Religion

I imagine that whoever you are, whatever faith tradition you practice (or don’t), whatever your race or ethnicity, whatever your socioeconomic background, whatever gender(s) (or none)—you probably agree that there are plenty of things that divide us as a country. I would also like...

My dear wife recently gave birth to our daughter Mushka on July 23, bringing another blessing into our family and into the world. In honor of this joyous occasion, allow me to share some thoughts on the significance of having a child. Judaism places a...

In the last week of June, millions of pilgrims are preparing for Hajj, the most important journey in a Muslim’s life. Hajj, the Pilgrimage to Mekka, is an epic journey. It’s the 5th and final pillar of Islam. Hajj takes Muslims on a journey back...

I had the opportunity to visit the beautiful city of Paris, France back in November 2008. My friend and I spent a day in the city on a tour bus, driving past many recognizable locations. One of those locations was Notre Dame. The bus...

I was supposed to be in Israel today. To be precise, this morning, I was going to wake up in a quaint hotel near the Old City of Safed, enjoy a delicious breakfast al fresco while taking in the mountaintop views, tour the Artists' Quarter,...

As we approach the darkest time of the year, Jews prepare to celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. The ancient story took place in the 2nd century BCE during the reign of Syrian-Greek King Antiochus IV. He imposed harsh decrees upon the Jews forbidding...

There are times in life when we find ourselves called from seasons of relative peace and tranquility into what we know will be a time of unknown storm. Sometimes the storm chooses us. Sometimes we choose the storm.  As we navigate our way forward, we...

Egyptians call it Om al Donia, the mother of all nations. If you ask an Egyptian why, he or she will give a full list from the oldest civilization to the best falafel sandwich you will ever have! Here is my interpretation why Egypt has...

Just a few days ago on Sept. 11, many of us took a moment to remember the terrible events of that day 21 years ago. In an effort to create something positive from this event, The National Day of Service was instituted to be...

We’ve all heard people say it is more blessed to give than to receive. Many of us have probably said it. I mean, doesn’t it sound like the right thing to say? But more than being the “right” thing to say, there is something...