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Esther in the Workplace

March 22, 2024

Wherever I go, I try to make time for our JGO alumni. Last Thursday night in Los Angeles, I grabbed dinner with an alumnus from 10 years ago. On Monday in San Francisco, I grabbed coffee with an alumnus from 12 years ago.

Still a Piano Man at Heart

March 15, 2024

I recently listened to an interview with the legendary Billy Joel and something he said really struck me.

Saying Good Shabbos to Rambo

January 24, 2024

This past Friday night was a huge milestone for our organization. To kick off spring semester in the spirit of Jewish solidarity, we held a JGO Shabbat Across America with big Shabbat dinners simultaneously in five different cities

JGO Fall 2023 Semester in Review

December 20, 2023

With most of our students now headed home for winter break, our community can breathe a collective sigh of relief from the most tense semester on campus JGO has ever experienced. We’re using this pause to reflect on Fall 2023 and update you...

Keep on Spinning

December 10, 2023

It takes a lot to shock me, but on the first night of Hanukkah my teenage daughter succeeded (in a good way).At the dinner table, we were discussing the difficult situation on campus. One of our daughters piped up and said...

Does Antisemitism Depend on the Context?

December 6, 2023

For the last eight weeks, our organization has engaged in hundreds of conversations with our constituency about what makes Jewish students on campus feel vulnerable. The surprising pattern emerging is that whether a particular campus feels unsafe...

Ignoring the Noise, Giving Thanks

November 22, 2023

A year ago, JGO ditched our expensive office lease and joined a coworking space. It’s great, except for some reason they play medium volume music 24/7. A lot of Top 100, electronic music, sometimes 80s pop, the occasional Celine Dion....

1 Month Later: JGO Campus Update and How You Can Help

November 14, 2023

From the White House, to Wall Street, to Ivy League boardrooms, everyone is talking about Jewish students on campus and what to do to help them. Far fewer are those talking with Jewish students on campus about what to do to help them.

The On-Ramp: Our Vision Comes Together

November 12, 2023

This past week I attended our JGO Connect mixer in New York City. We welcomed over 200 law students and attorneys, many of whom were brand new to us. I met students who told me that it was their very first Jewish event since undergrad ...

Jew vs. TikTok?

November 8, 2023

When I was a freshman in college, I took a debate class. The final debate was on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I was appointed to the Israel side, and my opponent was a well-known supporter of the Palestinian cause. We both prepared vigorously...

Re-evaluating Our Friendships

November 1, 2023

For the first time in most of our lifetimes, Jews in the United States are experiencing palpable fear about their identity, compounded by shock about how their fear has been dismissed (or worse, stoked) by some of those they considered friends. ...

My Classmate the Anti-Semite

October 27, 2023

For the first time in my 17 years as a rabbi in the field, every major media outlet and politician is talking about Jewish students on campus. The story of campus antisemitism has blown up way beyond our little Jewish nonprofit world ...

Dancing Through Our Tears

October 23, 2023

As many have, I’ve experienced a rollercoaster of emotions these past few weeks. Devastated over our horrific losses. Worried about our family in Israel and the stability of the entire world. Uneasy about our community’s safety ...

Meet the Grad Students Facing Antisemitism, and How You Can Help Them

October 20, 2023

I just got back from NYC this morning, where I spent time with our students at several campuses that have faced issues over these last two weeks. Many of us are well aware that antisemitism has been steadily rising in this country ...

Feeling Jewish

October 17, 2023

I first heard about last weekend’s massacres in Israel while in synagogue. While walking home, I grappled with what and how I should share this devastating news with our daughters. Should I reveal the extent of what happened? Or shield them ...

We Won't Be Bullied

October 13, 2023

“Sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never hurt you.” For anyone that was bullied as a kid, we know this isn’t true. Bones heal, but wounds of the heart can last forever ...

Security Update

October 12, 2023

There are a million thoughts floating around in my mind about what to share with our students right now. Unfortunately, the most necessary one at the moment is simple: stay safe ...

Update: Israel Crisis Comes to Campus

October 10, 2023

The last few days have been harrowing for the entire Jewish community, but I wanted to specifically update you on what's been happening on the campuses JGSI operates on throughout North America ...

JGSI/JGO Message on Situation in Israel

October 9, 2023

The events that have taken place in the last 36 hours in Israel are absolutely shocking and horrifying and the numbers of Jewish people killed are staggering. My heart is so heavy ...

