Article: The outsider's insider Rabbi Israel has a world of advice on Jewish life

NEWTON -- Rabbi Richard J. Israel quips that he is a world expert on the relationship between bees and Judaism, and, because the community of beekeeping rabbis is small indeed, he may well be right.

So the day before Jews celebrate Rosh Hashonah, the anniversary of creation, when one would think a rabbi would have been busy cleaning his prayer shawl and writing sermons, Israel was busy extracting 35 pounds of honey from the hives he keeps on a second-floor porch.

For a rabbi with no pulpit and a flair for the idiosyncratic, it was a fitting endeavor. At sunset today, Jews welcome the year 5755 by dipping apples in honey and praying for a sweet year to come. Other Jews may buy honey in a ...

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