Psalm 1 opens with a warning that feels hauntingly modern: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” The verse is not simply about personal morality. It is about influence, power, allegiance and the…
Faith, captivity and the call to remember the imprisoned
Each spring, the sacred calendars of Judaism, Christianity and Islam draw us into stories of liberation, sacrifice and divine mercy. Passover, Easter and the rhythms of revelation in the Quran all echo a central truth: God is present with the…
When nonprofits fail their staff, they fail their governance
Nonprofit organizations exist to serve the public good. They depend on public trust, philanthropic investment and the labor of people who choose mission over profit. That trust, however, is not sustained by vision statements or moral rhetoric alone. It is…
Love on the loudest stage
When I watched Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio sing on the Super Bowl stage, I didn’t just hear music. I heard a prayer disguised as rhythm, a sermon stitched together with bass and breath. In a country that often tells people like me…
A stay of execution isn’t a ‘delay’
Georgia’s decision this week to pause the scheduled execution of Stacey Ian Humphreys is being framed in some corners as a last-minute disruption. That framing is wrong and dangerous. A stay of execution, especially when tied to active litigation and…
Two myths that must be discarded
In this moment in American history, two dominant myths must be discarded. This is especially true in light of the shocking revelations about leadership of some Young Republican groups and their “private” text messages. First, the myth that private speech…
Death, politics and the private faith of public power
The decision by Utah prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Tyler Robinson, accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, has transformed a tragic act into something more than a criminal case. It has become a litmus test for politics,…
The Age of Digital Punishment and the call for trauma-informed nonprofits
The work of justice always has been a struggle against forces that seek to label, condemn and exclude. But in our digital age, a new form of punishment has emerged that clings to people long after their official debt to…
The kingdom within: Reclaiming the sacred in an age of contradiction
“The kingdom of God is inside you, and all around you, not in mansions of wood and stone. Split a piece of wood, and I am there; lift a stone, and you will find me.” — Gospel of Thomas, Saying…
Firing Holocaust Memorial board members is about changing history’s story
When Donald Trump abruptly fired Doug Emhoff and other Biden appointees from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, it wasn’t just a petty political maneuver — it was a warning flare about how empire behaves when it fears truth-tellers. This is…
Abolishing the death penalty in the spirit of Easter and Passover
As we move through the sacred calendar of spring — when Jews celebrate Passover and Christians observe Easter — we are reminded of profound spiritual truths: Liberation from bondage, triumph over death, the sacredness of life. These holy days invite…
The MAGA Paradox: When political symbols in schools become tools of exclusion
Walking into my son’s Atlanta-based Jewish school, I was immediately confronted with a sight that left me unsettled: a child dressed as President Donald Trump, complete with a white MAGA hat, for Purim. As I processed my reaction, I considered…