A chapter from my published novel — enjoy! — Chapter 1 Noah’s cries cut into my chest. My eyes well up, and my throat thickens. I run a hand along the back of my six-day-old baby’s silky, perfectly shaped head, fighting back a rush of sadness. His cries turn to whimpers and then silence. I jolt awake. My body…

Chapter One — Everything is gray — gray skies, gray buildings, and sidewalks. You don’t have to do anything in Manhattan but smell the late fall rain on the streets to know there’s a lot more of that ire to come. The wind off the East River loosens a few long strands of…

Gossiping is one of the most damaging sins one can commit in Jewish thought — As I’ve researched this article, I’ve become much more aware of the harm gossip does. An Ann Landers advice column once characterized it as “the faceless demon that breaks hearts and ruins careers.” The Talmud describes gossip as a “three-pronged tongue” that kills three people: the teller, the listener, and…

Book-banning deprives us of critical information about the human experience — In a nation of such diverse origins, we should expect clashes over published ideas and images. The subsequent efforts to stifle the expression of those that offend the principles of a group should not be surprising. But that is a good reason to remain vigilant against efforts to suppress the…

Images and stories in the media about older women affect the ideas about aging — Who hasn’t heard the stereotypes about women of a “certain age?” Despite almost a half-century of change and growth for women spurred by the second wave of the women’s movement, the tarnished image of older people, particularly women, has continued relentlessly into the 21st. Century. Older women continue to be…

Identity precedes ideology: Who you are defines what you believe — I was recently told, “I will not be friends with people who like Trump.” They meant it. Antagonism across political and social groups is one of the most critical problems of our time. The idea is that we should decide who to hang out with, have a meal with, or…

Automatic transmission is a testament to lost control — I push down the clutch pedal, press my right foot on the brake, put the key into the ignition and turn to start, move the gearshift to first gear, lift my right foot off the brake pedal, ease off the clutch, and transition to accelerating by putting my right foot…

All human activity is undertaken under the law of self-preservation — This article is in honor of my sister-in-law, who died recently. Let’s face it; death is one of the few conceptions of cross-cultural lines and is gender and racially unbiased. Eventually, we will all confront the shadowed specter standing by the door, beckoning us to enter — brain-cell membrane pumps…

Taking the time to create new friendships is akin to recognizing oneself in the eyes of another — According to the classical Greek tradition, friendship depends on sharing value systems. Some of the most compelling tales — fiction or not — are those of best friends, like Thelma and Louise and the March sisters in Little Women, to name a few. But it’s also true in real life…