This week, we celebrate Purim. The holiday is a remembrance of a dark tale, filled with trickery, deception, and plots of murder and revenge. The themes of the story are heavy and important. But the celebration of Purim is surrounded by a gauzy cloud...

When I was a kid, my friends and I read a book series called Captain Underpants. In the story, two kids unwittingly transform their school principal into a superhero. By day, Mr. Krupp is a grumpy, intimidating authority figure. By night, he is a superhero...

A job for which I am highly unqualified is music supervisor. Music supervisors choose what songs will accompany a given scene in film or television. You have to know a wide array of musical styles and genres (I don’t), and be good at knowing just what...

Dear Miss Manners, I saw recently that columnist Jen Rubin was next in the long line of brilliant journalists who have left the Washington Post and then on Tuesday, Jan. 22, she was followed by Philip Rucker, WaPo’s renowned national editor. I fear...

This week’s Torah portion, Vaera, describes the first seven of the 10 plagues that God wrought upon Egypt so that Pharaoh would heed Moses’ pleas to let our people go. After each request from Moses and Aaron, Pharaoh refuses. A plague is brought upon...

Shmot is a portion of opposites. It begins with the names of Jacob’s sons who traveled to Egypt. The 11 brothers are listed by name. Furthermore, we read that the number of souls who made this journey totaled 70. Memory is crucial to the Jewish people....

One of the main themes of Sefer Bereishit is the struggle between brothers. Cain and Hevel (Abel), Yitzchak and Yishmael, Esav and Yaakov, and Yosef and his brothers. Last week’s Parsha provides the culmination of the entire Book, with Yehudah refusing...

What we do and what we say matters; once we do or say something, there is often no turning back. One of life’s most important lessons is to think before we speak or act.  In reflecting on this week’s Torah portion, one cannot help but wonder how...

There is an old story of a grandparent who was walking on the beach with a grandchild. They were enjoying a wonderful time together when, all of a sudden, a huge wave came onto the beach, sweeping the grandchild away. The panicky, fearful grandparent...

“A young boy was standing along the edge of the river. A man approached him and inquired, ‘What are you waiting for?’ Without hesitation the youth replied, ‘I am waiting for that steamboat to pick me up.’ ‘Foolish boy,’ said the man, ‘boats...

In Toldot, this week’s parashah, Isaac offers the following blessing to Jacob as he sends him from his home to find a wife with the clear hope that he will return to the land of his birthright: “May G-d bless you, make you fertile and numerous, so...

Torah Portion: Va-yeyra, Genesis 18:1-22:24 Many rabbis and cantors — myself included — have been asked: “What do you do if a Torah Scroll falls to the floor?” (For the answer, read on to the end.) For this Shabbat, here are two texts. First,...