaned up the mess.

*At the supermarket a man pushed his cart in front of ours. My little angel told him that if he didn’t move he would punch him in the nose. Oy. He followed that remark up by telling the girl standing nearby that she was cute.

*He took the gift he gave his mother last year for Mother’s Day and dumped it into a sink full of water for the simple reason of “I don’t know.”

*He told his baby sister that he loved her and that he would always take care of her.

*Told his daddy that when he is big like me he’ll listen better because he’ll have bigger ears and it will be easier to hear then.

*Told his grandfather that he could buy him ice cream for breakfast if he didn’t tell daddy.

So many more fun things that could be shared. 🙂

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Lost

February 24, 2005 by Jack Steiner Leave a Comment

Lost is one of my favorite television shows. The writing is excellent and the story is intriguing.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

The Impact of Parenting On Your Own Growth

February 24, 2005 by Jack Steiner 2 Comments

I recently read a post in which my friend A Simple Jew considered the impact of children on your own intelligence. He said a couple of things that I wanted to respond to here as well as open the topic for further discussion because I think that it is interesting.

“Can intelligence get in the way of parenting? While occupied with children the parent has to turn off his mind to some to degree from his own intellectual pursuits.

On the weekend I wake up at 5:00 and go downstairs and learn until my wife and children wake up at 7:00. I cherish this time alone. I spend these two hours exercising my brain since I know that I will have to turn it off once the children are up. I have found that taking this time to myself helps me be more fully devoted to my family during the course of the day.”

I don’t think that your own intellectual capacity for learning has to be turned off during the time in which you are engaged in parenting activities, it is just redirected in a different direction. And I think that the ages of your children will impact it too.

That is, if you have very young children more of your time is taken in helping to teach them how to be good people and how to find their way in the world. So your own learning is going to be a little bit more limited because of the time they require and they probably are not going to be able to act as your chavrusa (study partner).

But you can still learn with them. It is a chance to reevaluate what you have been taught and really consider what you want them to learn and to make a part of themselves.

“There are plenty of very intelligent people with advanced degrees and small children at home. I wonder if it is more difficult for them to “put there brain aside” when dealing with their children. I wonder if intelligence to some degree can be a stumbling block.

Too much intelligence is not good. It makes one over think even the most trivial decisions and does not allow one to live in the moment. Too little intelligence can potentially be dangerous.

Exactly where is the line?”

Again I see it as a question of how to redirect that energy in a fashion that suits both you and your children. Small children may make it harder to deal with quantum mechanics, but not impossible.

I don’t think that you can be too intelligent. Anyone can be paralyzed by indecisiveness as well as a tendency to overanalyze the world around them, intelligence does not have to play a role in this.

One of the key points you address is the need to remember to live in the present and not get caught by memories of past victories/failures or thoughts of the future. That is something that I work on every day.

This is an interesting topic that can go a lot of different directions, thanks.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

The Shack Needs Your Help

February 24, 2005 by Jack Steiner 7 Comments

****Updated*****

I have removed a couple of items to see if this helps alleviate any speed issues you might be witnessing. Let me know if you see a difference.

-J

Hi folks,

I wanted to follow up regarding the commenting issue of last week. Can you please let me know if you are still having trouble leaving comments. I am supposed to let the good people of blogger know and want to give an accurate answer.

Thanks,

Jack

Filed Under: Uncategorized

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Page 5
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 26
  • Go to Next Page »

Footer

Things Someone Wrote

The Fabulous Archives

Copyright © 2025 · Jack Steiner

 

Loading Comments...