By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
There’s a joke about Jewish holidays that says, “They tried to kill us; we won; let’s eat.” When thinking of recorded Jewish history, that statement could be changed to read, “They invited us to live there. We prospered, so they hated us and tried to destr…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Fictional works featuring Jewish folklore and mysticism are now considered part of mainstream Jewish culture, as are books that acknowledge queer Jewish culture. This combination works because people see many pathways to being Jewish – ones that might not have bee…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
According to the website Grammarly, “a memoir is a nonfiction narrative in which the author shares their memories from a specific time period or reflects upon a string of themed occurrences throughout their life. An autobiography is a factual and historical accoun…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Confession: I frequently anthropomorphize objects from stuffed animals to mechanical devices. Yes, I can assign almost any in…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
A mystery
There’s nothing like a good murder to bring three generations together. OK, not everyone would agree with that statement. In fact, in “Mother-Daughter Murder Night” by Nina Simon (William Morrow), Beth wishes her mother, Lena, would concentrate on…
