So, Mike, Jay, and I walk into services at Shira Chadasha (an Orthodox synagogue where women read from the Torah)
and Mike picks the seat next to David Hartmann (one of the most prominent thinkers in Judaism today). You would think that might be source for excitement, but low and behold, when we turn around, we see the Senior Senator from Connecticut, one Joseph Lieberman. So, the two of them did not shut up for the entire service, and it was annoying, but what can you do? And what's worse, is we were definitely focusing more on their conversations than the service. Liebermann heard Hartmann speak when he was 15. And he's in the Middle East now visiting American soldiers, but in Israel, he is "just a commoner on this visit" He sent his best to everyone at HUC, and although he declined my invitation to stop by this visit, he said he will come the next time, so we'll see. Anyway, very nice man, even though he talked, but it seemed as though all the conversations were started by other people, and he was trying to be polite to them.
I don't know if he's linked to me yet...