Self-Confidence and Resilience Center

09/28/2025

The Real Yom Kippur. From Life Under a Bridge to a Business Degree

My psychotherapy client Jesse, 31, is a recovering he**in addict. Her mother is a co***ne addict. Jesse does not know who her father is.
At age 10 she was forced to find a place to live as her
mother was incapable of looking after her and her 2 year old
brother. Jesse had no relatives and became a street-child. To
find shelter she stole a tent from a local supply store and lived
under a bridge for two years with her brother. She became
a professional thief and stole food, supplies, blankets, gen-
erators and heaters, from local stores. No one suspected her
as she would go shopping with her little brother and place
diapers on top of the food and shelter items in her shopping
basket and would simply walk out of the store. She would
drop off her brother at day-care as if her mother sent her to
drop him off. After two years living under the bridge, she
and her brother entered the foster care system.

At 30 she entered therapy and is working on transforming her life. She is highly intelligent and graduated high school with a GED, is completing a
business degree at university while on methadone.

Jesse is us on Yom Kippur.

When we recite AL CHET and tap our hearts, it must not be physical punishment. You should not hear a sound when you tap your heart. It should be a silent tap of encouragement.

Rav Chaim Vital explains in Sha’arei Kedusha that we are composed of three layers:
Nefesh — the body and basic instincts.
Ruach — the emotions and free will, the seat of moral choice.
Neshama — intellect and connection to the Divine.

The gentle tapping of the heart is saying, “I am good, and I can be better.”

Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:2 tells us: “Open for Me the gate of your heart, like the eye of a needle, and I will open for you gates wide enough for wagons.” Even a small movement toward good opens vast potential. You cannot repent from a place of self-condemnation. We grow only by recognizing and building on our goodness.

Neuroscience confirms what Chazal teach. The brain’s prefrontal cortex — responsible for moral choice and self-control — responds to encouragement, not punishment. Shaming activates the amygdala, increasing anxiety and fear, which shuts down learning circuits. Positive affirmation activates dopamine pathways, making it easier to change, to choose good.

Growth comes from being uplifted, not put down. Yom Kippur awakens the heart gently, so it can choose better tomorrow.

Yom Kippur is a day of empowerment. Each prayer, each confession, each gentle heart tap is a reminder: I am capable of better choices. We are not erasing our past mistakes; we are realigning our ruach with the neshamah.

When you strike your heart for AL CHET, do it gently. Imagine uplifting your emotional self, not punishing it.

By softly uplifting the heart, we honor the Divine gift of free will, we strengthen our capacity to choose good, and we make today a day of positive transformation.

08/24/2025

Fool Us Once in Germany, in 1933, Shame on You. Fool World Jewry Twice, in 2025, Shame on Us.

Even in stable democracies, Jewish communities often assume their safety is guaranteed. Synagogues thrive, Jewish schools operate behind security gates with armed guards, and Jewish leaders excel in politics, business, medicine, and the arts. Routine government condemnations after antisemitic attacks reinforce the false belief that Jewish life is secure. But history shows that legal rights and social acceptance do not guarantee protection when extremist movements gain legitimacy.

European current events offer a stark warning. Austria’s Freedom Party (FPÖ), a N**i-linked movement, has repeatedly captured over a quarter of the national vote. Germany’s AfD holds significant parliamentary influence, with members promoting Holocaust-revisionist ideas. Hungary’s Jobbik and Poland’s Confederation openly campaign on anti-Jewish, ultranationalist platforms while holding real legislative power. These are not fringe agitators—they shape laws, policy, and public discourse. Assimilation and integration have historically proved no shield when extremists entered the halls of power.

In the U.S., far-right extremist groups like the Proud Boys, Boogaloo, A***n Freedom Network, and the Three Percenters intersect with mainstream politics, sometimes inspiring deadly violence. On the left, radical elements such as the Squad have supported policies and rhetoric aligned with BDS and, Mandami’s antisemitic campaign, show that antisemitism is gaining political support.

