


Magical thinking (or what you saw is what you get)
Social media is fueling hatred around the world, especially when it comes to Israel and Jews. A primary culprit appears to be TikTok, which offers short video clips and the opportunity for misinformation. Like sheep, viewers are led to these…

Point of View
“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth,” - Marcus Aurelius Facts may be indisputable, but perceptions are more powerful. Facts be damned, a point of view will be both sword and…

Four Stories of Identity
WhiteWe left the King Center in Atlanta just after the group met with nonviolence advocate Vonetta West. Ready to depart for home, we received a warning. There could be protests at the airports. We might be safer putting away anything indicating…

The Outrage of Sodom and Gomorrah
Evil makes recognizable noises. The firing of a gun. The cry of the wounded. The shriek of terror. When may we eliminate the clamor and outburst of evil? We look to the Torah.Abraham was a refugee. He fled from Babylon and settled in Canaan. …

After the War
In the time of Abraham, war began among the Kings of Canaan. Abraham led his Troops to rescue captives. The battle went “well.” The prisoners were rescued. But, Abraham needed a long-term plan to live in a dangerous region.Today, most…

Difficult Choices
Noah, why did you save animals and not people? Couldn’t you fit a few more mothers and babies on the ark? Could you have built a larger ark to protect a few more? How did you make these difficult choices?And Noah answered, I did the best…

In the Beginning . . . No Peace
Israel is under attack. Maybe 1,000 Israelis are dead. Dozens may be held captive. The response will be epic. Hundreds more will die, Israelis and Palestinians. If we thought there was peace, we learned again that peace is an illusion.Israel…

You Can’t Deter a Terrorist
In the volatile cauldron of the Middle East, Israel's strategy against Hamas has long revolved around the concept of deterrence. The idea was simple: Israel aimed to convince Hamas to refrain from its violent pursuits by imposing threats and…

Judaism Needs An Upgrade
The High Holidays signals time for our personal renewal. We commit to improving ourselves. But what about improving Judaism? Judaism needs an upgrade. Here’s an example.A family friend passed away in Florida. I spoke with the surviving…