women won't vote for Hillary because we wear the same bra....

I've been wondering, as I watch the coverage about the campaign, why so little is said about the truly radical possibility that we could, possibly, elect the first female president in November. Like it's no big deal. But here's why I think it IS a big deal. From Huffpost Women.

You remember the feeling. You watched all night as the numbers started to build. Your heart skipped a beat when you heard that another state was being called. At some point, as the wins stacked up, and the Republicans on FOX News went into full panic mode, you could feel it becoming true. 

America had elected an African-American president. It was exciting to be on the winning side, but it was more than that. It felt like a cleansing of sorts. Like absolution. Sure, our country had a history of racism and slavery and Jim Crow and lynchings, but maybe, in this one act, we had gotten ourselves on the road past our legacy of oppression.

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sunday in the park with Bernie

As a kid, I described myself as a socialist, proud of my (semi) radical roots. In many ways my political goals remain surprisingly unchanged. What has changed is my perspective. I'm way more concerned about employing effective tactics than about being true to my ideals no matter the cost. Sometimes, that makes me look like the bad guy. In today's HuffPost Politics I examine an aspect of the presidential campaign that may be familiar to some of you from your own lives.

I hate being the bad guy. But no matter what I do, there it is. It follows me. Sticks to my shoe like week-old gum, which, even though I've scraped it out with a bamboo skewer, still stubbornly connects with the floor, then lingers for a fraction of a second, holding me back. When I try to run from it, it becomes my shadow, just as fast as I am, but skinnier. 

I could blame my kids. The four of them have made my life into an endless series of responsibilities that pursue me even in sleep. I bolt up at 3 a.m., unable to remember if I've filled out the latest form, sent in the appropriate check, without which my child will never get into Princeton. And while I'm up, did I remember to call the plumber about that leak?

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having the courage of your convictions

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Was a little wary about writing about it, because I thought people might take offense without really reading, but....here goes. 

Over the years I’ve taught many kids in preparation for bar and bat mitzvah. One of the challenges is getting them to project and enunciate so that everyone will be able to hear them. Self-conscious and semi-strangers in their own rapidly expanding skin, their voices get smaller as their bodies get larger.

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chasing away the darkness

It's been quite an introduction to our new community to see how everyone responded to the tragic loss of a teenager in a terrorist attack. It made me think a lot about how we treat each other in the Jewish community at large, and how we handle diversity of opinion. Here are my thoughts in the Times of Israel.

This summer, we moved north. Well, northeast to be exact. We still live in New England, though we are now Boston and not New York centered. I thought that this (nearly) life long New Yorker had considered all the changes that we would need to anticipate. What took us all by surprise is that in these darkest weeks of the year, shabbat begins before 4PM.

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