Thank you. I’m thankful for you reading my essays month after month. What a coincidence that here I am, publicly thankful, and it happens to be Thanksgiving. We can each make a list, from the serious to the silly, as a reminder of positivity during...

During the Jewish holidays in September and October, we often reflect on making a better version of ourselves. Well after reflecting for these months and more, here is my takeaway: Growing up, my family was always an embarrassment to me. And going forward,...

I drafted this commentary the day after the presidential election, before we knew the final outcome. I felt my comments were relevant regardless of the winner.  The 2020 election has been called the most important in American history, given the huge...

Death’s a funny thing. It can focus your mind, but it also can set your head spinning. It can even do both at the same time, as did to me over the weekend.After several days of following the grim and grimmer news about our surging coronavirus pandemic,...

My first opportunity to meet Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who passed away on Nov. 7, began in 2013. As a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency, I had the privilege of introducing a dialogue between Rabbi Sacks and the Israeli historian Fania...

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, lost his third battle with cancer last Shabbat, at the age of 72. He was called a ‘towering intellect’ by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and admirers in Jewish communities throughout...

JERUSALEM (JTA) — American presidents often vie for the designation as the best friend Israel ever had in the White House. That competition sometimes starts early. Joe Biden first brandished his pro-Israel credentials to me at a Christmas party in...

I’ll never forget the day I converted to Judaism — after all, it was one of the best days of my life!After years of studying, learning and teaching, I finally achieved the goal I’d had from the age of 16. But while it was an amazing day, it was...

Twenty-five years after Yitzhak Rabin’s murder and still, the debate about his legacy heats up every year as the date of his memorial ceremony approaches. A few object to the statement that the Oslo process failed because the Palestinian national...

Praise for Mirowitz Center programming Kudos to Susan Kemppainen and Stephen Cohen on the diverse programming via Zoom offered to the entire community through the Mirowitz Center. I especially enjoyed the recent program on Ruth Bader Ginsburg given...

The Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis released the following statement on behalf of a coalition of local Jewish congregations and organizations: The bedrock of American liberty is a strong, thriving democracy and an engaged citizenry. The...

Help Americans by passing relief bill Without time to mourn the passing of a remarkable woman of integrity and compassion (“Ruth Bader Ginsburg, first Jewish woman to serve on the Supreme Court, dies at 87,” Sept. 18), our country leapt into political...