As I write these words, I’m heartbroken by what Ukrainians — both Jewish and non-Jewish — have endured. On the news apps, and on TV, we watched the map of Ukraine change daily, a smidgen at a time. Red, which just happens to be the color of blood, slowly spread inward from the edges. […]
Suggesting New Year’s resolutions for other people doesn’t seem like a best practice, but here we go. I’d like to suggest a new path for the national media. I’ve known so many journalists who take pride in safeguarding against their own bias, working so hard to write fairly and objectively. All of this is […]
The Internet and media are glowing with anger. It’s the kind of anger that can precede a career-dismantling “cancellation” in our current culture. Regardless of whether the current target, comedian Dave Chappelle, deserves that, I do, as a Jew, find it disturbing that there’s a digital mob roaming around and meting out justice. We […]
Antisemitism is real and is having a significant impact. We’ve got to be aware. I sometimes blow off some steam by visiting Reddit, a social media platform. It’s where people discuss the issues of the day and post things like, “How do I get a job like cookie inspector?” That was posted on July […]
I know you’re exhausted. The new year has arrived, and the pandemic is still on. It’s like a slog through the mud, all this endless mask wearing, wondering how much mask wearing is appropriate, and thinking about vaccines and loved ones. It didn’t help that the rug was pulled out from under us. It […]
Hello, young Jews of the world! Honestly, I am somewhat concerned for your welfare. You’re under pressure. Supporting Israel is turning uncool in some quarters, and you’re being challenged, sometimes even without you having brought it up. People are pressing you on Israel, or I fear they will, just because you’re Jewish. I’m sorry […]
I’m astonished at how naïve I was as an undergraduate at Hofstra University on Long Island. I thought I was doing something. I now understand it as a nice memory, a little bit of action for the good, but so focused on a detail. I was lost in the woods and couldn’t see the […]
For Chanukah, I give you the gift of knowing whether you can remember old things like I do. If you can appreciate four or more of these eight items, you win. I remember rolling up the window. I still roll up the window. I suspect younger folks are raising the window, since there’s nothing […]
A wise friend advised me to share my values in this space. I said, I think the work should stand for itself. I was told, that’s nice but some may want to know, so share your values. Okay, so as my grandfather used to say, here goes nothing. Here are some of my values. […]
You cannot crush the life out of someone on Minnesota pavement like it’s nothing. This is not justice. A person of color, approached by an officer, should not have to feel fear, a fear I can only imagine because of my privilege. Put another way, a police officer’s patience must not be determined by […]