The Shop Around the Corner Closes

September 14, 2023

For the last 99 years, my wife’s family has owned a men's clothing store in Boro Park, Brooklyn, New York called “Wallach’s.” Aliza grew up in this store – her grandmother would have her ring up customers when she was a little kid ...

Kobe Went Right Back to Work

August 30, 2023

There’s a story about Kobe Bryant’s legendary work ethic that always stood out to me: After signing a $130 million contract to extend his career with the Lakers, Kobe just said “Let’s get to work,” and headed to the practice facility right after ...

Cardi B. and Her Jewish Lawyers

August 11, 2023

It seems like every week or so another celebrity gets in trouble for saying something on social media that’s either definitely, possibly, potentially, almost, or not really antisemitic. Each time this happens ...

AI vs. Rabbi

July 21, 2023

I recently read about a Rabbi who shocked his congregation by announcing that the sermon he just delivered was written by ChatGPT. A cute stunt that begs an important question: could AI ever replace Rabbis? ...

JGSI 2022-23 Update: A Year of Growth and Evolution

June 22, 2023

As our family packs their suitcases for our humid summer living experience in my hometown of NYC, I’m thinking back to the truly amazing school year that just ended. I’m thrilled to present you with this summary of JGSI’s accomplishments ...

Uber for grad students?

June 8, 2023

Sometimes being a father to teenage daughters is very similar to driving an Uber:They want it to be automatic and easy. For example, when they ask me to drop them off at the mall, I try not to ask too many questions ...

George the Piano Mover

May 24, 2023

I was recently driving down the highway when I noticed a truck alongside me that was labeled: “George the Piano Mover.” I loved how I didn’t need any more information than that. What does George move? Pianos. Just pianos ...

Our Own Haggadah

April 5, 2023

Like many Jews around the world, these past few nights I’ve been up late preparing for Passover. We make a big JGSI Seder here in Los Angeles, in addition to the dozens of Passover Seders we organize for grad students on campuses ...

We've Got Depth!

March 17, 2023

As a Rabbi, I’m often consulted by our alumni about their relationship issues. One complaint I’m hearing a lot lately is that the other person in the relationship “just hasn’t got enough depth.” This is usually a little ironic ...

Too Quick to Judge

February 28, 2023

One of my family’s favorite things about Shabbat is hosting guests from literally all walks of life. I love showing our kids the breadth and depth of the mosaic of Jewish community today ...

Finding Your Roots, or Rejecting Them?

February 16, 2023

On the treadmill recently, I came across a great show: “Finding Your Roots” hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. on PBS. If you aren’t familiar, Gates does genealogical research to uncover the lost family histories of his celebrity guests ...

An Update on Our Progress

February 10, 2023

I am excited to update you on the remarkable growth and progress JGSI has experienced since the beginning of this academic year!Thanks to our dedicated supporters, staff, and student volunteers, JGSI once again shattered all previous records ...

My Secret Admiration for Xmas

December 8, 2022

As the father to five daughters, I get dragged into shopping often. So for 11 months of the year, I avoid malls at all costs. But come December, I actually look for any excuse I can to walk around a mall. (No, it’s not the holiday sales.) ...

Pardoning the Turkey

November 24, 2022

The annual ritual of the President of the United States pardoning a Thanksgiving turkey has always fascinated me. Why is the president pardoning a turkey? What has the turkey done to need a pardon in the first place? What happens to the turkey ...

From Startup to Scale Up

November 17, 2022

For the past 11 years, JGSI’s growth has been miraculous. From one initiative in Los Angeles, we’ve expanded to 130 grad schools around North America. And during this increasingly difficult time for Jewish students on campus ...

Kanye and Jewish Vulnerability

November 7, 2022

I've been traveling a lot the last few weeks, visiting grad campuses, student leaders and friends of our organization. In these meetings I could talk JGSI all day and night, and because of my love for what I do I almost never tire of it! But ...

Yom Kippur 2022: Never Stop Growing

October 4, 2022

Back in high school, I loved every second of playing for the school basketball team. Despite my lack of innate talent, I always laid everything I had on the floor and constantly tried to become a better player. But during senior year ...

A Home for Jewish Grad Students

September 9, 2022

I’m from Brooklyn, New York. When people today picture Brooklyn, they think of hipsters living in converted warehouses under the Williamsburg Bridge, craft breweries, and Michelin-star restaurants.But the part of Brooklyn where I grew up ...

Are We "Big Enough"?

