


This One Precious Life
The last twenty-two months have been tough. We are drained, stressed, and scared. Rather than be frozen in fear, ask a forward-looking question. What can we do to improve these precious lives we have?Many of us feel stuck in “crisis”…

Freedom is Fragile
George Takei played Captain Sulu on Star Trek -- the helmsman of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Less known is that in 1942 George Takei and his family were forced into an internment camp for Japanese Americans. The deportation of Japanese residents…

It’s a Wonderful Life – Sometimes
The movie It’s a Wonderful Life turns 75 this year. Considered the favorite holiday movie of all time, Jews too seem to favor this classic. Perhaps we identify with the lead character, George Bailey, a most earnest soul outplayed by a ruthless…

Jews Invented Psychology
Jews are the pioneers of modern psychology: Freud, Klein, Maslow, Frankl, and Kahneman. Apparently, we create what we need. Jewish suffering gave rise to psychoanalysis and psychotherapy.Yet, examples of improving mental health are as…

Be Proud of Humility
A super-wealthy family battling each other and the world to maintain power and wealth. That is the premise of the HBO show Succession. The series is popular as it reverberates with the display of wealth and power. Those who have “it” are…

When Life is the Pits
At the intersection of ancient roads heading to Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Syria is the town of Dothan. The dry, rocky landscape was dotted with pits dug to store precious rainwater. As an archeological site, the location is an entryway to understanding…

My High Anxiety
Why do I attempt to accomplish so much every day? I’ve got a law practice, a busy rabbinate, non-profit work and I study Talmud each day. Perhaps the answer is modeled by our Patriarch Jacob. We both might suffer from the same sort of neuroses,…

Children are on the Road
Covid kept many sequestered at home for months. Others packed up their cars and hit the road. Some were escaping challenges while some were searching for new opportunities. As my adult children moved around the country over the past two…

The Dangers of Jealousy
It is easy to become jealous while scrolling through social media. You might feel worse about yourself after scrolling through Facebook or Twitter. Vacation photos, wedding shoots, grandchild announcements – it can be enough to make you seriously…