By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
“The more things change, the more they stay the same” – Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr
The above quote came to mind when thinking about two recent works that speak to the way fear can turn to hate and persecution. At first, “Poisoned Wells: Accusations, Persec…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Some reviews are more difficult to write than others. Take, for example, “The Pages” by Hugo Hamilton (Alfred A. Knopf): Although I loved the novel, which is filled with beautiful prose and wonderful descriptions, I knew it was not for everyone. First, the narra…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Lifecyle events – changes in status – often make us pause and review our lives. They also can cause us to re-evaluate the way we understand our parents’ behavior and our connection to them. These ideas form the basis for two recent memoirs: After his mother’…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
There are several approaches to writing short stories. Some offer only a brief glimpse of a person’s life or thoughts. Others tell of events that encompass decades, but which focus only on the most relevant details. Each approach offers something different, remin…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
I have an eclectic taste in books. Sorry, eclectic was a high school vocabulary word that I fell in love with: it’s just a fancy way of saying I like to read a wide variety of books. Years ago, there was bookstore on Washington Avenue in Endicott. The salesman an…
