Judaism

Judaism

When the Rabbi Shows You Their Backside, Show Yourself Out

When the synagogue Membership Director asked why we were leaving, I felt bad giving an honest response. But I should have.

Judaism

If Not Now, Later Is Okay Too

Two months since the October 7th massacre, many Jews feel torn between a need for self-care and urgings by some to continue the work of social justice.

Judaism

A Jew with Corrective Lenses

I'm a Jew who never expected my identity, worldview, and politics to suddenly shift in the course of a single, awful day. And I know I'm not alone.

Judaism

Passing on Passover: The Pandemic Edition

On why we're choosing not to observe Pesach during the COVID-19 crisis.

Judaism

Hebreo Rizado

Sometimes when you're 'Jewish and' you just have to lead with the 'and.' I'm a Hispanic Jew who's taking off his kippah.

Judaism

Off with the Show

I will never understand why Reform synagogues can become so aggressively ambivalent about leading their congregations into Shabbat.

Judaism

My Rabbi and Katharine Hepburn

A mensch simply being themselves is perhaps the greatest Jewish lesson of all.

Judaism

Passover from the Archives 2018

A new roundup of my Passover lessons since the beginning of my Jewish journey, from marching myself like a fool straight into Egypt--to finding the courage to finally leave it behind.

Judaism

The Anger and Emanuel

How do you apologize to an entire synagogue? With love. On Emanuel Congregation and the teshuvah I've owed for a long, long time.

Judaism

Fear No (One Else's) Holiday

If Halloween makes you fear for your Judaism, your problem isn't Halloween.

Judaism

Please Don't "Shalom" Your Supermarket Jew

I love being stalked by strangers eager to say hi to me in a foreign language because of my religion. Said no one, anywhere, ever.

Judaism

Rethinking Rabbi Schaalman’s Yom Kippur

On Yom Kippur 2012, Rabbi Herman Schaalman, Z”l, suggested it was time for Jews to walk away from the Day of Atonement. Five years later, I agree with him.