Why I Chose Humanistic Judaism
[This is cross-posted from the Interfaith at Northwestern blog, which I was asked to contribute a post for. ] When I was a kid, I was absolutely convinced that God exists. I prayed all the time, in...
View ArticleThe Happiest Day of My Life
My sister-in-law and me, on the happiest day of my life. And maybe of hers, too. [TMI Warning] On April 3 of this past year, my older brother got married. I’d known his wife-to-be almost as long as he...
View ArticleDepressed on Shabbos
[TMI Warning] This past weekend, I participated in an overnight retreat with a Jewish education program I’m involved in called the Maimonides Leaders Fellowship. In Jewish parlance, the trip is called...
View ArticleLiking Yourself and Being a Good Person–Is There a Connection?
Read this quote: “I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth. Whether I shall ever be...
View ArticleUrban Outfitters' Possibly-Accidental Holocaust Reference
Aside from perhaps American Apparel, there might not be any clothing retailer that people love to hate more than Urban Outfitters. This time, UO has angered the Jewish community by selling a t-shirt...
View ArticleWhen Religious Minorities Oppose Freedom
Among the many different reactions garnered by Obama’s historic announcement of support for same-sex marriage, one that flew under the radar of most people–at least, most non-Jewish people–was that of...
View ArticleSarah Silverman and Mandatory Childbearing
Sarah Silverman in “Let My People Vote.” A few weeks ago, a certain Rabbi Rosenblatt that I’d never heard of before wrote an open letter to Jewish comedian Sarah Silverman, criticizing her for…her...
View ArticleSecular Solstice and the Importance of Ritual
I wanted to write a little bit about secular ritual and tradition and why it’s important. To me, that is. It’s important to me. It’s not important to a lot of other people, some of whom politely shrug...
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