I have a lot of random ideas swimming around in my head. They’re doing laps, jumping off the high dive and frankly just taking up space. It’s time to purge my flooded brain.   • Charcuterie boards can be so impressive, elaborate and inviting....

“A person is given three names: one that their parents call them, one their fellows call them, and one that they acquire with their deeds.” (Midrash Tanhuma, Va-yakhel) The naming process is unique to each individual and culture, yet names...

Would you hire Bilaam to work at your Jewish organization? Let’s check out his resume.  Bilaam’s previous job titles include dream interpreter, magician, and most recently, prophet via ruach hakodesh, the holy spirit.  His most recent employer...

I was recently asked by the mother of an old friend, 'Why I do a “Jewish Joke of the Day.' I responded and she thought I should share my answer. I believe as Jews, we love to laugh. I believe Jews love to laugh at themselves and laugh at the very...

Rob Eshman reported this story from the streets of Jerusalem. JERUSALEM — The rifle shots that rang out in Pennsylvania, nearly killing former President Donald Trump, echoed in Israel as well.  In a country that is too familiar with political violence...

As members of the St. Louis Jewish community, we are compelled to respond to a recent letter by some area Rabbis that mischaracterizes the record of Congresswoman Cori Bush. Bush is a supporter of peace and as a co-sponsor of Representative Haley Steven’s...

What would Vivian do?  Vivian Zwick was a pillar of the pro-choice and the Jewish community of St. Louis. She was the first woman elected as the president of the Jewish Light Board of Trusteess in 1975 (Jewish Light Aug. 10, 2022). I met her at several...

Yes, unfortunately, there is still racism in America. There will probably always be a degree of racism in America, as there is in virtually every country on earth. It is almost impossible to rid the United States and any other nation of the last bigot.  Still,...

With a month to go until the MO-01 primary, we, rabbis and cantors from across the Jewish spectrum, write once again, in our personal, private capacities, with a clear and unified message: Let’s get Wesley Bell to Washington. It’s time for our...

In the Tanakh, one can often tell quite a bit about who people are just by the meaning of their names. Eve comes from the word life, Abraham means father of multitudes, David is beloved. So when you learn that Korach, the titular character in this week’s...

If former President Trump incited a riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, was he doing so as the sitting president, or as a private citizen? This may seem rather beside the point — the federal case against the president alleges that he was trying to overturn...

Despite the miraculous journey on which the people had been traveling, when faced with deciding on whether to continue going forward, the people were afraid. They looked back on the halcyon days when a strong authority figure determined the...