Who’s In & Who’s Out?

“The only really interesting questions are the unanswerable ones.” —Jacob Needleman I’m not sure why I’ve been vexed lately by the question of why human beings seem so invested in deciding who is in our group and who is the “other.”  Maybe it’s the seemingly endless rounds of voting to choose the Speaker of the … Read more

Kaddish of the Rabbis

Yesterday at 1:15 PM, students, teachers and alumni from the Jewish Theological Seminary gathered in New York City and on Zoom to observe the 5th yahrzeit (anniversary of the death) of Rabbi Neil Gillman, may his memory be a blessing. I was teaching at The Weber School in Atlanta, and when class ended at 1:30 … Read more

The Latest News

This week, while concentrating on creative writing and editorial responsibilities, I decided it was time to send out a long-overdue newsletter. If you haven’t already subscribed to my quarterly newsletter, From My Writer’s Notebook, please visit the home page, scroll down and subscribe. It’s as easy as clicking a button! In other news, my post … Read more

Adulting: A Reflection on Gratitude

In case you missed my post on the Rabbis Without Borders blog last week–perhaps you were enjoying Thanksgiving with your family–I’m sharing the link here. It’s always a good time to feel grateful: Two months ago, I purchased a Dyson vacuum for my daughter for her 25th birthday. She was thrilled and posted about what … Read more

God Desires My Freedom

On the Rabbis Without Borders blog, a reflection on being paralyzed by fear and finding a way forward, with the help of friends, including one who encouraged me to compose and share this prayer: “God Desires My Freedom,” recited at the Lights for Liberty Vigil to End Human Detention Camps, Plaza Fiesta, Chamblee, GA – … Read more

Summer Vacation in Immigration Court

On the Rabbis Without Borders blog, my personal story of accompanying an asylum seeker in immigration court: The email request arrives on Friday around 2:30 pm. The subject: “Accompaniment Urgently Needed for Asylum Court Case.” Volunteers are needed on June 6th. It’s been more than five months since I returned from Nogales, where I was … Read more