Canada's People’s Party of Canada, the Canadian Nationalist Party, and the Maverick Party normalize populist, xenophobic rhetoric. Even when electoral influence is limited, these movements shape public opinion and social tolerance for hatred.

The consequences are real. Synagogue and community murderous attacks—Pittsburgh, Poway, Jersey City, Monsey,—demonstrate that Jewish life is targeted. BDS-aligned divestment resolutions in city councils, show how antisemitism can cloak itself in ideology or “human-rights advocacy.” Comfort and visibility alone are no guarantee of safety.
Complacency is dangerous. Jewish communities must act:

Invest in security for synagogues, schools, and events.

Engage politically—vote and file legal action to protect Jews.

Build coalitions with other minority and civic groups to amplify opposition to hate.

Educate the next generation on Jewish history and promote Jewish identity.

Speak out against antisemitism, whether it comes from the right or left.

Train for personal safety—preparedness is not paranoia.

German Jews once believed they were untouchable. When radicals gained power, their trust ended in tragedy. We must not repeat that mistake. Fool me once in Germany—shame on them. Fool world Jewry again, in 2025, shame on us.

Let’s start a dialogue of best practices about what you are personally doing to stand up for your Jewishness and Jewish civil rights.

08/03/2025

Our Response to Antisemitism

Today is the Ninth of Av, a day of mourning for the atrocities committed against the Jewish people since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. One million Jews were killed by the Romans, leading to the Jewish Diaspora:

132–136 CE: Bar Kochba Revolt. 580,000 Jews killed by Rome.

250 CE: Roman Persecutions. Forced conversion and ex*****on.

339 CE: Rome Synagogue Destruction – Constantias' II banned intermarriage, destroyed synagogues.

415 CE: Alexandria Pogrom – Thousands of Jews killed.

535 CE: Yemenite Massacre – Tens of thousands of Jews killed by Christian Aksumites.

613 CE: Visigothic Spain – Forced conversions, killings, slavery.

721 CE: Umayyad Oppression – Heavy taxation, humiliation.

876 CE: Córdoba Massacre – Hundreds murdered by mobs.

938 CE: Fatimid Egypt – Confiscation of Jewish property.

1096 CE: First Crusade – 10,000 Jews slaughtered.

1190 CE: York, England Massacre – 150 Jews committed su***de to avoid forced baptism.

1236 CE: Anjou Massacres – 3,000 Jews killed by Crusaders.

1348–1351 CE: Black Death Pogroms – Jews blamed for plague; 200 communities destroyed.

1492 CE: Spanish Expulsion – 200,000 Jews forced to convert, flee, or die.

1510 CE: Berlin Expulsion – Jews expelled; Torah books burned.

1648–1657 CE: Khmelnitsky Massacres – 100,000 Jews killed, Ukraine, Poland.

1768 CE: Uman Massacre – 20,000 Jews murdered by Haidamak Cossacks.

1881–1884 CE: Russian Pogroms – Mob violence after Tsar’s assassination; hundreds killed.

1941–1945 CE: The Holocaust – Six million Jews systematically exterminated by N**i Germany.

2023 CE: Hamas October 7 Massacre – 1,200 Israelis murdered, 251 kidnapped.

Why this endless persecution?

The Jewish people introduced Torah and conscience to the world, becoming targets of resentment. Jews became scapegoats—accused of sorcery, greed, and plague. Without a state, Jews were at the mercy of despots. Economic marginalization and social exclusion birthed ongoing antisemitic conspiracy myths and blood libels.

What should our response be to 2,000 years of murder and exile?

King Solomon provides two options:

A time to keep silent, and a time to speak…Ecclesiastes 3:7

One path leads to silent mourning and assimilation. The other to resistance, rebuilding, and hope.

Our response is to follow the Gush Katif farmers, who, in the 1980s were pioneers in transforming Gaza’s salty, barren soil into fertile ground using advanced agricultural techniques. They refined modern, sweet cherry tomatoes and cultivated them in the harshest environment, turning salt and sand into sweetness.

