Beliefs and concepts
Beaches Belong to the People, Even in Greenwich
It was a sweltering Memorial Day in the New York area so I drove with my kids to Greenwich, Connecticut, which I was told,...
Seriously, Aren’t Atheists Embarrassed by P.Z. Myers?
One of my mentors, Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg, (of blessed memory), made the following, rather sobering, observation about human nature: "Nobody ever allowed something as trivial as facts and logic to interfere with their agenda. If...
Bin Laden’s Burial and other Religious Frauds
The bizarre burial of Osama bin Laden at sea - an action necessitated by our government's need to accommodate Islamic law requiring that a Muslim be buried within 24 hours of death - raises urgent...
The Morality of Killing Bin Laden
In imagining how we Americans would react to the news that Osama bin Laden had finally been killed, I expected mass expressions of relief. But what I never anticipated was the celebrations. To be sure, Osama...
The Natalie Portman “Motherhood-gate” scandal; should we laugh or cry?
I must admit that I'm behind the curve on this one. Until I just saw...
Free Range Shechita – An Eye Opening Experience
Having grown up as the daughter of an Army Rabbi, my childhood was spent in...
Seeing the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
Summary People often talk about miracles. There are firm believers that miracles happen in our...
Divided Matzah, Divided People: The Secret of the Afikoman
Afikoman For children, it is the highlight of the seder. Over the years they discovered...
Beaches Belong to the People, Even in Greenwich
It was a sweltering Memorial Day in the New York area so I drove with my kids to Greenwich, Connecticut, which I was told, had...
Seriously, Aren’t Atheists Embarrassed by P.Z. Myers?
One of my mentors, Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg, (of blessed memory), made the following, rather sobering, observation about human nature: "Nobody ever allowed something as trivial...
Bin Laden’s Burial and other Religious Frauds
The bizarre burial of Osama bin Laden at sea - an action necessitated by our government's need to accommodate Islamic law requiring that a Muslim...
The Morality of Killing Bin Laden
In imagining how we Americans would react to the news that Osama bin Laden had finally been killed, I expected mass expressions of relief. But...
The Natalie Portman “Motherhood-gate” scandal; should we laugh or cry?
I must admit that I'm behind the curve on this one. Until I just saw Sarah Wildman's article in theForward (4/22/11, "A Woman's Greatest Role?"),...
Free Range Shechita – An Eye Opening Experience
Having grown up as the daughter of an Army Rabbi, my childhood was spent in three different countries, often in places where orthodox Jewish communities...
Seeing the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
Summary People often talk about miracles. There are firm believers that miracles happen in our lives, and firm skeptics and non-believers. But before we discuss...
Rabbis Without God(?!)
It has been said in the name of one of the great Hassidic rebbes, that before the arrival of the messiah there will be an...
Divided Matzah, Divided People: The Secret of the Afikoman
Afikoman For children, it is the highlight of the seder. Over the years they discovered that because the seder could not be concluded until this...
An Open Letter to Dr. Jerry Coyne – Atheistic Biologist
Dear Dr. Coyne, I've been contemplating the three attacks you launched against Rabbi Adam Jacobs and myself within a period of several weeks. They appeared on...
Hating Evil
Hearing about a bomb going off in Jerusalem is entirely different when you have two daughters living there. You scramble for your phone. You search...
Don’t Celebrate Ignorance
A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance. -- Saul Bellow Light travels faster than sound. That's why most people seem bright until...
An Open Letter to a Concealed G-d
Dear G-d, It's been a while. How are You? Though You didn't ask, let me share with You how we are. Bluntly put: We're not doing so...
A Jew is a Jew!
A friend of mine, a completely secular Jew, recently died after a long and brave struggle with cancer. Three weeks later, the non-Jewish father of...
