Holiday Tech Gift Guide 2016

Can you believe Black Friday and the 2016 holiday shopping season are almost here? The good news for those of us shopping for personal consumer electronics and tech gadgets for friends and family this holiday season is that there are some real bargains. Tech innovation has improved dramatically over the last year and because of competition the pricing has come down significantly.

This year, I've structured the holiday tech gift guide a little differently. I had the opportunity to review many products this year, but I've narrowed the guide down to my top 30 featured products -- from tablets and phones to cameras and drones. I'm also putting together a future gift guide of less costly tech items in categories like kids, health/fitness, home/security and audio so be on the lookout for that. Always remember to check online for the lowest current prices on these items as most will be discounted as we get closer to the holidays. Remember, Hanukkah begins on the evening of December 24 this year.


Microsoft Surface Pro 4 - I'm currently putting this gift guide together using this awesome 2 in 1. It's super lightweight at only 2.4 lbs. and extremely thin making it the best alternative to a laptop. The Surface Pro 4 is the perfect holiday gift for a loved one looking for a device for work or play -- especially for the student who doesn't want to schlep around a heavy computer laptop. Powered by an Intel Core processor, it offers up to nine hours of battery life. Paired with the $60 Surface Pen you can use it for detailed sketches and handwritten notes. $899 microsoft.com

Parrot Swing Drone - I often hear people say they'd love to buy a drone, but the cost is a barrier. Apparently, Parrot heard this too and responded with a couple of new minidrones that are affordable and just as impressive as the more expensive models. The Mambo and Swing are Parrot's two new minidrones that will be great starter drones this holiday season. I had a chance to test out the Swing and found it to be easy to fly and very stable. It truly combines the best of a quadcopter with the power of a plane. Swing is the only plane with autopilot and a vertical take-off and landing mode. With the Parrot Flypad controller, it's simple to fly with ultra-precise control. $139.99 parrot.com

CleverPet - I spent close to an hour at the CleverPet booth at CES in January just watching the dog play with this amazing contraption. You sort of have to see this to believe it, but CleverPet is the first company to offer unlimited adaptive All-Day Play for dogs. Your dog’s mind will be engaged and exercised with custom light, touch and sound puzzles. CleverPet's software, built by PhDs in computational neuroscience, includes puzzles using touch pads, lights and customizable sounds, paired with food-dispensing rewards. New games update automatically on the CleverPet Hub via WiFi. $299 cleverpet.com

GoPro HERO5 Black – GoPro has been in the news a lot lately because of its falling stock price, but don't count this company out yet because its cameras are still the best. HERO5 Black is the most powerful, easy-to-use GoPro with a 2-inch touch display, simplified controls and video resolutions up to 4K at 30 frames/second. You simply won't find a better holiday gift for your active friends who would love professional quality video of their outdoor experiences. This GoPro is waterproof without a housing to 33 feet and boasts advanced wind and noise reduction. $399.99 gopro.com

ASUS ZenPad Z8 - ASUS has been my computer maker of choice for the past six years so I wasn't surprised I fell in love with the ASUS ZenPad Z8. Exclusively from Verizon, this trusty little tablet boasts a 7.9-inch 2K IPS display with enhanced sharpness, contrast and color. It's ergonomically designed for comfort and its speed will impress you. This makes an ideal gift for anyone from students to grandma. I keep this in the glove box of my car so I'm never without a tablet at a meeting. $99.99 with 2 year Verizon contract verizonwireless.com/tablets/asus-zenpad-z8

XYZ Printing da Vinci Mini - If you think it's impossible for a top performing 3D printer to cost under $300, you'd be wrong. The da Vinci Mini is perfect for designing and printing 3D prototypes for businesses and replacing parts and pieces of items around the home. The unit comes with embedded Wi-Fi capabilities, offering portability and simplicity. The Mini automatically loads the filament and has an auto-calibration feature. This will be the perfect Christmas or Hanukkah gift for creative kids or adults. $289 xyzprinting.com

ergotronhome Workspace Lift35 - For several years I've been on the lookout for the best standing desk that isn't too expensive. The Lift35 converts any surface into a flexible sit-stand desk providing the proven health benefits of movement. I was able to set this up quickly and have been impressed with the simplicity of the desk’s hand-brake levers to instantly stand up or sit down as I work. $449.95 ergotronhome.com

