It all started with a ramp, or a lack thereof. Scottie grew up in the synagogue community, a kid everyone loved. Neither the cerebral palsy diagnosis he received as a baby nor the wheelchair that [...]
I never want to turn anyone away. So when a parent comes to me to share that they have a child with special needs my inclination is to automatically say, “Yes! Come! We will figure it out,” [...]
We’ve probably all said it about something, without bothering to get the whole story: “That’s not FAIR!” At a deep level, most of us have instincts about what fairness actually is. We tend to [...]
The cycle of holidays in the Jewish calendar is described several times in the Torah, each with a different emphasis. For example, the listing in the Book of Vayikra describes the unique mitzvot [...]
I went to services with a group one Shabbat this summer, at a place where none of us were accustomed to going. Where we were or what we were doing together this summer are for other blog posts; [...]
Our Rabbis teach that Moses prayed 515 times to enter the Land of Israel. Yet, his wish was denied. The greatest prophet our people have ever known ultimately faces his mortality as an outsider. [...]
The factory town of Gary, Indiana became the model for schools in what was called the “Gary Plan” at the beginning of the 20th century. Its structures are familiar to anyone who has spent time in [...]
In the second of this week’s two Torah portions, Ma’asey, the Jewish people stand on the banks of the Jordan River poised to enter the Land of Israel. They are commanded to make war with the [...]
Zelophehad’s five daughters—Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah—were not happy, and for good reason. Moses had announced the Torah’s inheritance laws, and they were unfair. Land could only be [...]
Parashat Balak contains one of the most fascinating narratives in the entire Torah. The parashah introduces us to Balaam, a non-Jewish prophet, who worships the God of Israel. Balak, the king of [...]