Elie Wiesel: An Echo Chamber of Moral Witness
Although I had the privilege of hearing Elie Wiesel speak at least a dozen times and had the opportunity to once have a private meeting with him in conjunction with a book that I was writing, my...
View ArticleA Time for ‘Eternal Vigilance’
Trauma is everywhere. I know. My experience would not be shared if I lived in Youngstown, OH; Lansing, MI; or Green Bay, WI. But I don’t. I live in suburban Washington DC and I am a rabbi who works...
View ArticleChanging the World from the Inside Out
This year’s winner of the National Jewish Book Award in the category of Contemporary Jewish Life and Practice is a book titled Changing the World from the Inside Out: A Jewish Approach to Personal and...
View ArticleJews and Racism in America
Two weeks ago, I was at a conference in New York City sponsored by T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. It was called “No Time for Neutrality” and it was planned in response to the wholesale...
View ArticleShould a rabbi take Communion?
When I was growing up, the onset of holiday season brought endless conversations and opinions about the significance of Jews having Christmas Trees. Frankly, the topic never much interested me. I am a...
View ArticleElie Wiesel: An Echo Chamber of Moral Witness
Although I had the privilege of hearing Elie Wiesel speak at least a dozen times and had the opportunity to once have a private meeting with him in conjunction with a book that I was writing, my...
View ArticleA Time for ‘Eternal Vigilance’
Trauma is everywhere. I know. My experience would not be shared if I lived in Youngstown, OH; Lansing, MI; or Green Bay, WI. But I don’t. I live in suburban Washington DC and I am a rabbi who works...
View ArticleChanging the World from the Inside Out
This year’s winner of the National Jewish Book Award in the category of Contemporary Jewish Life and Practice is a book titled Changing the World from the Inside Out: A Jewish Approach to Personal and...
View ArticleJews and Racism in America
Two weeks ago, I was at a conference in New York City sponsored by T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. It was called “No Time for Neutrality” and it was planned in response to the wholesale...
View ArticleShould a rabbi take Communion?
Many of the most innovative efforts to redefine Jewish life and identity are not happening in synagogues
View ArticleI’ve been fighting injustice for decades, but I haven’t done enough
Most white people, including me, do not want to realize how much they are part of a system that keeps them in a position of privilege at the expense of people of color
View ArticleWrestling with our Demons
Genesis Ch. 32 contains the well-known story of Jacob’s night of wrestling the angel in advance of his reunion with his brother Esau. They have not seen each other since Jacob stole Esau’s birthright...
View ArticleAmerica: a crisis of faith
I’m an old-fashioned news hound. I can’t start my day without reading the newspaper. The Washington Post is my paper of choice. And I read the hard copy that gets thrown on my lawn every morning around...
View ArticleMe and Jewish supremacy
Several years ago, I was leading services at my congregation in the month of February and we dedicated the shabbat to Black History Month. In addition to my dvar torah, which was on the theme of...
View ArticleIsrael: A Challenging Love Affair
Being happily married for 38 years, I may lack some credibility to use the analogy of a spurned lover but, in my defense, I’ve seen a lot of movies. I have had a love affair with Israel that goes...
View ArticleWhen ‘work’ becomes unhealthy
The decision made by Simone Biles, America’s premier gymnast, not to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in most of the events that she trained for, set off a firestorm of commentary. We are a country that...
View ArticleCalling out Bigotry, Both Right and Left
Much “ink” has been spilled in recent years over the dangers posed to both Jewish and American values by a particularly ugly version of the American political right wing. But the right wing has not...
View ArticleDemocracy at Risk: A Jewish View
To me, the wisdom that a Biblical text can impart always resides between the words in the scroll and the life and times of the reader. For that reason, I was struck this week by the juxtaposition of...
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View ArticleHow a People Survives
When I get asked on how/why I chose to become a rabbi, I always cite a formative experience that I had in the summer between my junior and senior year in high school. I participated in a program...
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