HairMax LaserBand 82 - Both men and women experience hair loss at some point in their lives. I can relate because I'm follicly challenged myself. HairMax's newest and fastest treatment laser device is clinically proven and FDA cleared. The LaserBand 82 delivers safe, nourishing light energy to hair follicles to activate them for stronger growth. Treatment takes as little as 90 seconds for 3 days a week. This might seem an odd Christmas or Hanukkah gift, but for the recipient who might not buy it for themself, they'll be grateful for your generosity. $799 hairmax.com

Huawei Nexus 6P - I've become something of an evangelist trying to convince friends of the Android phones that outperform the iPhone. I'd recommend Huawei's Nexus 6P over the iPhone 7 any day of the week. This has become my main phone (I carry a few) and I love it for its speed, lightweight feel and strong durability (made from aeronautical-grade anodized aluminum). The camera (12.3 Megapixels with a sapphire-crystal lens) is the best I've seen on a smartphone and no one believes the photos I take where shot on my phone. Available in three colors: Matte Gold, Aluminum or Graphite. $499.00 (32GB); $549 (64 GB); $649 (128GB) gethuawei.com/nexus6p

Moto Z with Insta-Share Projector - I'm big on the Moto Z family of smartphones because of the Moto Mods, which transform your phone by snapping on an attachment like the Moto Insta-Share Projector ($299.99), JBL SoundBoost ($79.99) or the Incipio offGRID Power Pack ($59.99). These mods snap on and off easily and turn your Moto phone into a high-res movie projector or a serious music player. The Moto Z calls itself the thinnest premium smartphone and offers up to 30 hours of battery life and a water repellant coating. $624 motorola.com

Slingbox M2 - I've been using Slingbox for a few years now and I can't imagine not having access to it when I'm out of town and want to watch my live and recorded TV content. This is the ultimate gift this holiday season for anyone who would appreciate watching their TV from anywhere in the world on an iPhone, Android, tablet or laptop with absolutely no monthly fees. From TV buffs to sports fan, the M2 is the perfect holiday present. Available at retailers nationwide including Best Buy, Target, Amazon, Costco and Walmart. $99.99 slingbox.com

Brinno TLC120 Timelapse Camera - This Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled time lapse camera is compact and weather resistant/waterproof. It creates HDR time-lapse productions easily in any environment. With Bluetooth app control and Wi-Fi transfer, capturing and sharing time-lapse videos has never been simpler. The new Brinno App (Apple or Android) makes it stress-free to frame the scene, set the capture interval, playback rate, white balance, exposure value, custom colors, and timer as well convert from AVI to MP4 videos and share them via social networks​.​ $299 brinno.com

singlecue Gen 2 - Israel-based eyeSight Technologies has released the singlecue Gen 2, a way to control your entire home with gesture control technology. With the simple wave of a finger (swipe, click and shush) you can now seamlessly control smart home devices, including TVs, media streamers, thermostats, entertainment systems or lighting. Singlecue Gen 2 is compatible with more than 1,200 brands and 100,000 devices, including Philips Hue, Apple TV and Nest. $149 singlecue.com

Pad & Quill Valet Luxury Bag for iPad Pro & 13" Laptops - It seems that not a day goes by that I don't get a compliment about my Pad & Quill bag. I use it to carry my Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and my ASUS ZenPad Z8. Stephen Hans, master of Product Design at Pad & Quill, describes this beautiful leather bag as "Mad Men meets the Wild West." This slim bag is made from full grain USA steer leather and lined with 24 oz. filter twill waxed canvas. I've been a long time fan of Pad & Quill's products including their phone cases, briefcases and luxury leather bags and now they're also producing handsome watch bands for the Apple Watch. $139.95 padandquill.com

