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It’s a Family Affair
Good people sometimes do not-so-good things, especially in family contexts. As an attorney practicing in the area of estates and trusts, frequently I hear family tales of deception, misappropriation and undue influence. Family dysfunction seems to be human nature, and Jewish tradition is no exception. The question is what we make of this very human reality. Joseph, eleventh…
December 25, 2016
I Have a Dream
If you're a dreamer (we all are), read on: this post is about you. "I have a dream." With these words, dreamer Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. propelled the American nation along the arc that bends toward justice. With these same words, in this week's Torah portion (Vayeishev), dreamer Joseph propelled Jewish history along the…
December 18, 2016
Wrestling in the Dark Night
The human mind is a marvelous machine – always scanning and planning. Among the mind's "programs" is worst-case thinking, wrestling to assert control over potential threats. Maybe you do this: I know I do. A delayed diagnosis could be an incurable disease! A work mistake could cost my job! An encounter could ruin a relationship! If we're honest, we might…
December 10, 2016
Rolling Stones
Consider this: the most ordinary stone can be rolled into a state of holiness. The most ordinary thing can become holy – but it can require our active effort. In this week's Torah reading (Vayetzei), Jacob journeyed from his home in Beer-Sheva and, on his first night, prepared to sleep by placing a stone beneath his…
December 3, 2016
The Cosmic “Why Me?”
If you or someone you love ever suffered, you probably asked why. "Why me" is a constant echo in history and the human psyche – and it doesn't matter whether the echo is spoken aloud or asked silently within. The human heart wants to know why, even if the mind knows that there's no knowing…
November 27, 2016
Women Deserve Better
“No woman deserves to be treated this way. None of us deserves this kind of abuse.” – Michelle Obama, October 13, 2016 I am dismayed that in 2016 we are still debating how women deserve to be treated. Before the last presidential election I hoped that this conversation would soon be over. I was wrong.…
November 20, 2016
Hug a Muslim
The first time I attempted to write this blog post, I included the suggestion that we hug a Muslim. It was not an original idea. Social media was peppered with the suggestion that we Jews should hug our Muslim neighbors to assure them of our concern in the wake of anti-Islamic sentiment expressed by our…
November 13, 2016
What’s in a Name?
Odds are good that you know your names. You received one or more names at birth, and maybe you changed name at marriage, divorce or another formative moment. Maybe you also have one or more nicknames, private terms of endearment with a partner or friend, childhood monikers, familial titles ("Mom," "Uncle," "Grandma"), and professional titles…
November 5, 2016
Our ancestors were refugees
My ancestors were wandering refugees. Yours too. We should remember that now. Lives depend upon it. The Torah reading this week, Noah, ends with the start of Abraham’s journey. It reads: “Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and they set…
October 30, 2016
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