From the most bitter and unyielding challenges can come unexpected and lasting sweetness.

Our answer to antisemitism? Be more Jewish. They hate the Torah—study it. Taste its sweetness. They destroy, we build. They reject conscience—we live by it.

I will set you up with a study partner. Learn what they try to erase.

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

07/31/2025

Thank God for Antisemitism

Antisemitism, however deplorable, serves as an important counterpoint, revealing the stark difference between Jewish values and those of the violent forces opposing them.

Many anti-Israel protests have turned violent. Demonstrators have been seen burning Israeli flags, chanting slogans of “death to America, death to Israel” and advocating for the destruction of the Jewish state. Jews have been beaten. These actions starkly contrast with the peaceful, nonviolent philosophies espoused by figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., both of whom dedicated their lives to achieving justice through peaceful means based on the Torah’s view, “Justice, Justice shall you pursue.” Deuteronomy 16:20.

Western government’s claims of "moral equivalency" between Israel’s defense against terrorism and unprovoked violence against civilian Jews in Israel and around the world is absurd. France, Canada and the UK fail to address the growing antisemitism within their own borders and have allowed violence against Jewish communities to proliferate unchecked, all while endorsing or remaining silent in the face of rhetoric that equates Israel’s actions in defending itself, with terrorism. This is not merely a passive act of indifference; it is complicity.

In their silence or inaction on violence against Jews in their own countries, these Western governments are sending a message that violence against Jews is tolerable, all while condemning Israel for defending itself against terrorism.

Despite being the most moral army in the world, many pro Hamas activists and organizations claim that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are committing genocide against Palestinians. By contrast, these activists rarely focus on the actions of Hamas, which targets civilians, uses human shields, and steal humanitarian aid. The fake news accusation of genocide, is not grounded in fact but in the age-old antisemitic narrative that seeks to delegitimize the Jewish state and portray Jews as inherently evil.

There was a famous exchange between a Jewish prisoner in Auschwitz and a N**i officer, in which the officer taunts the prisoner by asking, "Where is your god now?" The Jewish prisoner replied, "I would rather be me, than you. "

In Mein Kampf, Adolf Hi**er writes, "It is true we are barbarians. The Jews have inflicted two wounds on mankind: circumcision on his body, and conscience on his soul. The war for world domination is between the Jew and the German. All else is but deception." Antisemitism still seeks to annihilate the Jewish people today.

Antisemitic depravity, built on lies and unfounded hatred, stands in stark contrast to the moral clarity of Jews who are building a thriving democracy, and contribute to the betterment of humanity.

In this light, we may indeed thank God for antisemitism—not for its existence, but for the clarity it provides in distinguishing between the values mankind must cherish, and the moral abyss we must reject.

06/29/2025

CHUKAT: HOW TO LIVE FOREVER...AND DISCOVERY OF THE PALACE OF ACHASHVEROSH IN SUSHAN IN SOUTHERN IRAN -

Keep your kids looking forward to Shabbos by making the Parsha come alive! Get the whole family engaged in a lively Torah discussion with Picture the Parsha, now distributed to 1600 schools and communities around the world---courtesy of  the Young Israel...and going viral....Bring color copies...

06/27/2025

A Call to Action for Every Person of Peace– Speak Up for True Peace

In every generation, the Jewish people have faced threats from those who seek our harm—not just with weapons, but with ideology and state-sponsored terror. Today, Iran remains the primary engine of that hatred, funneling billions into Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis—groups whose stated mission is to destroy Israel and destabilize the region.

As Jews, we must not stay silent while the world considers rewarding Iran with a new nuclear deal, without demanding the most basic condition for peace: an end to funding terror.

President Donald J. Trump, who has already demonstrated boldness on behalf of Israel and Middle East peace, is once again in a position to act. But he needs to hear from us—the Jewish voice, united and strong and from seekers of peace of every faith.

