See, this day I set before you blessing and curse: blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Eternal…
The Scream Heard Around The World: The Rape of Dinah and Demand for A Reckoning
This winter of our discontent continues to be marked by stories of women that are difficult to hear. Each day…
What to Do When They Come
Based on consultation with local authorities, houses of worship, social justice groups, educational organizations and other non-profit entities and…
Jacob in Egypt
What makes my brother Jake different from the all other Wirtschafters? 1. All other Wirtschafters primarily think of Egypt in…
“Attention Must Be Paid:” Miller’s Classic Takes on New Meaning
It is the best of times and the worst of times for Arthur Miller enthusiasts. The American Jewish playwright, who…
Plagued (Part II): A Lament for Parshat Bo
God of suffering and solace, pardon and punishment, trial and triumph. On this Shabbat when we read about the last…
Plagued (Part I): A Prayer for Shabbat Va-era
God of our Mothers and Fathers, God of despair and defiance, suffering and solace, fear and faith. We come to…
Tefilat Ha’Derech for the Women’s March
God Who Blessed our Mothers: Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel and our Fathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God who…
Atticus Finch Obama: Evoking Harper Lee in an Exit for the Ages
Part of what defines a “classic” is that everyone has a personal history that goes with it. Here’s mine…
DEFACING THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES: Rescuing the Legacy of Reinhold Niebuhr from the Alarming Rise of Hate
In 1945 the great pastor and theologian Reinhold Niebuhr published Discerning The Signs of Times: Sermons for Today and Tomorrow.…
Conclusion with Full Disclosure: Joseph Reveals the Man Behind the Mask
Throughout the narratives of Jacob and his children, deception—executed by characters assuming false identities—is a recurrent and overarching theme…
Twin Tales of Tears: the Identity Thief & His Brother
Over the course of two related tales, separated by many years, the Torah provides us with a duo of poignant…
Yet Another Prayer for the People of Syria
The afternoon Haftorah reading for Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, takes place in the ancient Assyrian capital of Nineveh. The Assyrian empire…
Bunker Mentality: Teaching Tolerance in the Time of Trump
An essential lesson that art can provide is the capacity to see humanity even in the most hostile of human…
In Honor of World AIDS Day
In commemoration of World AIDS Day, please read these final lines from Tony Kushner’s Angels in America. For the sake…
תיפסה (Tefisah) • Perception 