


You Don’t Know Me
Jews have a long and challenging history of relating to new leadership. The first such story begins early in the book of Exodus (Shemot).וַיָּ֥קָם מֶֽלֶךְ־חָדָ֖שׁ עַל־מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע…

Ch- Ch- Ch- Changes
David Bowie's 1972 classic touched a national nerve. Change is inevitable: we can only "turn and face the strain." (Others quote Bowie's refrain as "turn and face the strange," to similar effect.)Soon the 45th President of the United States…

Holy Annoyance
I'm annoyed on a daily basis. Sometimes my annoyance is from petty concerns and sometimes it arises from righteousness and morality. We must distinguish annoyance that internally harms from annoyance that externally inspires. The challenge…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…