To My Son On His Bar Mitzvah
The Bar Mitzvah isn’t the end, but the beginning.
The Road To Freedom Isn’t An Easy One
I dedicate these words to our neighbor George Floyd (z”l), may his memory be for a revolution. A new Pharaoh rose up over Egypt who knew not Joseph. Now, when […]
An Understanding of Gender in the Torah from Binary to Merism
How can I curse what God has blessed? That is what Balaam, the go to prophet-for-hire in the 13th century BCE says to the King of Moab. We read these […]
When School And Work Collide With The Holidays
I have been in school basically my whole life, first as a student, then as a teacher, now as a professor. Every year (except for when I taught at a […]
Daily Dreidel: A Hanukkah Activity For Couples
Hanukkah approaches. In this busy season, it’s easy to neglect your relationship as you get swept up in cooking, making the holiday special, and shuttling kids back and forth. If […]
Missouri Jewish Leaders Create Summer Sleepaway Camp For LGBTQ+ Youngsters
This article originally ran in the St. Louis Jewish Light and is used with permission. When Andy Brown and Dan Grabel founded Camp Manitowa in 2010, with two locations in […]
Parenting By Parsha: Tzav
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Passover is upon us. The weeklong festival of springtime, replete with family quality time (and sometimes drama), seder meals that last long into […]
Parenting By Parsha: Vayikra
Wait ‘til you get to Vayikra,” my dad laughed, when I told him that I was starting a column called Parenting by Parsha. My mom laughed along with him. “Exodus […]
Parenting By Parsha: Beshalach
Yesterday, our toddler took the magnet in the shape of Moses off the fridge and gave it a hug, tablets, flowing beard and all. Our kiddo is really into hugging […]
Parenting By Parsha: Bo
This week, we read the portion of ‘Bo,’ which, literally translated, means something like, ‘come over here.’ While the name of this portion sounds like an invitation, it’s more like […]