Halloween is when it all comes together for me. — Two years ago, something changed for me. We were in the middle of COVID anxiety, Halloween was coming up and everyone was trying to figure out how to give our kids the trick or treat experience they spend the whole year dreaming about. Unlimited candy….mmmmmmmm. In our neighborhood, as in…

Searching for comfort in the likeliest of places — Have you ever had a pet? They’re wonderful companions, even the most peculiar ones. They can be loving, though sometimes just their presence is enough to add something magical to our existence. Long ago, my husband and I decided to get a dog. He grew up with dogs and had…

We’re all trans-something, and our future depends on it — Years ago, I volunteered for a few months on a kibbutz in Israel. A kibbutz is a kind of commune where people share resources and expenses. It was popular during the birth of the Israeli nation, now less favored as the limits of socialism in a capitalist world have been appreciated. …

Does hope really make a difference? — I’m visiting Israel with my son, and while here, I’m taking the time to read legendary Bible stories with him, something I haven’t thought of for decades. My son isn’t so interested in the bible. His mind is more oriented towards another mythology: the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s hard for…

Guns are pointed directly at our heads. We need to be one to be strong. — Not too long ago, a friend’s kid came out as transgender. They grew up in a modern, supportive, progressive family, and their process of acceptance was relatively uncomplicated. That being said, one day some other friends and I were hanging out and the topic of this person’s transition came up. There was a lot of back and forth about it. Were…

(that may be true!) — I watch very little television, which is striking because as a kid I felt like I was addicted to it. My mother says I stopped watching when I got to high school. …

My husband is dead, but his laughter is very much alive — Recently, James Finn put out a request for people to declare their LGBTQ AGENDA, a response to all the vitriol being heaped upon the queer community over the past year, calling us groomers, child molesters, criminals and abusers. Some of it is political expediency, but some is the fear that…

Loyalty isn’t all it’s cracked up to be — One summer in 2005 while visiting Israel with a friend, we learned that Jerusalem was having a Pride parade. There was a lot of fanfare surrounding this parade. The story I got was that the new mayor of Jerusalem, closely aligned with the religious movement opposed to homosexuality, tried to…

How do we thrive when we know the world is about to be devoured — I woke up in the middle of the night yesterday with a start. Maybe I heard a noise in the house? I looked over at the clock. It was about 2 AM. I was sort of wide awake, though whenever that happens, I can’t really tell how awake I really…