Journey into the unknown | Chapter 8 May 2026
Two Bar Mitzvahs and a Funeral…
Emotions are a funny thing. They sway and swing. They boomerang and can give you whiplash. So it was, celebrating my son and my cousin, two young boys who became men in the Jewish tradition last month, and the following week, celebrating the life and death of a dear friend who passed away at 87.
Ezra’s bar mitzvah was everything I–and hopefully he–could have asked for. Surrounded by friends and family in Long Beach, shepping naches at my kid who hated Torah Center and would rather be playing baseball, read M’Tzora Lev, and deliver a drash on forgiveness and taking space that was simple yet deep. A joyous LA-sports-themed party, including flag football, dodgeball, and playing “chicken” in the pool. Ezra’s dugout was the place to be. I haven’t danced that much in years.
My cousin’s bar mitzvah, in Skokie, IL, was equally beautiful and couldn’t have been more different. A Modern Orthodox celebration of 400+ people praying and celebrating together. This kid read two Torah portions, beautifully! And his drash was at times poetic, intellectual, and funny. Surrounded by friends and family, and again, so much food and drink…
I then found myself flying to Sacramento for the funeral of my best friend’s father, who lived a long, fulfilling life of nearly nine decades. I, too, was surrounded by friends and family from 47+ years... Because that’s what we do for each other–we show up. What made these trips similar is the love and affection that we showed to one another. The food and drinks wereplentiful. Because that’s how we celebrate–with nourishment, and community.
What does this have to do with Leadership, Philanthropy, or Education? It’s wrapped up in two words. Community, and Relationships.
While AI can do many things these days, it can’t give you a hug. It can’t go on a walk with you. It can’t have a drink, break bread, or give you that warm comfort of growing up with you. For all the talk of AI-therapists and AI-counselors, AI-friends and AI-partners, I remain confident that AI will not replace the most human of all things–connection.
The other thing I’ve been musing on these past weeks is the right time and space. Even the most loving relationships need their space–from kids, spouses, friends, colleagues–and when we come back to them, we continue to titrate them in the right amount, we find that chemistry of the right time and space to be with the ones we love. Sad as I was to go to Normie’s funeral, I enjoyed spending the night with two of my closest friends, and celebrating Normie’s life with his two sons, his grandsons, his family. That’s how we get through good times–and bad–be with the ones you love.
In our loud, nasty, polarized online worlds, I find solace in spending time and space, in person, with the ones I love. My wife, my two boys, my parents, my friends, my family. AI cannot replace them. I am lucky that my work lets me create the necessary time and space with friends, colleagues, leaders and philanthropists all over the country. That I can write this newsletter from 30,000 feet above the ground, staring out into the endless clouds and the setting sun, I am hopeful, amidst the chatter and doomsday apocalypse, that we will find ways to continue to connect, to nourish ourselves, and each other, and to lead–by showing up. We create a container. We create a safety net.
