Rabbi Michael Green's Blog

Life Lessons from an iPhone App

I’ve enjoyed the ability to pull out my iPhone 4 and snap cute moments of my kids or an interesting scene as I’m out and about walking the holy streets of Jerusalem. That said, while there’s seemingly so many iPhone Apps out there that they are becoming hard to find (see this article by Hillel Fuld illustrating this point) the soon to launch iPhone App Lifelapse caught my eye. You see, I don’t view it as simply another iPhone App. Rather, I consider it a Mussar App. The reason for this is because while we all know that Hashem is watching and recording our actions, with the hectic daily schedules we lead it is hard to remember that we still must account for our every move and decision. Ultimately, we will have to account for all of our interpersonal relationships. From the the person we greet in the street to our loved ones at home…we must perform with proper Middos.

March 9, 2011 - Read More (0 Comments) »

JemSem.org Features Rabbi Green’s Article!

Please note: I dedicate this article, Practice Makes Perfect, to my Grandmother of blessed memory: Sylvia (Sima Simcha) Kohn. I believe it is fitting that her Yarhzheit is in the month of Adar, a month in which we are instructed to increase and exude joy. She was a woman who was known by friends and family to truly live each day to its fullest extent. In both name and spirit she personified Simchas HaChaim! Savta, you continue to inspire me! May your memory be forever blessed!

Back in my days of study at Ner Israel Rabbinical College, I would spend some of my free time (a.k.a. Bein HaSedarim) exercising or reading. One of the most revealing books that I read during this time was: Jerusalem Jems: Jerusalem’s Top Educator’s Talk About Issues that Concern You Most. This easy to read work, was compiled by Rabbi Menachem Nissel (author of Women and Tefillah: Perspectives, Laws, and Customs
and Rabbinic Resource for NCSY) from the various articles that appeared for several years on JemSem.org. What I enjoyed then and now about Jerusalem Jems, to the extent that I even highlighted certain pages, was the frankness of the Question and Answer chapter as well as the fact that it was not written from one perspective! Rather, the reader can read the thoughts of anyone ranging from Rabbi Noach Orlowek to Mrs. Chana Silver and yet walk away with clear answers and Hashkafos to contemporary issues—regardless of if you…

February 15, 2011 - Read More (1 Comment) »

Mount Carmel Fire in Tanach!

I was just sent an astonishing email that contained Pesukim! However, before I share the verses with you, a little background is necessary. We all know that Jews living from Efrat to Rosh HaNikrah and from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv have all been watching and praying for the Mount Carmel Wildfire to end. Baruch Hashem, it is now under control! Indeed, the world media has covered this story of what has been the most horrific and tragic fire to wreak havoc in the State of Israel. And yet, we know that nothing that happens in this world is simply by chance…and certainly when it comes to events that take place or effect the Land of Israel. Hence, it’s certainly without coincidence that we will read in the Haftorah portion for Ki Sesei the following words that appear in 1 Kings Chapter 18:

December 6, 2010 - Read More (1 Comment) »

Product Review of The Totally Tanach iPad

As a person who travels for a total of well over a month each year, being able to access Seforim or other types of Jewish content while on an airplane or simply waiting in a terminal, is of vital importance. After all, I am a practicing Rabbi, who upon landing in a particular city, has been called upon to speak at functions ranging from an Engagement Party to a Brit Milah! And so, when the folks at Davka, provided me with the Totally Tanach iPad Application and asked me to test and review it, I was intrigued with the offer and agreed to download their latest iPad App. Overall, I found the Hebrew, English, and Rashi, text(s) to be beautifully crisp and clear. Frankly, the screenshot images of the Totally Tanach iPad App that appear here, do not do it justice!

November 29, 2010 - Read More (2 Comments) »

Jewish Marketing II: Concert Promotion

There used to be a time in which simply hearing about or seeing an advertisment for a Jewish Music Concert was an exciting event! These concerts didn’t just happen ever second… Zoom forward some good two or three decades and you’ll find a plethora of concerts advertised all over the country! There are now Jewish Music Stars performing not just in The Catskills but also on Cruises, Harbor Boats, at Six Flags and at other “out of the box venues.” And so, it’s only fitting that we begin to see a need to better promote these concerts. Hence, it’s interesting to have seen that the latest Ohel Concert, which has featured singers such as MBD, Ohad, and Avraham Fried, decided to do a spin-off of the popular Geico Ads. I must admit, I do not live in America, and haven’t had a chance to see these effective spots…

November 25, 2010 - Read More (1 Comment) »

Jewish Marketing: Tallking Babies!

The use of animated babies who talk or dance in a commercial, let alone an advertising spot is not new. In fact, a quick internet search will lead you to this Wikipedia page. A short perusal of that page will indeed reveal how various television programs or commercials have used babies to sell a product, raise a programs ratings, etc.
Let’s face! Babies are cute and can help move anything from water on up!
Indeed, recently, two baby ads have taken the world by storm. The first such ad, has received several million hits on YouTube and was originally commissioned as a commercial for Evian Water…

August 2, 2010 - Read More (4 Comments) »

Lessons from Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch & Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki, the legendary Silicon Valley venture capitalist and co-founder of AllTop.com, recently wrote, “As a follow-up to the beating heart, researchers at the University of Minnesota have used a similar technique to create breathing lungs in the lab. Lead researcher Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari, associate professor of pediatrics and pulmonary medicine, believes the ‘possibilities are endless’ for using the approach to increase the number of lungs needed for transplant into people with lung cancer and irreversible lung diseases.”

Now, when I see things of this sort or watch these “Lungs” function, the first thing that comes to my head along with the word “awesome” are the words of Tehillim 104:24: “Mah Rabu Masecha Hashem!” I also recall the famous story involving Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch zt”l (for more on his real name see here) and how Rav Hirsch towards the end of his life, made it a point to visit the beautiful French Alps. When asked why he had done so, Rav Hirsch reportedly responded, “after 120 years, when I appear before the Creator of the World and He asks, ‘Samson have you seen the magnificent French Alps?’ I want to be able to answer in the affirmative!”

July 18, 2010 - Read More (1 Comment) »

Chachma from LeBron James & Coach John Wooden

Just last week, the nation turned in to hear where, the self proclaimed, “King James,” a.k.a. LeBron James would decide to play the game of basketball! Indeed, people are still wrapped up in all the hoopla of LeBron James leaving his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, and joing the Miami Heat! However, I’d rather focus on a man who recently passed away, just a few months ago, on June 4th, at the age of 99: Coach John Wooden. Coach Wooden, was someone who in my opinion fulfilled the words of our Sages who teach, “yesh chachma bagoyim” there is wisdom among the nations! Indeed, Rashi also contends that he who truly values wisdom will seek it wherever it can be found. In fact, our Sages even institute a special blessing to be said upon meeting a great non-Jewish scholar. In short, Coach Wooden is the polar opposite of “King James.” For instance, despite receiving other offers throughout the years, he never left his beloved UCLA Basketball Team. Moreover, he was a man of great ethics and principals. However, as related in this Rick Reily ESPN.com Video below, his greatest love was not the game of basketball. Instead, it is and remained, even after she died – his wife. For years on end, he would still write her poetry and cry over his lose of his beloved life companion…