BeeRaider Wireless Radial Keyboard & Mouse - To say this isn't your standard keyboard is an understatement. This special keyboard has been designed to be logical, ergonomic and compact. This will make a wonderful holiday gift for anyone who struggles to type and wishes they could type faster and more efficiently. The mouse is just a bonus. $119.99 beeraider.com

GrillBot - This was one of my favorite award winners at CES and I was thrilled the 2.0 version has been released. GrillBot has become such a popular consumer electronics product for one main reason: no one enjoys cleaning their BBQ Grill. This fully-automated device makes grill cleaning possible with the simple push of a button. The replaceable wire brushes pop off for easy cleaning and are dishwasher safe. It runs on a rechargeable lithium ion battery and the LCD alarm and timer let you set the GrillBot, walk away and return to a fully cleaned grill. Amazing! $129.95 grillbot.com

TomTom Adventurer Sports Watch - I don't understand why more people don't include TomTom when they talk about fitness trackers. The Adventurer has modes for hiking, biking, snowboarding, swimming, skiing or running all with GPS, compass and barometer tracking. The built-in heart rate monitor is more accurate than competing sports watches. An integrated music player even holds up to 500 songs (3GB) to let you workout or hike to your favorite tunes. $349.99 tomtom.com

Nucleus - Designed for today’s modern family, Nucleus is a home intercom system with video, a mobile app and Wi-Fi capabilities that puts you instantly in touch with the people that matter most. Equipped with a wide angle camera and speakers, Nucleus improves family communication between rooms in your home and between loved ones outside your home. I've been watching the steady growth of Nucleus since before their product launch and this is one impressive communications tool for any family making it an ideal gift this holiday season. $249 nucleuslife.com

Amazon Echo Dot - The Echo Dot is a hands-free, voice-controlled device that uses Alexa to play music, control smart home devices, provide information, read the news and set alarms. The Echo Dot is the perfect gift for colleagues at the office or your kids' teachers this holiday season. $49.99 amazon.com

Fitbit Charge 2 - Fitbit Charge 2 has become the company's most popular fitness wristband, featuring an enhanced exercise experience, new health and fitness tools powered by PurePulse heart rate tracking, smart notifications and a new sleek, design. The display is larger and easier to read and the tracking is more precise. Multi-sport modes allow for tracking specific workouts like runs, biking, weights, yoga and more. $149.95 fitbit.com

3Doodler Create - Have a friend or family member who's tricky to buy things for? Well, if they're artsy or into crafting or DIY, 3Doodler Create is a unique gift that allows them to get inventive and create almost anything. I gave each of my kids their own 3Doodler Create and it kept them busy for an entire afternoon as they created everything imaginable. $99 the3doodler.com

SkyBell - This smart HD video doorbell makes homes and neighborhoods safer with an easy and affordable home security solution. It's compatible with both iOS and Android devices. SkyBell's live video stream allows residents to see, hear and speak to visitors from anywhere. This is the type of holiday gift that shows you care about the recipient because it improves their safety. $199 skybell.com

Inductrix FPV RTF Drone - This is the perfect beginner FPV drone, which is designed for indoor flying in even the smallest of places. Its integrated video transmitter, FPV camera, high performance motors and large 200mAh battery make this one of the most impressive and smallest drones on the market. The ducted propeller design allows the drone to bounce of walls and objects without crashing. $199.99 horizonhobby.com

Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam - Today's webcam might look similar to the webcam you had ten years ago, but make no mistake they are very different indeed. Logitech's C922 is the perfect gift for anyone interested in broadcasting live video or increasing the clarity of their video conferencing. The camera allows for either 1080p or fluid HD 720p at 60fps. It also comes with a free 3-month premium XSplit license. $99.99 logitech.com

GoSun Sport Solar Powered Stove - Not everyone who enjoys camping and the outdoors wants the hassle of making a campfire to cook meals. The GoSun Sport is a smart holiday gift for your favorite outdoors enthusiast. This compact stove cooks a meal in 20 minutes (in full sunlight), heats up to 550° F, works through freezing, partially cloudy weather or light overcast and stays hot for hours. $279 gosunstove.com

