#RacistinRecovery 2018 is almost in the rear-view mirror. On that front, at least, I think I made some progress. Professionally, I attended a pre-conference workshop on dismantling institutional racism in libraries, and was able to do that beautiful fusion of personal and professional when I took a six-week class called “Unlearning Racism” at our local … Continue reading #RIR2018 exits stage left, chocolate cupcake flowers wave in the wind as #WJDisaggregation2019 makes its entrance
Tag: Judaism
" On my morning Facebook rounds, I caught this post by one of my offspring: In the way of Facebook, I could see beneath her post that a few other friends had posted articles about it, too. At this point, shocking and seemingly inappropriate behavior is kind of the norm for this year's GOP Presidential Candidate. (His cheerleaders … Continue reading The straight line connecting Donald Trump’s new tallit to “Christians for Islam,” and a best practices suggestion
Donald J. Trump is a man his supporters would avoid like gay pride parades if he were saying the things he says while unshaven and pushing all his worldly possessions in a shopping cart. But he wears bespoke suits and lives and works in buildings with his name on them. So instead of being called … Continue reading Up from the grave to denounce a naked emperor
Our Passover Seder last month was, for the most part, an unparalleled success. We fled Egypt from the dining room table and ate a lovely dinner that everyone seemed pretty happy about, although Mom’s “get up and go” got up and went shortly after the meal started. We helped her to the car. Sweetheart drove … Continue reading Rare steaks, raccoons and what Jewish mothers feed bees
Friday is the first night of Passover, one of the bigger holidays on the Jewish calendar. I’ve been hosting since before Mom moved to Milwaukee, but since she’s been here there’s no way I’d ever be able to think of not hosting. This will be the first Seder in years I haven’t had at least … Continue reading The Great Millennial Mashup Family Seder of 2012: A story of deliverance from slavery
I don’t remember the exact point when my father announced that dating non-Jewish boys was off the table for my sister and me. It was before I started high school. Dad’s explanation was simple. Refusing to officiate at weddings in which the bride or groom wasn’t Jewish (if the bride or groom converted before the … Continue reading Teenage dating bans and skewed ‘benchmark Jewish male’ standards: A Dispatch from Misfit Hell
It’s been a terrible week for the news business. Brian Williams has been handed a suspension without pay for six months, or as I’m calling it, “book leave.” Jon Stewart is leaving The Daily Show to have dinner with his kids. And Bob Simon, whose latest stop in a distinguished career was 60 Minutes, was … Continue reading Newsmakers make news, religious fanatics make trouble and Mom’s community hosts a Debbie Friedman event with a millennial twist
Four Februarys ago, I attended two funerals in the same week. It was the first time that had happened. A month later I was in New York hanging out with my niece and nephew. My sister had decided to fly down from Edmonton during their spring break, and New York is always a great place … Continue reading Ruth Goldbas & Ernie Banks, who died old, and Baki, who died young
My father was very fond of books. Naturally, this is a point of pride for my sister and me. Dad read to us all the time when we were children. He instilled a love of books and writing that has outlived him by decades. He was also very fond of breasts. Large breasts. I hold … Continue reading My dad: the rabbi who loved large breasts
Black man killed by white cop. It’s a scenario we’ve seen way too often this year in US cities. Here in Milwaukee, where I live, that story has a particularly sad and horrible twist. Dontre Hamilton was 31 when he died last April. I never met him, but his situation falls within my slice of Tikkun Olam Pie. … Continue reading Dontre Hamilton, Tikkun Olam Pie & why I don’t do demonstrations (with update)
the sentence factory 