George Floyd was murdered under the knees of a police officer, along with three accomplices. In many faith traditions, knees are used to bend in reverence to holiness. Reverend Ted Tollefson inspired my sisters and me to write this piece from the Jewish perspective as we head into the festival of Shavuot. Aleinu. It is…
In the beginning of March, before the full impact of COVID-19 began to descend upon our country, and our consciousness, when it was still possible to speak about it seriously-but-also-lightly, I gave a sermon on Shabbat morning entitled “Intimacy without Touch.” In it, I valorized the Jewish instinct, honed over centuries and played out through…
We have entered a new phase of Jewish history in which cyberspace has become the place to nurture our spiritual lives. Previous generations lived through the Black Plague, cholera and more. Ours is the first to face a pandemic with technology that allows us to create vital, connected, online communities. This is a moment of…
As the medical director of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a world-class neurosurgeon, Dr. Joseph Maroon has seen his share of frightened patients. And he’s found that the most effective way to calm down a patient before surgery is to pray. If a patient is willing, Dr. Maroon will take his or her hand and quietly…
Even in Brooklyn, there are wandering Jews. That’s how Marcella Kanfer Rolnick and Amy Abrams saw themselves in 2012. Both parents of students at the same Jewish school, the two women bonded over their shared longing for a spiritual home. “I felt like here I was telling my kids, ‘Go to a Jewish school, yes…
As the Days of Awe roll around, we find ourselves repeating two traditional confession prayers — Al Chet and Ashamnu — many times throughout Selichot (penitential prayers) and Yom Kippur. What makes this year different from other years? This year, we enter the High Holiday season with the painful memories of #MeToo, fresh wounds of…
I have joined over 25 million Americans who practice meditation on a regular basis. These days I go to meditation class more regularly than I go to shul. I have never been prone to praying; I remain a Jew without a temple. Growing up, I felt confused, unsure where I fit in. Strongly identifying as…
Just over half of all adults in the United Kingdom pray, even those who say they’re not religious, a new poll shows. One in five adults who say they’re not religious still pray — and half of those say they think God hears their prayers. A poll done by Christian aid agency, Tearfund, found that…
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