November 2014

Cultivating Generous Giving in the Season of Shopping

This Thanksgiving, I felt so grateful for the presence of beloved family. Yet I was also mindful of a friend’s ...

A Privilege to be Thankful

When Abraham Lincoln set forth his proclamation in 1863 fixing a national day of Thanksgiving he evoked the images of ...

Pilgrim’s Progress: Thanksgiving, Plymouth Rock and the House of God

Thanksgiving beckons loved ones together to count blessings and honor journeys toward freedom and plenty. Whether our ancestors traveled to these ...

Safety Doesn’t Happen by Accident

I hope we can all agree that the tragedy of the Freundel case is the harm that was done to ...

Zoom In, Zoom Out: What Lens Are You Looking at Ferguson Through?

When I was a college student, I remember an image from a class that has stuck with me. It was ...

Telling My Story for World AIDS Day

(Trigger warning: This post includes stories of suicide.) I remember vividly the first time I heard the term “AIDS.” It ...

This Thanksgiving I’m Thankful for…

With Thanksgiving only a day away, I’m anticipating that moment during dinner—or perhaps during halftime—when we pause to share what ...

How Thanksgiving Became The Holiday We (All) Now Celebrate

The November holidays embodies values important both in Judaism and American culture.

Empathy & Justice: Thoughts on The Ruling in Ferguson

This piece was jointly authored by Malkie Schwartz and Rabbi Jeremy Simons, reflecting on last night’s grand jury ruling in ...

Being Thankful: Communities & Identities

In my mind, Thanksgiving has a deeper connection with Judaism than with turkey or cranberry sauce.Since eighth grade, I haven’t ...