Fran Ostendorf

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We are living in highly-charged, tense times. I have watched as Americans, and even members of our local Jewish community, have become stratified. Left. Right. Far left. Far right. Pro this. Anti … more

Fran Ostendorf | 6/1/23

Community journalism is more important than ever

By receiving and reading Jewish Rhode Island, you are helping support one slice of community journalism. And that’s important. It doesn’t matter whether you agree or disagree with … more

Fran Ostendorf | 5/4/23

A shout-out to the precious right of freedom of speech

Spring is the season of freedom. We read about it in our Passover Haggadah as we tell the story of how the Jews fled Egypt to escape slavery. We are blessed to live in a land where free speech … more

Fran Ostendorf | 4/2/23

Teens learn to advocate for a better world

I had an opportunity to get a glimpse into the future recently. And the outlook is pretty rosy. I went with a group of Jewish teens from Connecticut to a seminar on social justice. These young … more

Fran Ostendorf | 3/3/23

Yes, ‘Fran was at camp’ – with no regrets

There’s a joke in my family. Whenever something happens that I can’t remember or wasn’t a participant in, I must have been at camp. Bad stuff happened? Couldn’t have … more

Fran Ostendorf | 2/3/23

2023 and me: Time to reconnect with family

In December, I went to a much-anticipated family wedding. It was a chance for relatives of all ages on my mother’s side to reconnect. For some, it had been years since we had seen one … more

Fran Ostendorf | 1/5/23

This Hanukkah, spread the light

It seems like we could all use a little more light in our lives right now. Light gives us joy. It opens our eyes to the world around us and cancels the darkness. And there sure is a lot of … more

Fran Ostendorf | 12/2/22

Silence is just not acceptable

Two years ago – just before the 2020 election – I wrote a column expressing hope that the country would settle down and come together after the vote was counted. I had no idea that … more

Fran Ostendorf | 11/3/22

It’s a season of new possibilities

This is my favorite time of the year. We have come through a period of introspection. We have assessed where we have been and where we are going. It is a fresh new year with a clean slate. I find … more

Fran Ostendorf | 10/7/22

Looking back, looking forward

I’ll let you in on a secret: I always feel a little wistful at the end of August. Summer is about over and nights are already cooler. Stores are advertising back-to-school items instead of … more

Fran Ostendorf | 9/8/22