Every year, as we study this week’s Torah portion, Bereshit, I find myself thinking of two remarkable rabbis.  The first rabbi I associate with Parashat Bereshit is Rabbi Sally J. Priesand. In 1972, Rabbi Priesand was ordained by the Hebrew Union...

This story was originally published on Moment.com. Sign up for the Moment Minute.  INDEPENDENT I humbly refer the question to rabbis far older and more learned than I, beginning with the third-century Rabbi Yochanan. His response (in the Babylonian...

As we approach the High Holy Days, the Hebrew month of Elul, which began last night, offers us a chance to hit the proverbial "pause" button, take a breath, and reset. Traditionally, Elul practices for High Holy Days focus on deep introspection, encouraging...

In Jewish tradition, naming newborns after loved ones who have passed away is a profound way to honor and keep their legacy alive. Have you ever looked at a child and seen not only the soul in front of you but someone you loved and lost? When my mother...

Sadly, this year I attended the funeral of the beloved husband of a former colleague. I’ve been to many funerals in the past, but none like this one. The words spoken by this man’s family and friends painted a picture...

We Jews have been called lots of things. Some of the less offensive appellations are “stubborn” and “obstinate.” Yes, we can be stubborn, obstinate or davka. Call it what you like. But, curiously, not all the rabbis see stubbornness as a fault. In...

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, a Swiss American psychiatrist, told of a terminally ill woman who was in the hospital and begged the doctors to help her survive long enough to attend her son’s wedding. If she could just get to the wedding, she said, she could...

Pesach feels different this year. Likely, we are all experiencing a mix of emotions; sad, angry, scared, frustrated, and stuck in place, like it has forever been Oct. 7. We’re supposed to celebrate with joy this festival known, as Zman Cherutaynu, season...

When I was 9 years old and attending a Conservative Jewish day school, I witnessed the boys that were required to wear kippot, or yarmulkes, every day while there was no such obligation for the girls attending the school.  As a young girl waiting in...

“Rabbi, before my father died, he expressed a desire to be cremated. Is this permissible in Judaism?” Such questions often arise as families, amid fresh grief, are forced to make plans for the funeral of a beloved family member. Like so many questions...

Every culture has its tales of heroes, leaders and exemplars whose lives and stories serve as models for our own. Whether we look at the ancient stories of Achilles or the modern chronicles of Superman, the narratives of these characters are presented...

My family has a tradition of driving great distances. It is not unusual for us to drive to Maine or to Colorado. In the armrest of the car is a small open area where we keep stones of various shapes and sizes, collected from places we have traveled or...