Shana Tova

The name of this blog is "Pintle Yid" which is a Yiddish phrase meaning "Jewish Spark".

The idea of this blog is to provide a place for me to record (for myself and anyone else) some of the Jewish insights that I learned, came across, read, heard or was otherwise revealed to me on any given day.

I have always been "fairly Jewish". I had a good Jewish education and was raised in a moderately observant Jewish home. I always had strong Jewish feelings, but in the last few years (especially the last one year) I have been drawn to Traditional Judaism.

For most of the past year I have wrapped tefillin and daven Shacharit daily (with a minyon at Shaar Shalom in Thornhill, Ontario the days I work from the office, and at home when I work from there). My wife, Mandy, and I just about keep a kosher home (kosher food and separate dishes, but we wash everything together in the dishwasher, and out separation of pots and pans in not very good). We observe all the holidays and I've played a little with becoming shommer Shabbas (I'm not quite ready to make that leap but someday...). I started learning regularly, and the more I learn the more I want to learn. Hence this blog.

I often come across teachings, quotes or ideas that are life altering for me - they change my way of thinking or looking at the world. I wanted to have a place to record these and share them with the world. That's what you'll find here.

I'll also use this blog to record updates on my personal practices and observances as well as the occasional comment on world events of interest to the Jewish world.

Use of the comment facility is encouraged and greatly appreciated. I'd love to hear peoples reactions and see if the words on these pages affect you as much as they affect me. I'm also interested to see if people actually read this blog.

So without further adieu, I present "Pintle Yid - The Blog".