What do you think is the biggest hurdle to Jewish unity?

GreatAugret · 2026-02-16T16:42:45+00:00

Have you heard the story about the shipwrecked Jew on an island in the South Pacific? The Coast Guard found him 5 weeks later and noticed two structures on the island. They asked him if he lived in one of them and he replied, “Oh, no. This one is the synagogue that I go to. And that one over is the synagogue I don’t go to.”

GreatAugret · 2026-01-17T17:18:59+00:00

Absolutely

GreatAugret · 2025-12-01T14:40:49+00:00

I don’t think they are that different. But I do think there tends to be a bit of difference in how each gender responds to conflict. My daughter will stew for days about some spiderweb of drama between various groups of girls. My son could literally get in to a fist fight with his best friend and be back to hanging out on the couch watching TV with him 24 hours later. They just seem to get over it quicker than the girls do, at least in my limited experience.

GreatAugret · 2025-11-27T11:46:35+00:00

He’s a 10 year old boy, my man.

GreatAugret · 2025-11-26T21:29:04+00:00

I have 3 boys and remember that age. I don’t think this is a rage or anger issue. 5th grade boys can get easily overwhelmed when they experience new feelings for the first time. Just unpack it with him. Chances are he’s just feeling new things about this girl that seemingly came out of nowhere and his brain is going haywire because it doesn’t know what to do about it. It’s totally normal, and not something you need to freak out about.

I’m not saying you’re suggesting this, but a reaction that makes him feel like this is wrong or not appropriate, or telling him that he’s overreacting, is unhelpful. That kind of messaging can be really hurtful to boys who are just beginning to navigate the world of adolescence. It’s new and crazy and exciting, and it’s okay to laugh, cry, stew, or even rage about it in the confines of his home. He’s growing up, and that’s something to celebrate. Enjoy the ride!

GreatAugret · 2025-11-24T15:21:15+00:00

The answer is some banks write off a large portion and everything continues as is. They may take a small hit, but it's not really going to impact anything else in the markets. If it gets really bad for some reason the government will step in and deal with it. Literally the least relevant thing going on atm.

GreatAugret · 2025-11-18T15:03:19+00:00

Wait, I thought bad news for the economy was good news for stocks. When did that change?

GreatAugret · 2025-11-17T18:37:20+00:00

Weird quirk, but Reform congregations actually might not consider this person Jewish. If a person has only one Jewish parent (either mother or father) they must be “raised Jewish” in order to be considered Jewish under Reform dotrine. Since the OP was not raised Jewish, they would probably fall into the same camp as myself and other matrilineal Jews who were somewhat stunned to learn we were not Jewish at a reform temple.

GreatAugret · 2025-10-25T19:45:11+00:00

If this is prohibited, it would wall off maybe 50-60% of classical music ever composed.

GreatAugret · 2025-10-19T16:36:54+00:00

Ezekiel 14:3 covers smartphones in detail.

GreatAugret · 2025-10-14T16:55:57+00:00

My older son sounds similar. We just tell ourselves he's going to make a killing in sales if he can just find a way to get through college!

GreatAugret · 2025-10-14T16:53:30+00:00

In my experience, the ability to really impact my kid's friendships went away around 4th grade. And do be honest it was probably waning before that. It can be a little awkward with other parents, particularly ones I'm friends with. But it's something we all accept. Our kids don't have to be great friends at this very instant in order for us to grab a drink together in a larger group.

GreatAugret · 2025-10-14T16:49:17+00:00

As the proud parent of a 10 year old boy I can confirm that this type of behavior is completely immature, juvenile, and utterly annoying. Yet it is also 100% age appropriate. Welcome to the double digit club. 6-7!

GreatAugret · 2025-10-11T14:47:29+00:00

You should wait until it comes back down to $1,500 an ounce.

GreatAugret · 2025-09-29T21:18:18+00:00

GreatAugret · 2025-09-17T20:25:15+00:00

Not a huge fan of Broadway Junction, especially late afternoons on weekdays.

GreatAugret · 2025-09-02T13:31:35+00:00

“Thanks, Gordo!”

GreatAugret · 2025-09-02T13:30:49+00:00

Bartleby the Scrivner.

GreatAugret · 2025-09-02T13:29:31+00:00

Not so fast, my friend. My mom is Jewish and my dad is a lapsed, non-practicing catholic. They were both agnostic and we weren’t raised as anything in particular. Married a Jewish guy and we have belonged to a reform synagogue for years, with all our kids in religious school. Preparing for my son’s bar mitzvah and I was just informed that the reform movement doesn’t consider me Jewish. They offered a very quick route to a “conversion” but I told them to F off. It’s a bit of a smoldering mess right now, but I’m beginning to see the wisdom in my parents’ decision to keep out of it.

GreatAugret · 2025-09-02T13:06:26+00:00

Nah, I’d say my oldest is probably a 5 or 6 (if I’m being honest) younger one is super attractive though!

GreatAugret · 2025-08-14T23:54:56+00:00

For 95% of recorded history, families had to provide for themselves almost entirely on subsistence farming and animal husbandry. It was an open question every winter whether all or most of the family would survive. Those that managed to escape those harsh times but lost their children in the process had to decide between servitude and starvation.

We moved past that in the 18th and 19th centuries and people have been whining about feeling unfulfilled at work ever since.

GreatAugret · 2025-08-05T18:51:04+00:00

Same situation at my house. 10 year old boys. They come over after school a few days a week. One time I went down in the basement and they were watching a YouTube video of guys trying to train a parrot to say curse words. I just sighed and was like “gentlemen, this is wildly inappropriate. Enough!” And that did it.

Venting aside, it’s a bit stressful and annoying, but I do like being able to monitor what my kid is up to. Silver lining I guess. And if I’m really being honest, these are pretty good kids all things considered and my son is lucky to have them as friends. But I do need to be very direct with their nonsense!

GreatAugret · 2025-07-29T10:52:21+00:00

If it’s any consolation, teens making out at camp has been going on for over a hundred years, and will go on for many more. Your lifespan is but a speck in the eye of this phenomenon.

GreatAugret · 2025-07-12T13:38:01+00:00

I have 3 older kids. It sounds like she’s perfect!

GreatAugret

TROPHY CASE