One out of three hundred. When 299 armed soldiers deployed for Korea, my grandfather, whom I lovingly refer to as Zaida, defied the odds. He was chosen to serve as a legal clerk in a court-martial unit in the United States. I have heard him nostalgically recount his time in the Army since I was […]
I started wearing a tallit for the first time in my life in November of 2018 at age 39. It took me a very long time to get there at all, and I fully acknowledge my motivation came from setting an example of my belief in egalitarianism for my daughters and not from any personal […]
The Bar Mitzvah isn’t the end, but the beginning.
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 we ended the book of Genesis, Joseph and Pharoah had a close relationship — you remember how cozy those two were, saving all the Egyptians […]
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 words in Parshat Balak in chapter 22 of Numbers (verse 18): “Bilaam replied to Balak’s officials, ‘Were Balak to give me his house full of […]
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 Jewish day school), I have had to navigate asking for days off for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. I have been lucky, in that I […]
About six years ago, before the horribleness that no parent should have to go through, Ron Garber and June Garber Cheng were welcoming their first child into the world and dealing with all the new-parent anxieties that any other new parent deals with. “We went home sort of thinking everything was great, and had that […]
What do Snow White’s dwarfs have to do with Hannukah? About as much as garden gnomes have to do with the technically insignificant but widely celebrated Festival of Lights. Which is to say, not much. But given what continues to be sold as Hannukah merch year after year, who even cares anymore. So let’s celebrate […]
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 your relationship could use a fresh look and some intentional care, give this playful take on the game of dreidel a spin. If you have […]
All partners grapple with differences, but differences in religion can feel particularly tough. If you and your partner differ religiously, either in observance or in faith tradition altogether, you might find yourself wondering if your differences doom your marriage. As a clinical psychologist and couples therapist, I help partners manage all kinds of differences, including […]