By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Commentaries on the Bible are rarely page turners. Even the most interesting are more likely to make people nod their head in agreement than encourage them to eagerly continue reading. This is especially true for works on the biblical book of Leviticus, which, with …
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
“The Phoenix Bride”
An impossible romance between a Jew and a Christian in England in 1665: that’s one of the many interesting plot elements offered in the very moving “The Phoenix Bride” by Natasha Siegel (Dell). It’s only been 10 years since the once …
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
A funeral is one of the most difficult tasks a rabbi performs. It can also be one of the most meaningful, whether from learning unexpected details of a person’s life or bringing comfort to their loved ones. Note, not closure, but comfort, because there is no closu…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Close study of ancient texts – mishnaic, talmudic and midrashic – often shows that there was no one monolithic way of thinking about almost anything in rabbinic Judaism. That includes opinions on sexuality and gender, as shown in “And the Sages Did Not Know: E…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
“We Are Only Ghosts”
Some people know how to be invisible. It’s a trait 42-year-old Charles Ward has perfected as a waiter at Café Marie in New York City in 1968. Almost no one – whether at work or in his very private life – knows anything about his past…
