If we want people to be able to settle into a position of openness to the messages of the Days of Awe, we need to first help them feel safe—physically as well as spiritually.

Suddenly my mind formed a prayer. “May my oneness connect with the oneness of the dolphins.” More flowed forth: “May my echad connect to my son’s joy of speed and jet power.”

How dare I ask for something more when I already have so much?

With my family’s support, I made the decision to go through elective surgeries that could lower my risk of breast and ovarian cancers to single digits.

It is intolerable that Israeli Judaism must constantly grapple with the agonizing weight of physical force while liberal American Judaism remains comfortably disengaged.

Imagine if we all simply agreed to start any conversation about America or American Jewish life with an articulation of the things about which we are grateful.

I found people who understand that, at their best, science and faith are not rivals but two disciplines of devotion.

Death and grief affect many people who seem ancillary to those most directly impacted.

The assumption that there is only one path to true and perfect joy, especially when one makes that claim in the name of God, or any other redemptive scheme be it religious or political, has a rather deadly track record in human history.

Seder rituals can be tools of well-being and resilience that we can call up whenever we feel the need for strength or joy.