By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Poetry can be difficult to judge because each person’s reactions are so personal. It’s not just a matter of whether someone prefers rhyme and rhythm to prose poetry. Some people like to ponder the underlying message of a poem, while others want its meaning to be eas…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
The 1950s
Imagine you discover that members of your family are involved in something shady and illegal. You also realize that your father, who is a police officer, is working to protect the criminal element in your community. In fact, the mob is his first allegianc…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Alicia Jo Rabins grew up in a secular Jewish home, but, even as a young child, felt that something was missing from her life, that there was something different that she needed to make life feel complete. As she notes in her memoir “When We’re Born We Forget Everyth…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
My plan had been to review two fantasy novels. Although some fantasy novels take place in totally make-believe worlds, others alternate between this world and alternate realms. I knew that was what I would find in “The Kingdom of Almonds” by Ariel Kaplan (Erewhon Bo…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
When contemplating writing this review, I wondered how to define the thriller genre, as opposed to other genres that also feature murders. One definition I found noted that these works fall somewhere between a traditional murder mystery and a horror novel. I certain…