Flir Scout TK Camera - When it comes to tech innovation there's just about nothing more impressive than thermal vision. This is the ideal device for the outdoorsman or hunter in your family. This pocket-sized thermal vision monocular lets anyone to see in total darkness. You can take video and photos capturing the heat signatures of people and animals up to 100 yards away. Common uses include spotting wildlife in zero or low-light conditions, including fog and making sure the campfire is really extinguished. $599 flir.com

Vuzix iWear Headphones - This set of high-end video headphones with dual HD display delivers a compelling mobile wearable video and gaming experience. As an on-the-go home theater device, iWear projects a 130 inch screen in front of the wearer. Content truly comes to life whether it's from a computer, DVD player or gaming console. The headphones support 2D & 3D video, as well as virtual reality for a comprehensive range of options. Vuzix's model is much more lightweight than many VR headsets on the market. $499 vuzix.com

DYMO MobileLabeler - I love DYMO labelers and this one lets you create high-quality, self-adhesive labels using Bluetooth wireless technology from your Apple or Android mobile device using the free DYMO Connect mobile app or from your computer. $79.99 dymo.com

Perfect Kitchen PRO Smart Scale and App System - This kitchen tech product makes baking accessible and hassle-free with a smart scale that seamlessly connects to your phone or tablet and guides you through each recipe in real time. It works with three apps -- Perfect Bake, Perfect Blend and Perfect Drink -- making it easy to become a better baker, a smoothie pro or a master mixologist. $129.99 surlatable.com

Beddi - This intelligent alarm clock has a wake up light, multiple USB charging ports, a high quality Bluetooth speaker and multi-colored mood lighting. Whoever is lucky enough to get this as a holiday gift will be woken up by their very own playlists on Spotify, get the most recent weather forecast, receive the latest traffic reports and request an Uber ride with the touch of a button. The settings can be customized by the free mobile app (iOS and Android). $99 wittidesign.com/en/beddi

A Return to Simpler Times (Before Technology Complicated Things)

I've always had a tremendous appreciation for technology. I'm continuously wowed by the innovations that have revolutionized our lives, but I also fear that technology is causing us to lose our foundation with some of the most basic human engagement. I'm a tech evangelist, but I often think about where we, as a society in general and as a Jewish community in particular, must draw the line.

Last month, we observed the High Holidays and, as we do every year, we heard the Hebrew word "teshuvah" used a lot. Teshuvah is most commonly defined as repentance, but it literally means return. Perhaps it is time we return to basics as a way of resetting for the Jewish new year. Many people praise technology, but also express how they yearn for the much simpler times of the past before technology dominated our waking hours. Teshuvah can be a path for us to continue to embrace technology, but also unplug and return to that simpler time.

The Day After the Election: A Postmortem

To blog or not to blog today, that was the question. As this unusual election became more divisive and, well, bizarre, I found myself blogging less. I didn't want to write about politics and everything else that I typically blog about just seemed inconsequential. Last night, the unimaginable happened. Okay, to be fair, like many I did consider the unlikely political earthquake that would happen if Donald Trump won.

Today, the day after the 2016 presidential election happens to be the anniversary of Kristallnacht. Upon seeing the posts of friends and colleagues on Facebook and Twitter making stark comparisons between this horrific night in 1938 in Berlin and modern day America, I felt this was completely inappropriate. However, last night there were anti-Semitic incidents in celebration of Donald Trump's victory (see the graffiti below in Philadelphia). Certainly, this was not a Kristallnacht -- not even close -- but, we should all be concerned about the hateful cadre among Trump's supporters.

This past Rosh Hashanah I wanted to speak out about the dangerous rhetoric of this election season. I knew that I had to do this without endorsing one candidate over the other. My goal was to express my outrage at the pomposity of Donald Trump, but also encourage all of us to be more tolerant of others and to listen to those who felt their voices had not historically been heard. I think that if we were to point to one reason so many of us were surprised by the outcome of the 2016 election it would be that we live in a bubble. The Facebook feed of the liberal elite is an echo chamber. As I recognized as the results came in last night, 99% of my Facebook connections were in the Hillary Clinton camp and so the sentiments I heard for the better part of the past two years were fully in sync with my own. I warned of this Facebook echo chamber in my Rosh Hashanah sermon and I too fell victim to it.

