In retrospect, I don’t think any of us would have faulted him for keeping quiet. The year was 1916 and Louis Brandeis was nominated to be the first Jew on the Supreme Court. It would be a long and bruising confirmation battle.
October 01, 2016
Sweeter Than Honey
Occasion(s) / Rosh Hashanah
Just shy of two weeks ago – September 21, to be precise – I sat in my kitchen late one night, laptop out, High Holiday sermon writing weighing heavily on my person. My children had long since gone to sleep, as had Debbie, and a predictable case of writer’s block set in.
September 23, 2016
The Netflix Generation
Occasion(s) / Ki Tavo
When it comes to Bruce Springsteen, if I had to categorize my level of fandom, I would call myself “Conservadox,” firmly established on the traditional end of the spectrum. From the outset, let me clarify that I am by no means “frum,” overly zealous in my enthusiasm.
September 09, 2016
Speaking Freely
Occasion(s) / Shof’tim
Generally speaking, Jewish sources are a decidedly mixed bag when it comes to the question of free speech.
June 10, 2016
Wrestling With Israel
Occasion(s) / B’midbar
As I woke up this past Tuesday to the news in Israel, I was reminded of the rabbinic legend explaining the origins of Rosh Hodesh, the Jewish observance of a new month.
June 03, 2016
Loving Rebuke
Occasion(s) / B’hukkotai
Of all the unexpected bedfellows of biblical verse, perhaps the most surprising is the close proximity between the commandment to “love your neighbor,” and the obligation to “rebuke your kinsman.” In a small cluster of verses at the heart of what is called “the Holiness Code,” at the center of th
May 20, 2016
Against the Hyphen
Occasion(s) / Emor
In May 1916, exactly one hundred years ago this month, Theodore Roosevelt delivered a speech on the subject of being an American:
May 17, 2016
Making the Old New and the New Sacred - PAS 134th Annual Meeting
Occasion(s) / Other
Last week I had the honor of delivering the first annual Dr. Byron Sherwin Memorial Lecture. Dr. Sherwin, who passed away about a year ago, was a mentor of mine in Chicago – a man without whom I would never have received my doctorate.
April 29, 2016
The Sunflower
Occasion(s) / Pesach
Much to my surprise, it was the image of a sunflower that entered my mind as I read Father Patrick Desbois’ book, The Holocaust by Bullets. In a narrative both horrifying and redemptive, Father Desbois, our speaker at this Wednesday evening’s Holocaust Day observance, relates his journey
April 15, 2016
Kitniyot and Kishkes
Occasion(s) / M’tzora
My parents, as many of you know, hail from the United Kingdom – my father from Glasgow, Scotland, and my mother from Manchester, England.