We live in a world starring extroverts: outgoing, gregarious, opinionated types are the ones who make a stir, succeed in job interviews, and win political campaigns. Even synagogues are run by dog-rabbis, rather than cat-rabbis. The success of the mega-church movement is predicated on a culture of welcoming, in-your-face friendliness, and ubiquitous “greeters.” In fact, … More »
At Beit T’Shuvah, a rehab in Los Angeles, we began work with addicts by asking simply, “What are the lies you tell yourself?” I often thought, how would I possibly know that?! Surely, we all lie, even more that we realize or admit. In The Little Drummer Girl, John LeCarre describes Kurtz, an Israeli spymaster, … More »
In school, did you like math and foreign language classes? Most people hated them, but for some reason I loved both. Frankly, it’s only since moving to Knoxville, Tennessee, and having so many scientists as congregants, that I finally came out as a math nerd. In fact, I’m told that math, languages, and music all share … More »
During the U’netaneh Tokef, the signal prayer of the holidays, we are enjoined to think of God k’vakarat ro’eh ‘edro, as a Shepherd reviewing God’s flock. To place this phrase in context, it was common practice for the shepherd to account for her flock (and there is evidence that this was a profession of both … More »
Sadly, modern-day slavery is a pressing and growing problem even in East Tennessee. By most accounts, labor-slavery predominates over sexual-exploitation here, and most slaves are trafficked domestically, rather than imported from abroad. I would like to tell you briefly about an organization with which I work: I recently joined the board of the Community Coalition … More »
Places mean different things to different people. In the early aughts, I lived in West Hollywood, California, one of the most prominently gay-friendly cities in the United States. (Best and cheapest haircuts I ever had.) During a visit back East to Massachusetts, I visited my Russian émigrés cousins. When I told them where I lived, they … More »
As a friend commented, I am “touchy-feely” but not “new-agey.” When a yoga teacher sonorously intones “your ‘self’ impairs your ability to ‘be present,”’ I glaze over and wonder when I next need to cut my nails. Yet, there is some truth to her statement, if we re-frame the sentiment: one’s sense of what would … More »
Williamsburg, Brooklyn is a neighborhood known for at least two groups: Chassids and hipsters. These days, it seems like every idea floated to “save” liberal Judaism has its origins in one of those two communities: either Judaism should become Indie, or it should become neo-Chassidic, or both. Personally, I am not seeking neo-orthodox minyanim where … More »
As a teen, I bowed to each member of the nerds’ triumvirate: Rush music, X-Men comics, and Dungeons & Dragons games. For the uninitiated, Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game which has elements of collaborative storytelling and improvisational theater, with oddly shaped dice to settle disputes. In a game, you create a character, … More »