Adam Simon

I don’t often speak about life after death, or death at all for that matter. I guess it isn’t the most relatable topic for teens…but I do often speak about Mesorah (the chain of Torah transmission) and I received the idea that follows from my Rabbi and Teacher, Rav Chaim Eisenstein, who in turn recieved [...]

This is a program I designed as part of the Silence Your Ego program I developed with my students and West Coast NCSY. Goal: To get students thinking about humility and inter-personal relationships. Materials: Silence Your Ego papers (available here:  http://silenceyourego.tumblr.com) Pens Camera/Smart Phone Activity: Pass out the papers, face down, and ask the students to write [...]

The pasuk (and popular song) in Tehillim [100:2] says: “עִבְדוּ אֶת-יְהוָה בְּשִׂמְחָה;    בֹּאוּ לְפָנָיו, בִּרְנָנָה – Serve God with Simcha (happiness); come before him B’renana (song)” What is the significance of the two halves of this pasuk? Why does one serve God with happiness, but come before Him in song? The word Simcha, connotes a [...]

This past Purim I had an amazing Seudah with some incredible Chaverim and some very interesting questions came up, specifically regarding the idea that anytime the word “Hamelech” is used without the name Achashverosh, it signifies a double meaning and is also talking about Hashem. Two questions were raised at the Seudah, and I think [...]

My two year old son loves to fix things. He has his own tool bag full of tools, he has a hammer, a few screwdrivers, some nails, a drill and many more…he probably has more tools than the average Jewish male. Whenever my dad comes to town, they sit for hours “fixing” little things around [...]