Would You Travel the World for Five Years?

This is the true story of a young rabbi who quits the pulpit to travel the world. Rabbi Ben lays out a five year plan to climb the highest mountains, scuba dive with sharks, and see some of the world’s most impressive sites.

On his journey Ben hopes to discover and explore all the world has to offer. His beliefs as a person, as a spiritual leader, and as a religious Jew will be challenged as new situations constantly arise. Now it is time to see what he truly believes in.

‘God is in My Backpack’ follows the first year of Ben’s travels from Australia to Canada, Central and South America, Europe, and India. He shares his personal journey as he discovers a deeper connection with the world at large, and with G-d.

To see more about this book:

http://www.indiegogo.com/Godisinmybackpack

Akiva’s First Time in the Ocean!

I was 24 years old the first time I saw the Pacific Ocean (interestingly enough, I was with Rabbi Ben when I saw it, from Chile). Akiva saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time when he was only a few days old.  In fact, as of right now it is the only ocean he has ever seen.  Because he was born at the end of fall/beginning of winter, he was not able to go into the ocean previously – it was too cold.  So last week I took him on his first trip into the ocean!

I only took him in where it was a few inches deep and I held him tightly. Still, a small wave came along and splashed him.  It frightened Akiva and that was the end of his adventuring in his ocean for that day! We will have to try again another time.  Still, it was a momentous occasion for him!

This is my dad playing alpine horn outside a Chabad house in Utah

A Jewish Rabbi who plays the Alphorn and Blows the Shofar

My father some years ago had the inspiration to go to Switzerland, buy an alphorn and learn to play it.  An ‘alphorn,’ or ‘alpenhorn,’ or perhaps ‘alpine horn,’ if you prefer, is a long wooden horn used by mountain dwellers in Switzerland. Similar horns have been used in many mountainous regions across Europe as a form of communication.

He has been playing trumpet for decades and perhaps thought it was time for a new challenge, or that the trumpet was no longer loud enough to irritate the neighbours.

My father’s shtick is to play the alphorn at weddings to give joy to the bride and groom. It is a great mitzvah to be ‘misameach chatan v’kalah.’ I guess as a novelty a couple of Jewish tunes played on the alphorn will bring happiness. After a while, it will bring a migraine headache.

I, and other family members, have become familiar with the sound of wind instruments; it’s not only my dad who plays them. My mother is a pro at the Oboe, clarinet, and flute.  If growing up with ten siblings was not cause for enough noise, throw in a few wind instruments and…

Though I carry some of the blame. When I’m traveling and find a strange wind instrument, I’ll sometimes buy it for my parents. I do this more now that I no longer live at home and so I don’t have to hear the thing being played. For example; I got my mother some pan pipe bamboo flutes from Peru, and for my dad a large Tibetan horn in Nepal. My dad still reminds me that I should have gotten him a water buffalo horn, which were for sale in Cambodia… “Dad, you know how much a water buffalo horn weighs in a backpack!”

Anyway, speaking of wind instruments and horns, now we are in the month of Elul and it’s a custom to blow the Shofar everyday leading up to Rosh Hashanah. This is to inspire us to do tshuvah and get ready for Rosh Hashana.

It should not come as a surprise that my dad is the shofar blower at his synagogue, and the best I’ve ever heard.  Okay he’s got strong lungs, but it takes more than just a bit of wind to blow the shofar. There are many halachot to follow and kabalistic thoughts to have when sounding the shofar.

Please G-d may we hear the sound of the great shofar this Rosh Hashanah in the Beit Hamikdash.

…and a water buffalo horn is not kosher to use as a shofar…

Shana Tova

Rabbi Chiam playing Alphorn at the Alpinehorn convention in the United States...Can you guess who the Rabbi is?

It is with great sadness we mourn the loss of my mother’s father, Harold (Emmy). He was a wonderful man always filled with love, warmth, and kindness. Growing up I lived in Canada and my grandfather in Minnesota and unfortunately I did not have many opportunities to spend as much time with him as I’d have liked to. Of the few times I visited my grandfather in one thing I’ll always remember about him is that he taught me and anyone around him how to live. When you asked Grandpa Harold how he was doing, his face would light up with a smile, and he’d say: “If I were doing any better, the Ebershter (G-d) would be jealous. I’ve got a beautiful house on the lake, so many wonderful grandchildren, family and friends, I ate a nice breakfast… what more could a guy want.”

Grandpa Harold was always happy with what he had. He served in with the US navy during WWII. His house burned down.  He lost his first wife who died of cancer leaving him with all the kids to take care of.  Then later he lost another wife who died of a stroke, yet despite this Grandpa always had a smile.

Grandpa Harold loved to say “I am the world’s oldest teenager.” And he lived it. He loved photography and when things went digital he went digital. We bought him a remote control boat which he would play with, and he was always so fascinated to hear about computers, internet, and anything really. Grandpa taught us to always keep our cups half full. There is always so much more to learn, experience, and grow.

Thank you, Grandpa.

Dear Babies,

Have you often felt left out of the Tisha B’Av rituals? Do you feel ignored because your parents refuse to deprive you of food and drink on this holiday of mourning? Do you want to help bring a feeling of mourning into your family’s lives?

NOW YOU CAN!

Just follow these easy steps to help your parents get into that Tisha B’Av mourning spirit!

1) Make a HUGE poopy diaper.  Be sure to poop enough that it squishes at least halfway up your back and down into the toes of your sleeper.

2) When being changed from said huge poopy diaper, squirm as much as possible and flail your arms and legs about. With luck, this will further extend your poopy coating even as far as your head! Be sure to get some on anything near you, especially expensive furniture and the person (or people) attempting to change you.

3) When you are completely clean again, but before a new diaper has been put on, poop some more.  Try your best to get some on the clothing and skin of whoever is changing you – remember, they can’t take a shower or do laundry!

4) Once you are clean and dressed, poop again in your new diaper. Bonus points if you can produce enough to repeat steps 1-3!

5) While you are being changed and nobody is watching your upper half, spit up everywhere. Be sure to coat all of your new clothing, face, and chest.

6) After being changed into clean clothes, pee everywhere. If you are a boy, make sure to aim for as many targets as possible.  Bonus points for hitting yourself (clean clothes and head), any other people in the vicinity, expensive furniture, carpeting, bedsheets, and pillows. This is a great time to practice your range!

7) After being changed again, wait a little while and when nobody is expecting it, spit up some more. Bonus points if you manage to spit up all over an unsuspecting adult.

8 ) Refuse to sleep when you are supposed to.  Wail loudly or whine in the highest pitch possible within human hearing range the entire time.

9) If your mother is exclusively breastfeeding, be sure to eat as much as possible – even more than normal.  This will assist you with steps 1-7!

10) Repeat as many of the above steps as many times as possible throughout the day.   This will help create an atmosphere of true mourning in your home!

PS – For those of you who love when we include photos, aren’t you glad we DIDN’T this time???!

How to Do a Pidyon HaBen

If you have never been to a pidyon haben, the ceremony for the redemption of the firstborn, please watch this video to see what happens!