As 2025 draws to a close, we are surrounded by invitations to look back. From "best-of" lists to music streaming services telling us our top songs and "listening age," secular culture nudges us to ask: How has this year shaped us? As Jews, we’re lucky; we get to do this [...]

I can’t remember when I first learned the Hanukkah song Banu Choshech Legaresh, or when I first really paid attention to it. It presents as a simple children’s song — catchy, repetitive, the kind of tune sung in preschools and community gatherings. But recently I’ve learned more about its origins and meaning, and [...]

Joseph’s simple words from this week’s parasha linger with me as we prepare for Shabbat: “I am looking for my brothers (אֶת־אַחַ֖י אָנֹכִ֣י מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ).” (Genesis 37:16) On the most literal level, Joseph is simply trying to find them as his father has requested. But on a more spiritual level, Joseph is [...]

As we enter this Thanksgiving weekend, I’ve been reflecting on the place of gratitude in Jewish life. Long before contemporary psychology demonstrated what many now recognize—that gratitude measurably improves health, deepens relationships, and even helps us live longer—Judaism understood this truth. There are now many studies showing that people who regularly [...]