The Latke Principles
Pictured here are latkes I made for my family last year at Hanukkah. I find - somewhat absurdly - that I have strong opinions when it comes to latkes. Here are the latke principles for which I stand:
It's Elul: 6 Ways to Get Ready for the High Holidays
Seeking God and Community in Synagogue Life
A Little Miracle Happened There
Are all Hanukkah tales true? Of course - because a narrative can contain truth even if it defies belief. In that spirit, let me share one of my own Hanukkah stories.
Are We Right to Blend Hanukkah and Thanksgiving This Year?
As you’ve undoubtedly heard, the Jewish calendar and the secular calendar offer a strange convergence in the United States this year as Hanukkah and Thanksgiving coincide. The Jewish media has been full of humorous articles about combined menus (like this one from Jewish cooking expert Tina Wasserman) featuring foods like latkes with cranberry sauce, and the term “Thanksgivukkah” has been coined to describe the merged holiday.
Listen: A Prayer for the Sh'ma
I was told, once, that if we, as Jews, remember only one prayer, the Sh'ma is that prayer. It defines us in the declaration that God is One.
Havdalah Square
A few weekends ago, I brought 20 congregants, mostly of the teenage variety, to New York City for a "Jewish New York" experience.
Finding Shabbat When the Holiday’s Magic Seems to Have Disappeared
When my son Sammy was in preschool, Shabbat was magical.
Lessons in Parenting: My Kids Don't Believe in God or Love
One of the most surprising things for me as a parent has been how different my kids are from me. I guess it was naïve, but I thought it would be natural for kids to be like their parents (though one could point out that I have turned out very differently than my own parents).
Tapping Into Potential Energy: Jewish Teens Look to the Future
“Leadership is about moving the stored energy in society to where it can be best utilized,” said community organizer Andrew Slack at the inaugural New York Area Jewish Teen Leadership Summit, sponsored by the Union for Reform Judaism and the