What follows is a selection of my 2016 Rosh Hashanah sermon from the first day of the holiday:

Out of My Comfort Zone and Into the Swimming Pool

This past week, we observed Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, the beginning of the second month on the Jewish calendar. Each year on this date I tend to reflect. This is possibly due to the fact that it's my beloved grandfather's yahrzeit (anniversary of death according to the Hebrew date) or that it's an opportune time for me to take stock of my life since, as a rabbi, I was too busy for much contemplation on Rosh Hashanah while leading services.

Last Rosh Hashanah, I resolved to try something new. I did, but it wasn't easy. I've always maintained that it's important to take on a new hobby or learn a new skill each year. In some years this has been an easy endeavor, like watching a YouTube video to learn to juggle, pledging to go to the gym more often, reading more with my kids or taking up golf. This past year, I wanted to accomplish something bigger. I wanted to really take a risk and really go out of my comfort zone.

A few months ago, I did just that. I've never been a strong swimmer. As a kid, I was never afraid of the water and was an eager participant when it came time to swim at summer camps. However, I never really learned the proper technique of swimming.

A few months ago, a representative of SafeSplash Swim School contacted me to see if I'd be interested in having my kids take some swim classes and then I could blog about it. Well, taking seriously the Talmudic dictum of teaching your kids to swim, I enrolled each of my kids in swim lessons from an early age and they've become pretty good swimmers. So, I quickly turned down the offer. With all the excitement of the swimming events in the Summer Olympics this past August and after losing a swim race to my younger brother this summer at our club, I contacted the woman from SafeSplash Swim School and asked if they'd allow ME to take the swim classes.

Finally a Modern Textbook About Judaisms (Yes, Judaisms Plural)

Judaism is a millennia-old faith rooted in tradition, but the makeup of its adherents is diverse and continues to change. I don't believe the way its taught in university courses has adapted to those changes. I've been teaching the same course about Judaism at Oakland University in suburban Michigan for the past eight years, sometimes for as many as three semesters in the same year. I created the syllabus based on a similar course I personally took as an undergraduate student at Michigan State University where I later returned and taught the same course as a visiting professor. In all those many semesters I never updated the required texts for the course. It wasn't for a lack of desire, but no updated texts have been published that I feel provide a modern survey of the Jewish community.

Until now. Aaron Hahn Tapper, an associate professor in Jewish studies at the University of San Francisco and a Fulbright Senior Scholarship winner, must have recognized such a contribution was long overdue. Hahn Tapper's book "Judaisms: A Twenty-First-Century Introduction to Jews and Jewish Identities" (University of California Press) successfully frames the Jewish faith in the context of its peoplehood and shows the variety of communities and theologies that make up the Jewish people today. Brilliantly, Hahn Tapper pluralizes the term "Judaism" in recognition that the modern adherents of the Jewish faith are not merely a diverse group, but we are made up of diverse groups within our diverse groups.

We've all been taught not to judge a book by its cover, but the cover images of "Judaisms" alert the reader that this is not your typical course reader on the Jewish religion. A photo of an ethnically diverse group lighting a menorah at a biracial Hanukkah event is joined on the page with women at the Western Wall adorned in tallit (prayer shawl) and tefillin (phylacteries) along with a gender transition ceremony at a Jewish day school. This book, which serves both as an easy-to-read text for undergrads as well as a more advanced selection for graduate students (footnotes are available online), articulates that today's Jewish community is vastly different than the one at the turn of the last century let alone a century ago.

Denial Brings Deborah Lipstadt's Victory Over Holocaust Denying Bully to Big Screen

I had the opportunity to see an advanced screening of the new movie "Denial" last week. It was the night before Erev Yom Kippur and my wife tried to convince me to stay home and finish writing my Yom Kippur sermons. However, knowing my Kol Nidrei sermon was on the topic of bullying, and being familiar with the story of how Professor Deborah Lipstadt was bullied by a menacing, Holocaust denier, it seemed like a wise idea to see the film. And I was correct.

