By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
“Banana Menorah”
*Picture used with permission of Apple and Honey Press* The delightful picture book “Banana Menorah” by Lee Wind and illustrated by Karl West (Apple and Honey Press) portrays the creativity that makes Hanukkah such a fun holiday. The unnam…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
When I was talking to a non-Jewish friend this summer about a Jewish fantasy novel that I was reading, he expressed surprise that there was such a thing as Jewish fantasy. The elements of these works can be found as far back as talmudic times: the belief in demons, …
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
As part of my chaplaincy work, I often read or tell Jewish stories. They’re a great way to teach a lesson or get a point across without sounding pedantic. Many of them are also great fun and I have favorites that I tend to repeat. However, there are very few women …
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Some reviews are more difficult to write than others, especially when there is a difference between my personal and professional opinions about the work. I am able to recognize when a book is excellent, but it just doesn’t resonate with me. That’s the case with …
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
“Food is far more than just sustenance.” That idea is the inspiration behind John M. Efron’s research in “All Consuming: Germans, Jews, and the Meaning of Meat” (Stanford University Press). Efron, Koret professor of Jewish history at the University of Calif…
