Zach Shapiro

Los Angeles

Columnist at Jewish Journal (Los Angeles)

Spiritual leader of Temple Akiba of Culver City, CA. Dedicated to harnessing moments in time. #momentintime

Articles

A Moment in Time: “Smile Wrinkles”

1 week ago | jewishjournal.com | Zach Shapiro

”What are those?” Eli asked, pointing to the grooves on my face. ”Smile wrinkles,” I responded. “Stop smiling,” he instructed. I stopped smiling. ”The wrinkles are still there, daddy.”I laughed. I wear them with pride. They reveal experiences and journeys. They are badges of endurance and perseverance. They are reflections of my soul, and they are projections of my mission in life – that is, to help bring goodness into the world. Yes, I admit to using anti-aging creams.
”There Shall be One Law for the Citizen and the Stranger”

2 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | Zach Shapiro

Dear all,With the demonstrations and protests shaking the core of Los Angeles, I have been thinking deeply about a value in Judaism that appears four times in Torah:1) “There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger that lives among you” (Exodus 12:49)2) “You shall have one law for the foreigner and for the native born” (Leviticus 24:22)3) “There shall be one law for you, whether stranger or citizen of the country” (Numbers 9:14).
A Moment in Time: “While Standing on One Foot”

3 weeks ago | jewishjournal.com | Zach Shapiro

Dear all,Eli got a teeny tiny fracture over the weekend that required the use of crutches for a couple of days. As he stood there on one foot, I took the opportunity to teach him a Talmudic lesson about Rabbi Hillel. (I will offer the abbreviated version. For the fuller midrash, click this link!)Hillel was once asked if it was possible to learn all of Torah while standing on one foot. Hillel responded:”What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah.
A Moment in Time: “Becoming a Jewish Professional - To Teach, To Reach, and to Touch”

1 month ago | jewishjournal.com | Zach Shapiro

Dear all,Last week I had the honor of confirming degrees at the Los Angeles Graduation Ceremony of the Hebrew Union College. Prior to my own Ordination in 1997, I received my Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters from HUC in 1996. And just a few years ago, I received my Honorary Doctorate, having served in the rabbinate for 25 years. I love being a rabbi. I love the opportunity to bring goodness into the world through the treasures of Judaism.
We Don’t Need a Resolution. We Need Resolve.

1 month ago | jewishjournal.com | Zach Shapiro

Dear all,A letter I wrote will soon be published in the Culver City Observer. I share it here as I believe we all need to think deeply and act appropriately regarding Israel and the Middle East. I am concerned, as there are many who want Culver City to issue a cease fire resolution. On the surface, this would be extraordinary. But dig a little, and the language many use when calling for a cease-fire targets Israel as the worst offender of the most vile of the worlds atrocities.
A Moment in Time: “What would You Do with One Extra Hour?”

1 month ago | jewishjournal.com | Zach Shapiro

Dear all,We’ve all dreamed about having more time in the day. More time to do what we really want. More time to catch up. More time to tune out. (More time to tune in?)The Jewish calendar actually provides this once a week. While Shabbat begins at sunset each Friday, it doesn’t end at sunset on Saturday. It ends when we can see three stars in the sky.
A Moment in Time: “Harnessing Joy”

1 month ago | jewishjournal.com | Zach Shapiro

Dear all,Over the weekend, I set myself up in my home office to do some “very important things.”No sooner did I begin responding to emails, Maya came in and sat herself on my lap. “Maya, dear, I really need to get a few things done.”“Daddy, but you’re home. I’m home. What do you really need to do?”She had a point. We spent that moment in time harnessing joy with one another. Friends – joy is everywhere. We open our eyes, our hearts, and our souls. It may be a loved one. It may be rain falling.
Israel Independence: The Reality of Security

1 month ago | jewishjournal.com | Zach Shapiro

Dear all,One of our members recently noticed that Temple Akiba is the only congregation in Culver City that does not have our front doors open for entrance. It’s a sad secuity reality. And it is not new. My mom sent the photo here, taken from her seat on EL AL as it was preparing for departure from Zurich to Tel Aviv in 1970. She took the photo to highlight the security surrounding the plane. (Just two years prior, an El Al plane had been hijacked, and the era of air piracy began).
A Moment in Time: “Breaking the Limit”

2 months ago | jewishjournal.com | Zach Shapiro

Dear all,My car lets me know when I’m going over the speed limit. So do my kids. Here I was going 38 in a 35 zone. ”Daddy, you’re breaking the law and you might get a ticket and go to jail.” Eli said. ”Don’t worry, daddy,” Maya chimed. “I’ll visit you and bring you a sandwich.”The very nature of humanity is breaking boundaries. Without reaching for the fruit, we would still be in the Garden of Eden. Without yearning for freedom, we would still be slaves in Egypt.
Counting or Harnessing the Days?"

2 months ago | jewishjournal.com | Zach Shapiro

Dear all,When I first saw Maya’s hands, I began to worry, “Yikes, PLEASE don’t schmutz up anything!”But I then realized … Someday I will look back at this tender moment in time wistfully, yearning for the wonderment that comes with parenting a young child. Ten sticky fingers. Ten incredible reasons to harness time. This season between the Festivals of Passover and Shavuot, Jews traditionally count off each day with a measurement of barley.