This essay was first published in Tikkun, November-December 2002. In his 1986 Nobel lecture, Elie Wiesel spoke with characteristic gravity on any attempt to reckon with the Holocaust: “There are no theological answers, there are no…
April is National Poetry Month. In that spirit, select a couple of your favorites, bring several copies to pass around, and we’ll surely hear a variety of poets, themes, historical periods, and styles. Don’t be…
1. I first came across the poetry of Dunya Mikhail in Eliot Weinberger’s New Directions anthology, World Beat. An Iraqi Christian who speaks Arabic, Aramaic, and English, Mikhail ran afoul of the Iraqi authorities because of her…
To hear the big fellows talk, they wage war from fear of God and for all things bright and beautiful, but just look into it, and you’ll see they’re not so silly: they want a…
The following selections are from Thích Nhất Hạnh, Answers from the Heart: Practical Responses to Life’s Burning Questions: It’s possible for us to have several spiritual roots. To me, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and all religions…
If I do not love myself, I cannot love others also. If we really love ourselves, we cannot think wrongly, cannot talk wrongly, cannot act wrongly. If you know how to love yourself, then you…
Lecture by one of the septuagenarian luminaries of liberation theology The unforeseen, ultra-disturbing developments in House of Cards Spiff gala after the Oaks on May 2 The renowned pianist sponsored by one of our generous…
Dear friends, and here I say friends the broad sense of the word: Wife, sister, associates, relatives, Schoolmates of both sexes, People seen only once Or frequented all my life; Provided that between us, for…
When there’s midnight silence She can hear his voice When she closes her eyes She can see him coming up the stairs I ask her to tell me Some of the nicknames he had for…
If you face obloquy You’ve got to practice If you face applause You’ve got to practice If you face indifference You’ve got to practice If you face heartbreak You’ve got to practice