Opinion

From the Desk of the Federation Executive Director: With gratitude 6/4/21

In preparation for the Federation annual meeting on June 16, I’ve spent time reflecting on the past year and creating a vision for the year to come. (For information about how to attend the meeting, see the article on page 1.) The pandemic brought with it unprecedented challenges, but it a…

In My Own Words: How much do you want to win? by Rabbi Rachel Esserman

Not every candidate I vote for wins. That’s the nature of democracy: sometimes your choice wins and sometimes he/she loses. When that happened, you used to have two options: 1) find a better way to present your candidate so more people will vote for her/him, or 2) find a better candidate t…

From the Desk of the Federation Executive Director: With gratitude 5/7/21

By Shelley Hubal

Back in early February I received a call from a friend. An acquaintance of hers went into the hospital and would, most likely, not be returning home. She wanted to know if I would take in Rosie, her acquaintance’s cat. I could not say no. Our other cat, Jojo, is about 11 …

In My Own Words: Mixed feelings by Rabbi Rachel Esserman

I have mixed feeling about New York state’s legalization of marijuana. Before I write about those feelings I should make a few things clear:

1) I have never used marijuana in any form.
2) I have many friends who have used it with no harmful effects. 
3) I have long supported the medical …

In My Own Words: The first months by Rabbi Rachel Esserman

I suddenly realized that I hadn’t written anything about President Joe Biden since he’s taken office. That’s not because I agree with everything he’s done. I’m reserving judgment on some of his policies, particularly as they reference Israel and the Middle East. I do like the fact …