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Sharing Freedom Stories

I have just returned from another successful civil rights mission to Atlanta and Alabama. Especially before Passover, the parallels between the histories of Blacks and Jews resonate profoundly for me. Both groups suffered enslavement and oppression.…

Birth Doorways

When walking through a new neighborhood or city, I enjoy counting the mezuzahs I see on doorposts along the way.  Most Jews put this beacon of holiness on the entranceway to their homes. The parchment inside includes the instruction to teach…

Disaster

Suddenly, on October 7, Hamas attacked on the eighth day of the Sukkot festival. Unexpectedly, Hamas fighters crossed from Gaza into Israel. Quickly, they killed and raped and destroyed. The disaster stunned Israel and disoriented its people.…

Routinely Holy

My morning ritual is unchanging. I begin each day with the New York Times Games. After Wordle and Spelling Bee, I make the same breakfast, eggs, and toast. Only then do I read and respond to my emails. Afterward, I shower and dress. The routine…

The Blame Is on Who?

Throughout history, leaders made grievous mistakes, often more pronounced during times of war. George Bush's misjudgment of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and Neville Chamberlain's appeasement of Hitler, are among these historical blunders.…

I Appreciate You

In the State of the Union, the President acknowledged the hard-working middle class of our country. He thanked the Americans whose labor builds our nation. Appreciating workers is a Jewish value. I found it in the final verses of Exodus. In…

Be an Angel

You don’t have to be an angel to have meaningful relationships. But you might learn something from the angels. The lesson? It’s all about how we focus on loving each other. From the design of the Tabernacle, described in the Torah, we…

Prisoner of Age

I have been in emotional and spiritual confinement. I am a senior-aged man and I have an older mother living nearby. Each day begins with worrying, continues with caring, and ends with anticipating. My "detention" is not about being an attentive…

Good Fats, Bad Fats

The data about consuming fats is confusing. There are good fats and bad fats. The distinction is important if we are trying to eat healthy.  In doing so, I try to avoid the bad fat. However, we need some fat to feel full. If you try to eat…

Green Torah

This century is a heyday for the cardboard industry. Nearly every delivery on your doorstep comes in a cardboard box. Wood pulp and cellulose combine to form cardboard. Accordingly, the cardboard craze exacerbates deforestation. The environmental…