There aren't many Hollywood feature movies that are made about college professors. The best of them can be counted on one hand: "Dead Poet's Society," "Good Will Hunting" and "A Beautiful Mind." In "Denial," Rachel Weisz brilliantly plays Emory University Holocaust historian and author Deborah Lipstadt. The film is based on Lipstadt's book and focuses on her legal defense against a noted Holocaust denier, David Irving.

I first encountered Professor Lipstadt during my undergraduate years when I took several Holocaust courses as part of my minor in Jewish Studies when I read her book and scholarly articles. I also had the chance to attend a lecture she gave at a Rabbinical Assembly convention, where I first met her in person. This was following her long trial in London after she had published History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier -- her memoir of the experience defending herself against this libel charge from the Holocaust denier. I've since had the chance to talk with her on a few occasions and each time I feel blessed just to be in her presence. She's brilliant, charismatic and has arguably done more than any other Holocaust historian to ensure the Nazis don't get a posthumous victory.

Actress Rachel Weisz with Professor Deborah Lipstadt

"Denial" a very well done film and even though we already know the outcome, there's a good deal of suspense throughout. The acting is excellent and Rachel Weisz, herself Jewish, does an Oscar-worthy job as Lipstadt.

Commanding Us to Be Happy on Sukkot

Tonight begins the 8-day festival of Sukkot (7 days in Israel and in the American Reform movement). One of the core texts from the Torah we learn about the festival of sukkot is v'samachta b'chageicha, v'hayita ach sameach—we should rejoice in our holiday and we should feel nothing but happiness. We even sing a catchy chant using these words. But, is it really possible to command happiness?

We live in challenging times. Wars, diseases, and injustice around the globe, it's no wonder that Pharrell Williams' famous song is so uplifting:

It might seem crazy what I’m about to say
Sunshine she’s here, you can take a break
I’m a hot air balloon that could go to space
With the air, like I don’t care baby by the way

Because I’m happy - Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I’m happy - Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I’m happy - Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I’m happy - Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

I think Pharrell Williams sang the song that we really needed to hear this year. Happiness isn’t easy to come by, but it’s something we’re all searching for not just on the week long holiday of Sukkot, but all year round. But what really is happiness? Because if we don’t know what happiness really is, then maybe we’re wasting a whole lot of precious time in our lives by seeking it out!

In his book Stumbling on Happiness, Harvard psychology professor Daniel Gilbert uses cutting-edge research to show that happiness is not really what or where we thought it was. We often think we know what will make us happy, but we really do not. We also say we are happy but oftentimes, as Gilbert explains, we are just misusing the term “happy.” Reading Gilbert’s book forced me to think of new ways to think of happiness and to bring more happiness into my own life.

Remembering Shimon Peres - The Coolest Nonagenarian

Back on September 13, 1993 I remember watching the signing of the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn and being in awe of both Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres. These two men, I recall thinking, were the old guard of Israeli statesman. They were fighters on the battlefield helping Israel gain statehood and then spent decades as political and diplomatic leaders as the Jewish state grew. I felt love and deep respect for both men, but there was something about Peres that was different from Rabin in my mind.

Rabin struck me as hard and very guarded. While he was willing to sign the peace accords and shake Arafat's hand, he still seemed hesitant and even distant on that sunny afternoon. Peres on the other hand had a cordial, softer side to him. A warm smile and a gentle demeanor. He reminded me very much of my grandfather. Later in his life, Peres displayed a playful, fun side as well. This was especially true when his term as Israeli President (a mostly honorific position) was about to come to an end. Peres and his staff published a very funny video in which the nonagenarian went looking for a job around Israel:

For me, I really appreciated that Peres was determined to stay in the public eye even after his seven decades in leadership roles for Israel. Despite his advanced age, he took advantage of social media to stay relevant and to connect with the younger generation of Israelis and Diaspora Jews. In 2012, I wrote a blog post about how Peres was looking for Facebook friends.

