There came a time when God put Abraham to the test. “Abraham!” God said to him, and Abraham answered, “Here I am.” – Genesis 22:1 As I approach Rosh Hashanah this year, I am wondering about what it means to say, “Hineini, here I am.” What does it mean to be present, to recognize … More »
After renting for the better part of a decade, my husband and I bought a home a few months ago. The American Dream brought to life – single family house, more bedrooms than people (for now, anyway), big back yard, and, perhaps most importantly, a great neighborhood. Before we moved, I had rosy visions of … More »
Our new house has stairs and my daughter couldn’t be happier. Up and Down. Every time we go over to drop off some boxes and give her time to get acclimated, she goes straight for the stairs. Up and down. After a few days her confidence was through the roof and she was no longer … More »
When my husband turned thirty this fall, I played him this Tim McGraw song in honor of the occasion. My favorite line, “Maybe now I’ve conquered all my adolescent fears/and I’ll do it better in my next thirty years” encapsulates my hopes for this decade, which I’ll be entering myself in just a few months. … More »
I am an internet rubbernecker. I feel blessed to be living in a time of wireless connectivity, of virtual networks and instant communication. I feel lucky to be able to maintain relationships with friends and acquaintances from different parts of my life, to be able to access information with the touch of a button … More »
I tell my students: We pray facing Jerusalem, towards the Kotel, to remind us how important those places are to the Jewish people. I tell them: for many generations the Kotel has been a sacred space for our people, a remnant and reminder of the ancient Temples that stood in Jerusalem. I tell them: one … More »
On Yom Kippur, I often find myself vacillating between two extremes. I find myself apologizing to God – I’m sorry I have not lived up to the potential You have placed within me. Then I stop short, wondering if this is the height of hubris – who am I to assume that God has created … More »
For most of my childhood, what I was taught about Israel was designed to cultivate passionate, progressive Zionism. In college I was determined to attempt to rectify the imbalance and pursued a Middle Eastern Studies major, with the goal of learning “the other side of the story.” I was committed to building an authentic narrative … More »
My sweet little girl took her sweet time coming into this world. As my due date approached and passed, my husband and I eagerly anticipated her arrival and worked to prepare our home and our hearts for the arrival of our baby. Along with building the crib, washing the newborn clothes, and preparing freezer meals, … More »