From the Executive Editor

In My Own Words: The precariousness of life

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

I’m not particularly interested in the British royal family. Since most of their actions have no impact on my life, I rarely read about them. (And, no, I did not watch any of their weddings or the coronation.) Their family arguments are none of my business; I beli…

In My Own Words: Three lives

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

I saw the obituary just before leaving to attend a gravestone dedication at a local cemetery. Most of the obituary talked about the hard work done by the woman’s late mother: she used patterning to help her daughter learn to walk, although nothing could be done ab…

In My Own Words: Miscellaneous things

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

Two trials

After learning former President Donald Trump was found guilty of felony charges of falsifying business records, unlike many of my friends, I didn’t rejoice in the verdict. Instead, I found it profoundly sad that a former president of our country was fo…

In My Own Words: Zionists and anti-Zionists

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Zionism is defined as “an international movement originally for the establishment of a Jewish national or religious community in Palestine and later for the support of modern Israel.” I am a Zionist because I believe …

In My Own Words: Meandering thoughts about...

By Rabbi Rachel Esserman

Antisemitism and Jesus. Yes, I know some of you are shaking your heads, but a question about that connection was recently raised in Congress. (More on that in the next paragraph.) Antisemitism is a hot topic in the Jewish community, so much so that the larger commun…