A Surreal Simchat Torah
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As my son-in-law walked through the door on Simchat Torah morning, the look on his face told me that the sirens, which had woken us up several times, had definitely […]
Continue readingOctober 10, 2023
August 31, 2023
How Do We Connect To ‘You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah’?
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Like it or not, “You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah” not only exists but is soaring in popularity in both Jewish and secular circles. As Jews, whether we […]
Continue readingAugust 22, 2023
‘Funny Girl’ Casting Decision Rains on the Parade of Jewish Theater Fans Across the Globe
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The opening performance of the Broadway revival of Parade was punctuated by a Neo-Nazi protest. Antisemitism rates in the United States are currently skyrocketing to levels unreached since the Holocaust. […]
Continue readingAugust 18, 2023
Elul, My Favorite Month
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I know, I know. The month of Elul should inspire awe and fear. I have heard stories of people in previous generations who would tremble when Rosh Chodesh Elul (the […]
Continue readingJuly 18, 2023
At Auschwitz, A Letter To My Grandfather
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The most intense day of my life just happened. Our group toured Auschwitz-Birkenau today and I’ve been dreading stepping foot on the exact platform my grandfather arrived at almost 80 […]
Continue readingJuly 14, 2023
My Mother’s Unconventional Memorial
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When the rabbi agreed to come for my mother’s pizza party memorial, my sister, father, and I were surprised. Mom’s untraditional wish to be cremated and surrounded by pizza, something […]
Continue readingJune 9, 2023
Parenting Goals
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When you become a parent, you naturally fast-forward in your mind to what kind of person your child will eventually become. You have hopes and dreams and aspirations for your […]
Continue readingMay 26, 2023
To Covet or Not To Covet
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A FEW DAYS BEFORE Shavuot some years back, I got an intriguing invitation from Rabbi Zalman at Chabad, who was putting together a Tikkun Leil (special evening service) for the […]
Continue readingMay 12, 2023
A Motherless Mother’s Day
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I was 20 years old when I experienced my first Mother’s Day without my Mom, eight months after her death. She had lived 10 years fighting Breast Cancer and eventually, […]
Continue readingMay 2, 2023
Amid Soot & Smoke Damage, There’s Hope
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Last week on Sunday evening, a fire was set at the Masjid Omar Islamic Center. Then the next day, Mercy Islamic Center was similarly set ablaze, miraculously no one was […]
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