Blog

It’s finally here, the moment that we have been waiting for too long. Jury selection began on Monday, April 24, and depending upon how long it takes to seat a jury of twelve with six alternates, the trial will then commence. I’m not sure how we are supposed to feel at this moment. Relief? Anger? Sadness? Frustration? Retraumatized? Most likely it is a jumble of all of them, and I think...Read more...

I hope that your Sedarim were joyous, meaningful and tasty. I had the privilege of breaking matza with Muslims and Christians the first night, which also marked the confluence of our holidays at the same time, something that occurs once every 33 years. We had quite a number of deep discussions, which is what the Seder is supposed to encourage, with the Four Questions being the impetus. One...Read more...

Two seemingly unrelated incidents of late that are on my mind have a shared thread that I hope to make apparent. I have spoken very little about the political scene in Israel, preferring to give the new government the opportunity to act. Gradually I began to see the error of that decision as statements that reflected poor choices of words made the trajectory of the new government veer onto...Read more...

I have a teleprompter app on my iPad that I use when I’m recording a speech. It is very easy to use, and I can place the iPad over my computer monitor, look at the green light of my camera, and record. It is a really useful app if you are called upon to record speeches, as frequently happens to me. I opened the app the other day and clicked the tab for “new script”, and a small window...Read more...

The continuous stream of antisemitism is wearying. Attacking individual Jews after morning minyan in Los Angeles, vandalizing synagogues, and a “Day of H” just make you wonder what has become of America. Perhaps someone can explain the math to me of certain Americans who claim that they love America yet H 60% of its citizens?

Imagine the story of a powerful leader in government who wants to eliminate the Jews? We sadly know this to be true more than once, with usually horrific consequences. It is not unprecedented, yet there can be cause for hope and even celebration. I have commented before that the first recorded case of antisemitism occurred in ancient Egypt, when the new Pharaoh said, “Look, the Israelite people are much too numerous for us. Let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground.” [Exodus 1:9-10, JPS edition]. A comparable set of reasons were offered in 479BCE: “There is a certain people, scattered and dispersed among the other peoples in all the provinces of your realm, whose laws are different from those of any other people and who do not obey the king’s laws; and it is not in Your Majesty’s interest to tolerate them.” But it didn’t end with this statement. The speaker went on to bribe the king: “If it please Your Majesty, let an edict be drawn for their destruction, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the stewards for deposit in the royal treasury.” Thereupon the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the foe of the Jews. And the king said, “The money and the people are yours to do with as you see fit.” [Megilat Esther 3:8-11, translation from Sefaria]Read more...