From the Executive Editor

In My Own Words: Feeling discomfort

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

I actually had to double check because I started to think, “Wait, that can’t be real. She must have accidently sent me a link to a comic/fake news site.” But, unfortunately, I was wrong and, since it was on a topic I’ve been thinking of writing about for the…

In My Own Words: Something silly

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

I’m a big fan of the Muppets. I don’t remember when I first saw “Sesame Street,” but I believe it must have been when I was in junior high or high school. My favorite Muppet at that time was Oscar the Grouch. I could relate to his grouchiness, a trait that r…

In My Own Words: Something personal

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

While there are many political and social issues facing us in 2022, it’s a personal one that I can’t stop thinking about. To put this in perspective: the last few weeks of December were extremely difficult in my chaplaincy work with far too many deaths for reaso…

In My Own Words: Do Americans really want democracy?

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

Democracy: a form of government in which people choose leaders by voting. (Merriam-Webster)

Imagine a football game where the losing team decides it was robbed because someone rigged the game and then sent its fans to storm the National Football League’s headquar…

In My Own Words: Being a chaplain, not a theologian

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

I never expected the words to come out of my mouth. But as the only chaplain available, I said the one thing I knew would bring comfort to the person who had told me proudly that he was a regular churchgoer: “Your friend is safe because he is resting in the arms o…