August 2, 2022

I recently met with a foundation who, after hearing about JGSI’s massive expansion and growth over the last 11 years, told me they wouldn't help us because we aren’t “big enough”. When I asked what that meant, they responded ...

Summer of George

June 29, 2022

When, in the classic Seinfeld episode “Summer of George”, George Costanza finds himself unemployed and out of a relationship once again, he decides to make the summer all about himself – so he will be free to learn how to play frisbee golf and ...

Not Just the CEO

June 10, 2022

Back in the 80s there used to be these commercials for Hair Club for Men, where at the end the CEO would come on and say, “By the way, I’m not just the president – I’m also a client.” Thankfully I still have my hair, but today I can relate ...

JGSI End of Semester Update

May 24, 2022

I hope you are well! As the 2021-22 academic year draws to a close, we are excited to update you on another semester of growth and success for JGSI. This year (like the two before it) has been a crazy ride ...

The Fresh Prince of Egypt

April 14, 2022

Like most Americans my age, I can rattle off all the lyrics to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme at the drop of a hat. So the "slap heard around the world" the other week really bothered me on so many levels ...

For a Time Like This

March 17, 2022

A courageous Jewish leader reaches the halls of power in the most unlikely of ways and saves a nation. A wicked villain with a fragile ego, hellbent on destruction. Persia c. 4th Century BCE, or Ukraine 2022? In recent years ...

Elevating My Elevator Pitch

February 18, 2022

When JGSI launched in 2011, I was the only employee, and solely responsible for “selling” our idea to the general public. I had never been successful at selling anything to anyone in my life (not even reams of copy paper to law firms) ...

Worst. Year. Ever? JGSI End of Semester Update

December 27, 2021

I saw a headline yesterday that according to some random survey, half of Americans believe 2021 was the worst year ever! Without ignoring the vast number of challenges the past year has brought ...

The Light Back Home

December 1, 2021

I just returned home from an incredibly special trip to Israel with Shira, our second daughter, for her Bat Mitzvah. We had waited over a year since her COVID "drive-by" celebration and finally found a window when we could get into the country ...

My Retirement from Comedy

November 18, 2021

My entire life I dreamed about being a comedian. When we started JGSI 10 years ago, I was an idealistic but clueless kid who at times relied on making inappropriate jokes because I was self-conscious ...

The Proof Is in the Pudding

November 10, 2021

How can we prove that a nonprofit is doing its job? In the old days of behemoth organizations with institutionalized foundation grants, it didn’t really matter as long as the gala banquet was a success. This didn’t serve the Jewish community well ...

My Stolen Tefillin and the Power of a Good Deed

October 27, 2021

About a month ago, I scheduled an in-and-out day trip to San Francisco filled with meetings with students, alumni and friends of JGSI. I took the earliest flight, and made my way to my favorite nook in the United SFO terminal to wrap my tefillin ...

"The will must be stronger than the skill": JGSI Fall Update

October 15, 2021

As a nonprofit CEO I’m always thinking about what it takes for an organization to be successful today. Muhammad Ali once said that to be a successful fighter, you need both will and skill, but “the will must be stronger than the skill.” ...

Growth Through Rejection this Rosh Hashanah

September 3, 2021

Every year before the High Holidays, I spend time thinking about the year that has passed and the year ahead. I think about everything: the important things, the little things, the goals, the achievements and the failures ...

Where to Next?

August 10, 2021

Warren Buffet once said, “Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” Right now, JGSI has just finished planting a whole forest! After reaching - and then exceeding - our June goal ...

The Cost of Traveling Jewish

July 23, 2021

In 2017, I stopped wearing a yarmulke on airplanes. No, not because of antisemitism. Here's what happened: At the end of a long week traveling for work, I finally nestled into my economy-minus middle seat on the last leg before I reached home ...

Mazal Tov from 1 to 100!

June 21, 2021

I wanted to share the good news with you that as of today, JGSI has just taken on providing Jewish programming to our 100th grad campus! Along this “road to 100” we made sure to expand deliberately and carefully ...

The Last Man on Zoom

May 31, 2021

As the pandemic zooms away in our collective rear-view window (pun intended), I keep getting exciting emails from friends like: “Vaccinated? Let's grab lunch or coffee soon?”I disappointedly respond: “How about we meet up on Zoom?”“ ...

Passover: Questioning Ourselves

March 26, 2021

It’s hard for my wife and I to believe, but our eldest daughter will be entering ninth grade this Fall, and for the last four months the three of us have been obsessing over the question of which high school she will attend ...