Blog

One of the privileges of living in the Northeastern United States is the change of seasons. Each season has its pluses and minuses, to be sure, and the transitions are always full of surprises. One of the most beautiful seasons is certainly the Fall, as the span of colors is so pleasing to the eyes. As the trees cease production of chlorophyll, the true colors of the trees emerge: deep purples and maroons, vibrant...Read more...

I know the look; I’ve seen it before. Many times. Utter sadness. You try to smile, but the muscles just do not cooperate. Many times, over the nearly six years, I have seen that face, and I saw it last night. A communal commemoration of the 10.7 massacre in Israel was held outdoors, and I estimated that approximately 1,000 people attended. One speaker told us of the bravery of her cousin, a soldier in the IDF, who ran towards the shooting,...Read more...

We are in the middle of the final month of the Jewish calendar, the month of Elul. For Rabbis and Cantors particularly, it is a very busy month on so many levels. The Rabbi part of me is crafting four sermons for Rosh Hashanah (two evening and two daytime), two sermons for Yom Kippur, and I think six sermons for Sukkot. The Cantor part of me is reviewing the entire Machzor, refamiliarizing myself as well as...Read more...

I know that the word does not exist in any dictionary, and there is no recommended alternative, but I find that it describes certain situations best, even if I was the one who created the word: retraumatization. I intend its use to describe a situation where someone who has experienced trauma experiences it again. The second experience might not be identical to the original, but it can cause the sufferer to have a...Read more...

Separate conversations with three psychologists have confirmed my undocumented observations that people are less happy these days. I see less smiling and joking, and greater concern for the future. Certainly October 7 continues to impact the Jewish community in particular, as antisemitism expands its daily presence, coupled with yet another rejection of a ceasefire by Hamas. Where is the...Read more...