“I don’t get it.” Whether the sentiment is spoken or beams out from a confused facial expression, it is one I am hearing and seeing more often. It comes from a friend who knows, for example, that Hamas loots humanitarian aid sent to Gaza, but that Israel is blamed for any lack of food. Or
Dear Rabbi and Susan, How much involvement should parents have in their adult children’s lives? It has become very common today for parents to support their adult children. They help pay for rent, mortgage, school and/or summer camp for their grandchildren, etc. I’ll give a couple of examples: One couple we know, the husband recently
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I can practically guarantee that Elon Musk’s guidance counselor back at Pretoria Boys High School in South Africa never said to him, “Elon, based on all the tests I have administered to you, you need to start a car company and build rockets.” Similarly, I am almost positive that Steve Jobs’ counselor at Homestead High
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I rarely look at The New York Times and even more rarely agree with opinions expressed therein. I also tend to dismiss the label of “ethicist.” If I turn to a Catholic priest, Protestant minister, or Jewish rabbi for advice, as long as I research and know how traditional or liberal he is, I have
Dear Rabbi and Susan, I often think of your saying, “Politics is the practical application of our most deeply held values” when figuring out where I stand on a particular issue. I’m confused when it comes to ICE, immigration, and America’s borders. The Bible is full of admonitions to treat the stranger kindly, (Leviticus 19:33)
Would you like a high-paying job with great benefits and minimal accountability? One that makes few demands and provides enviable security. If you answered yes, I doubt you are a long-time member of our Happy Warrior community. Don’t get me wrong. Happy Warriors appreciate generous salaries, substantial benefits, and security. But they want to earn
Dear Rabbi and Susan, I’ve been wrestling with something and would appreciate your perspective. Given the sensitivity of this issue, I hesitated before writing to you. I was raised in a religious and politically conservative home, where patriotism and traditional values were central. Topics like homosexuality weren’t discussed—they were simply condemned. Now, decades later, I
How Do I Deal with Our New Neighbors? Read More »
Many parents are grieving today. Mothers who sent their daughters to summer camp, often the one they themselves went to, are reeling in shock. Fathers who anticipated their little ones growing physically and spiritually over the summer face the knowledge that these precious girls’ ages will forever be frozen in time. Any human with a
How often do weary parents entreat a child, “Can’t you please just be nice to your sister?” The obvious problem is that this is a terribly imprecise request. What does ‘nice’ mean? What are the limits to being ‘nice’? If being nice to my sister means that I am deprived of something to which I
Dear Rabbi and Susan, I learned a lot from this episode. One question I have with regards to “masculine” versus “feminine” actions: Would you consider competitive sports to be a masculine activity or is this also something that “masculinizes” women? In other words, can women compete in sports and still be feminine? Is the answer
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