This time, it was not I who was a few moments late, but rather Richard, who sheepishly mumbled an excuse as he entered the classroom. You will remember that Richard was … more

I read the story quite some time ago. It was told by a young woman who boarded an airplane early one winter Friday morning. She was on her way to Chicago from New York to spend a weekend there … more

Do you ever hear voices? I do, especially at this time of year. During these ten-days of teshuvah, between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, Jews become more contemplative, serious, and given to … more

When I prepare a speech lately, or sit down to write a column such as this, I can’t help but think about a particular set of political principles. The principles I ponder are the principles … more

We all have our secret lives. I don’t mean to say that each of us has a sinister side, which we wickedly act out in some deep, dark, private world. What I do mean is that we all act … more

These statements — “Religion is good for you,” “A religious person is a mentally healthy person” — could not have been made when I was a graduate student in … more

The popular media often accuses the Jewish people of an obsession. Some accuse us good-humoredly of an obsession with food. Others maliciously accuse us of being obsessed with money. I agree that … more

It was a typical park bench conversation. I hadn’t seen my friend for quite some time, and we both were delighted when we ran into each other by chance that afternoon. We shook hands and … more

My wife’s maternal grandmother was a wise old woman, raised in the Old City of Jerusalem where she accumulated wisdom from her Yiddish-speaking family and the diverse Jerusalemites who … more

Except for the saints among us, we all boast. Sometimes we boast about our own natural endowments, our good looks, or our athletic prowess. Often we boast about our achievements, social or … more