Books Create My First Jewish Community

Ambivalent Jew. That was me through childhood. I knew very few Jews. For the latter half of my childhood, we were among just a handful of Jews in our small Ohio town. Sunday school was a drag. It was decidedly not hip to be anything but Christian where I lived. I had no desire to switch religions, but I was very unsure about my faith and what it meant to be Jewish. I hunted for answers by burying myself in books about Jews. Through reading, I often found what I lacked – a community of Jews. Continue reading

Do we compete with Christmas too much at Hanukkah?

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Summary: Should we downplay gifts at Hanukkah? Four rabbis from the Boston-area weigh in on Hanukkah and the role gifts should or should not play in my November 2010 article for The Jewish Advocate.

To read the article, published in The Jewish Advocate, click here

Sermon, Song Erase Politics from Israel for a Moment

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It was a moment of awe, a moment I will never forget. It was a moment about Israel, not about the political tumult that often divides Jews, but about love for a country – and community.

On Erev Rosh Roshanah, the associate rabbi at our temple gave a sermon about the need for us – no matter where we stand politically – to find a way to connect to Israel. Maybe, she suggested, we could connect to its food, its culture, music, or dance. As the sermon ended, the cantor walked … Continue reading