We must urge him to make Iran’s complete cessation of funding to terror groups a non-negotiable precondition to any future agreement. There must be US oversight of dismantling the terror funding network. This is not only a policy stance—it is a moral imperative.

Let us stand up and write to President Trump, and insist: Real peace starts when the terror ends. This is the true Peace Prize he must seek—a legacy not of temporary treaties, but of lasting moral clarity.

Sample Letter to Send to President Trump

Subject: A Precondition for Peace – Stop Iran’s Funding of Terror

Dear President Trump,
Thank you for your continued support of Israel and your bold leadership on global security. As a concerned citizen, I urge you to make Iran’s complete and verifiable end to terror funding—specifically to Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis—a required condition for any new nuclear agreement. No deal should proceed while Iran empowers those who target civilians and threaten peace across the region. Real peace demands moral courage, and we trust in your strength to pursue it.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your City, Country]

Where to Send Your Letter
White House online contact form: https://lnkd.in/e4xA4Z56

06/25/2025

The Shema Yisrael Project: A Daily Global Declaration of Faith and Unity

On October 7, the Jewish people witnessed a day of tragedy, trial, and profound transformation. In the wake of devastating attacks, the State of Israel was thrust into yet another existential moment. And yet—against the darkness—miracles began to unfold. The resilience of Israel’s heroic soldiers, the defeat of Hezbollah and Iran, the unity of the Israeli people, the outpouring of support from Jews around the globe: these are not just political or military phenomena—they are spiritual awakenings which mirror the spiritual renewal engendered by the Six Day War.

Recently, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalled two deeply personal moments: one at Auschwitz during the March of the Living, and another just hours before Israel's historic defensive strike on Iran. In both moments, he wrapped himself in a tallit and declared:

“Shema Yisrael, Hashem Eloheinu, Hashem Echad.”
“Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.”

This ancient proclamation from the Torah has been the Jewish people’s spiritual lifeline for millennia. It was whispered by those walking into Auschwitz, prayed by IDF soldiers since 1948 as they went to war, and declared in synagogues across the globe. It connects Jews not only to God but to each other—across continents, generations, and ideologies.
It is time to renew that connection.

I propose the creation of the Worldwide Shema Yisrael Project: a global initiative inviting every Jew—regardless of denomination, location, or background—to say the Shema once per day, as an intentional act gratitude to God, prayer for continued Divine Providence, and Jewish unity.

The Goal:
To Acknowledge Miracles
Since October 7, countless acts of heroism, survival, and national restoration have reminded us that Israel’s continued existence is nothing short of miraculous. The daily Shema becomes our collective thank-you to God for guiding us through the fire.

To Strengthen Jewish Unity
While geopolitics may divide, faith unites. The Shema transcends party, nationality, or ideology. Saying it daily as a global people reconnects us with our shared identity.

To Inspire a Spiritual Awakening
In moments of fear and triumph, Jews instinctively turn to God. The Shema Yisrael Project offers a simple spiritual discipline to elevate our days and remind us of the Divine Presence that guides and protects.

To Honor the Fallen and Uplift the Living
From the victims of terror to the defenders of Israel, we dedicate our prayers not only to memory but to mission—to continue living Jewish lives filled with purpose, courage, and faith.

I call upon every Jew to make a daily commitment for 7 days to say the Shema once a day with intention.

Global Synchronization: A coordinated hour (e.g., 8:00 PM Israel time, 1 PM ET) when Jews around the world can say the Shema together, creating a wave of spiritual unity.

Join the declaration: One God. One People. One voice—every day.

06/22/2025

KORACH: One GOD and One Leader...and... BEAMS FROM FIRST TEMPLE FOUND -

Keep your kids looking forward to Shabbos by making the Parsha come alive! Get the whole family engaged in a lively Torah discussion with Picture the Parsha, now distributed to 1600 schools and communities around the world---courtesy of  the Young Israel...and going viral....Bring color copies...