Michael Strassfeld is the rabbi emeritus of the Society for the Advancement of Judaism, a synagogue in Manhattan. He is the author of A Book of Life: Embracing Judaism as a Spiritual Practice and is one of the co-editors of the Jewish Catalog.
Michael Strassfeld
By Michael Strassfeld
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Community Yearning to breathe free
At first, the world seems little changed—the virus is still present, the future still unclear. In fact, the coronavirus is a consistent reminder of how much we do not know. When will there be a second wave? Do antibodies provide immunity? When will there be a vaccine? Feeling equal measures of fear and constriction, we…
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Life Online Trolling Isn’t Just Petty — It’s A Sin Against The Torah
Recently, a friend wrote a piece that appeared in these pages. When I glanced at the comments that were posted, I was shocked by how vitriolic they were toward my friend and toward the other commenters. Almost none of them addressed the substance of the piece. Instead, they were ad hominem attacks on the writer…
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Community Why Donald Trump is a Big Time Idolator
I accuse Donald Trump of something that I believe no one has accused him of—idolatry. No, I don’t mean idolatry in the sense he worships himself. The truth is those running for President need to have a lot of confidence in themselves. I am using the term idolatry as the Bible uses it— worshipping a…
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