Flying High with Drones

Everyone seems to be talking about drones these days. Are drones the wave of the future? Are they dangerous? Do they cause an invasion of our privacy? Can they be used for great things or are they a waste of money? There have been news reports of people being injured by drones, airplane pilots reporting them as distractions and novice pilots crashing their new drones moments after unboxing.

My first drone was the Parrot Bebop and it sat in its box for months. I was excited to pilot it for the first time, but I was not sure where to fly it or what purpose it would serve. I am a big fan of new technology and gadgets of the future, but I like them to have some utility. What problem are these drones going to solve, I wondered.

I knew I didn't want to simply take this drone and fly it like it were a video game. I also was concerned about crashing this expensive gadget into a tree and breaking it. At the time, there were no specific laws governing personal drones, but I also did not want to violate the privacy rights of my neighbors.

When I finally started flying the Bebop it was an immediate love-hate relationship. It was thrilling to fly an aircraft with a video camera through the sky, but I still had concerns. Over the past year, I've begun flying other drones including the Parrot Bebop 2 and several mini drones, which my kids can also fly. During this time, I've found opportunities to use the drones safely to record video of happenings on the ground. I remain cautious about the safety and privacy implications, but have enjoyed capturing beautiful photos and videos from hundreds of feet in the sky.

Last month I was invited by Parrot to fly the new Disco drone in the Palm Springs desert. With about thirty other drone enthusiasts we were taken to the famous Arnold Palmer designed SilverRock golf course in La Quinta where we would have some open space and breathtaking views of California's Santa Rosa Mountains. Unlike the Bebop models, which are quadcopters, the Parrot Disco is a fixed wing drone. While I haven't had much experience flying winged model airplanes, flying the Disco was very easy. Once the motor starts, you throw it like a paper airplane and it takes off. The controller is easy to use, but more advanced pilots can use an RC controller to have more control of the drone and perform tricks.

The Disco drone (Parrot names its drones after dance styles) is the first fixed wing drone for immersive flights, meaning you can use the virtual reality Cockpitglasses (they come with the unit) for a FPV (first person view) experience. Legally, a pilot's license is required to fly drones using virtual reality and a spotter (without VR glasses) must be onsite.

Donald Trump Wears a Tallit

This past Saturday, Donald Trump visited a Baptist church in Detroit. It was another recent opportunity for him to get some face time with the African American community after polls showed he had virtually zero support within that demographic. An odd thing happened at the Great Faith Ministries in Detroit, however, when Bishop Wayne Jackson wrapped Trump's shoulders in a tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) that the minister said was from Israel.

"This is a prayer shawl straight from Israel," Bishop Wayne Jackson said. "Whenever you're flying from coast to coast -- I know you just came back from Mexico and you’ll be flying from city to city -- there is an anointing. And anointing is the power of God. It's going to be sometimes in your life that you're going to feel forsaken, you're going to feel down, but the anointing is going to lift you up. I prayed over this personally and I fasted over it, and I wanted to just put this on you."

The response from most in the Jewish community was quick and critical. Many argued that a gentile like Donald Trump wearing a tallit was a form of cultural appropriation. At the very least, many maintained, this act was inappropriate and certainly puzzling. My first inclination was to rush to blog about this as an offensive act because a tallit, contrary to a yarmulke (kippah), is a Jewish religious garb based on a mitzvah (commandment) that mandates only Jews are to wear it. After reflecting on the situation at Great Faith Ministries and reading other comments about it, however, I don't think Trump can be held accountable for this. I also don't think it can simply be chalked up as cultural appropriation.

On Sunday morning, I posted the photo above of Trump wearing the tallit and jokingly captioned it, "I lent my bar mitzvah tallis to a Baptist church in Detroit over the weekend. Hope it gets to the dry cleaners before it's returned." The discussion that ensued was actually helpful for me to understand what happened and how to characterize it. The bottom line is that Trump was surprised by the gift of the tallit and did what most people in his situation would have done. The headlines that proclaimed that Trump "donned a tallit" were inaccurate. He didn't place the tallit over his own shoulders and it appears obvious that he didn't choose to have it placed on his shoulders.