The Words That Stay With You
To state the obvious, the “marketplace of ideas” is overwhelming. The amount of information available at our fingertips is beyond comprehension—let alone consumption. How can anyone possibly keep up with media, both social and traditional? We’re bombarded with blogs, podcasts, reels, influencers, and endless commentary. Most of it flows in one ear and out the other. The real question is: what do you actually remember?
That question has been on my mind lately, and I found myself reflecting on the rare in-person words that have stayed with me.
The late Rabbi Irwin Groner gave a High Holiday sermon that literally changed the way I eat and think. He spoke about kashrut—and his reminder was that keeping kosher is a way of remembering you’re Jewish with every bite. It was mindful eating before “mindful eating” became a movement. His words shaped me then, and they still do.
Two Detroit leaders, both former mayors of the city, also left me with phrases that echo years later.
- At my high school graduation, Mayor Dennis Archer—then a Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court—told us to look around at our classmates, not just for friendship and memories, but because these very people would become our business partners, our board members, our sounding boards. He was right.
- Years later, Mayor Dave Bing, speaking at an AJC event, offered a single unforgettable line: “Come back to Detroit so Detroit can come back.” That truth continues to guide so many of us who love the city.
And just a few weeks ago, I heard Rachel Goldberg-Polin speak. I believe she is a prophetess of our generation. Her words were not polished soundbites, nor a carefully crafted campaign message—they were raw, urgent, moral truths spoken straight from the depths of a mother’s heart. She reminded us that we each carry responsibility, that silence in the face of injustice is unacceptable, and that love must always propel us to action. She reminds us again and again that, “We are not what we say, we are not what we think, and we are not even what we believe. In this life, we are what we do.”
In a world overflowing with words, it’s these rare ones that cut through the noise. They become part of us. They shape how we live, how we give, how we hope. They are, simply, the words that stay.
What has stayed with you? What speeches or speakers have impacted you in ways large and small? Let me know – I want to hear.
With my best wishes for a Shana Tova Tiketevu, a happy healthy new year,
Fondly,
