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In recent years , I’ve come to appreciate more and more The New York Times columnist David Brooks (b. 8/10/61), who came to the newspaper in September 2003, to replace William Safire as the … more

Rabbi James Rosenberg | 1/9/25

A surprising novel from Mark Binder

I have read and reviewed a number of books by Providence author Mark Binder (also known by his pen name Izzy Abrahmson), but his most recent novel, “The Council of Wise Women” (Light … more

Rabbi James Rosenberg | 12/8/24

Full of flaws: A great American novel

“Antisemitic? Check. Racist? Check. Nativist? Check. (Let’s set aside sexist and homophobic for the moment.) If you want to subject ‘The Great Gatsby’ to a political purity … more

Rabbi James Rosenberg | 11/3/24

Is this too much to ask?

I returned to the peaceful community of Barrington on Monday, March 11, 2002, after a roller-coaster ride in Jerusalem – an experience of frightening plunges and magical highs. I was part of a … more

Rabbi James Rosenberg | 10/8/24

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit…

The second paragraph of our Declaration of Independence begins: “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain … more

Rabbi James Rosenberg | 9/6/24

Is peace possible?

My colleague, Rabbi Ronald Kronish, made aliyah to Jerusalem in 1979 and has been there with his family ever since. In 1991 Kronish founded the Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel (ICCI), … more

Rabbi James Rosenberg | 8/2/24

God and man: Partners?

Does God need us? Does God need you? Does God need me? At first glance, these questions seem absurd … if not blasphemous. If God is God – that is to say, if God … more

Rabbi James Rosenberg | 7/5/24

Wrestling with God in troubled times

These are hard times for any of us who are struggling to develop or to continue our relationship with God. To echo the words of the Irish poet William Butler Yeats: “Things fall apart; the … more

Rabbi James Rosenberg | 6/7/24

Processing the pain of Gaza redux

From where I was seated on the bimah in the sanctuary of a Rhode Island synagogue a few months ago, there appeared to be at least 200 individuals sitting in the pews. We had gathered together … more

Rabbi James Rosenberg | 5/10/24

The ironies of ‘colorblind’ America

Reading and rereading the cover story in the March 17 issue of the New York Times Magazine has made me angry and made me sad. Nikole Hannah-Jones, a winner of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize and creator … more

Rabbi James Rosenberg | 4/5/24