In just over a week, on September 13th, will be the annual celebration of Character Day created by my friend Tiffany Shlain. In… READ MORE
I was just in the kitchen when Yishama our 11 year old walked in proclaiming that he is bored. I… READ MORE
At camp, we unplug in order to connect. If the experience of Jewish summer camp is about anything, it is… READ MORE
We can’t wait to hear about the moments of intentional character development you create for your campers, staff, students, parents,… READ MORE
Today more then ever the world needs our grit to help in persistence in the resistance. We need to persevere,… READ MORE
But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then erase me out of the book you have written.
~ Exodus 32:32
My name is Rabbi Avi Katz Orlow. I have always had a deep love for the Jewish people and making the world a better place. It was while building community in the Former Soviet Union for YUSSR that I realized the transformative power of being a rabbi. After spending time learning in Israel, I moved to New York to be a charter student in Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, the Open Orthodox Seminary. After graduating in 2004 until 2008 I served as the Rabbi and ran the program at St. Louis Hillel at Washington University. Now I have the great pleasure of thinking about how Judaism is seriously fun. In my mind I am up at camp every day in my work at the Foundation for Jewish Camp. My wife, Cantor Adina Frydman, and I are the proud parents of Yadid, Yishama, Emunah, and Libi.
Said to Myself
When my son Yadid was four years old he came home from daycare and reported to me that he got into trouble. He got put into timeout for throwing sand at another child. Yadid said,” Myself said to myself, I do not want to be in timeout. Myself said to my cry, I do not want to cry”. And with that we started a conversation about his conscious life. It seemed only fitting to continue that conversation with a blog with the same name.
אָמַרְתִּי אֲנִי בְּלִבִּי
My son spoke in the words of Ecclesiastes, “I said in my heart: ‘Come now, I will try you with mirth, and enjoy pleasure’; and, behold, this also was vanity.” (Kohelet 2:1) My mission is to model a life that is personally meaningful, universally relevant, and distinctly Jewish. I aspire to be frank and to speak of Torah in real life.