Author Archives: dancingdinosaur

Dahlia and Ben quietly drifted to the edge of the field. Ben slipped his arm around her waist as they dropped down into the soft grass. They could see the campfire glowing and sparking in the middle of the field and hear the laughter, guitar playing, and singing of the other campers and counselors, butContinue reading “Falling in Love”

For the sin which we have committed before Thee with wanton looks; for the sin which we have committed before Thee with haughty eyes; for the sin–oh, gimme me a break, thought Steve. The Yom Kippur Kol Nidre service wasn’t even an hour old and Steve already felt he had had enough. Steve looked aroundContinue reading “Repentance”

Once, at a crowded Simchat Torah celebration, a rabbi took the Torah and danced out of the synagogue and into the street. The huge crowd followed the rabbi and the Torah, dancing right behind them like a giant, zigzagging snake, up and down the street. The street was packed bumper to bumper with cars, whichContinue reading “Dancing with the Torah”

The day Miriam’s father, Noah Levine, showed up unexpectedly as a chaperone at a school dance she wanted to die. He wore his kippah, a little prayer cap, on his head and had his tzitzis, the special fringes some Jews wear, hanging out from under his shirt. She knew how weird he appeared to allContinue reading “Embarrassment”

Ezra had never learned to pray. Oh, he learned lots of Jewish prayers all right. He learned prayers as songs with his mom in the tot services at their synagogue. He learned to lead prayers in front of other children at Junior Congregation. And, of course, he had a bar mitzvah and led half theContinue reading “The Meaning of Prayer”

“Mom lets me stay up late!” David screamed. “That’s her problem. Turn off that TV and go to your room and get into bed. It is too late for a seven-year old boy to be up. You have Sunday school tomorrow,” countered his father, Mark, trying to keep from losing his cool altogether. “You can’tContinue reading “Honor and Revere”

“No way! I’m not going to wear that… that… that stupid rag!” shouted Tamar. “Well, I’m certainly not going to buy you this thing. Just look at you,” insisted her mom. “What’s wrong with it? All the kids where stuff like this,” Tamar argued. She was trying on a tight, slinky, jet-black dress with aContinue reading “First Fast”

Becky still seethed with anger as she drifted into Harvard Square, a seemingly irresistible magnet for young people. Becky, with long dark hair, eyes wide and deep, and wearing tight jeans and platform sandals, fit right in with the throngs of kids who crowded the area along with the usual tourists. Hours before, Becky stormedContinue reading “Healing the World”

Jo leaned back against the fallen log. Nathan edged over closer to her. He was a nice guy but really shy. She wondered if he would finally get up the nerve to hold her hand or put his arm around her. Although she had sort of known him for years, she only had been attractedContinue reading “The Secret Place (a Sukkoth story)”

“Do you accept Jesus?” exhorted the leader or minister or whatever title he went by–Arnie never really bothered to keep it straight. As if on cue, someone in the large crowd would just jump up and yell “I believe.” A wave of shouts invariably followed: Yeah brother. I do. Go for it. Awright. Do it…Continue reading “Search for Meaning”