I can still see the terrified look on his face as we both realized, in the same moment, that we had been set up. more

One of the greatest personal and political legacies in American history is certainly that of Abraham Lincoln. This is not the result of his image on the penny or the five dollar bill, nor from … more

Being in touch with the various Jewish media outlets, one is never at a loss for conversation. Topics that appeal specifically to Jewish interests keep us all on our toes. Last week I came across … more

One of the most enduring images from the Baltimore riots was that of the irate mother of a rioter vigorously admonishing and slapping her law-breaking teenage son. Millions of frustrated Americans, … more

In Bible study, teachings of morality often take a back seat to the teachings of law, custom and history. The book being brought to your attention this week explores morality in the context of our … more

The base themes of the holiday of Purim are survival and the smile. Irony in my opinion is a smile with a clear understanding of the inner meaning of the biblical text, in this case that of the Book … more

At my family’s seder this year, we read, as we always do, from the traditional Sephardic Haggadah, in keeping with the customs of the Jewish communities from Spain and Portugal. Our guests need … more

Summer is my favorite season and so far, I’ve been keeping busy. My daughter and son-in-law’s dog, Murphy kept us company for a week while they enjoyed their first anniversary on July … more

This probably won’t be true for the next generation, and perhaps it’s only the case for New Yorkers or many of us who called New York home for a good chunk of our lives, but remembering … more

When people jogged or ran, back in the 1980s and 1990s, it was mostly for the utilitarian purpose of staying fit. Running was exercise. Now, when people commit to run a marathon, there often is a … more