Stay in the know with our newslettersRabbi Rami Shapiro
Rabbi Rami Shapiro is an award-winning author, essayist, poet, and teacher. In the print version of our magazine, he has an advice column, “Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler,” addressing reader questions pertaining to religion, spirituality, faith, family, God, social issues, and more. His latest book is Judaism Without Tribalism. Rabbi Rami also hosts the Spirituality & Health Podcast.
Shattering Duality: Rabbi Rami’s Interfaith Glimpse into Vedanta
Rabbi Rami Shapiro shares about his initiation into Hindu philosophy, his devoti…
Who Is My Authentic Self?
Rabbi Rami explores what it means to honor your authentic self after a podcast c…
Why I’m Not a Motivational Speaker
Rabbi Rami shares why he's no longer a motivational speaker, and explores the co…
The Spiritual Practice of Conversation
After a conversation with authors Neal Allen and Anne Lamott, Rabbi Rami explore…
Happy Bodhi Day
Inspired by a conversation with a druid herbalist, Rabbi Rami reflects on the ma…
Learning From the Trees
After a conversation with environmentalist Judith Polich, Rabbi Rami considers w…
The Art of Spiritual Reading
After a conversation with a physician and convalescence expert, Rabbi Rami ponde…
Cloud Hidden, Whereabouts Unknown
After a compelling conversation with author Perdita Finn, Rabbi Rami considers w…
Fighting Societal Affective Disorder
After a conversation with a seasonal affective disorder expert, Rabbi Rami ponde…
The Anxiety of Belief
Explore Rabbi Rami’s thoughts on how unconscious beliefs can produce anxiety, in…
Returning to Our Trees
Inspired by a conversation with Chief Druid Kristoffer Hughes, Rabbi Rami shares…
Being Free From Delusion
What is "inner sobriety," and how can it help free us from self-delusion? Rabbi …
But How? My Spiritual Practice
When you think of your daily spiritual practice, is it through discipline or joy…
Finding Zen by Accepting Impermanence
Rabbi Rami reflects upon his own Zen teachings after a recent conversation with …
Spiritual Minimalism: Being All, While Schlepping Less
What would you carry in your spiritual minimalist backpack? Rabbi Rami Shapiro c…
Our Children Are Our Future
If children are the future, what sort of world will be waiting for them? Rabbi R…
Mindfulness and Me: A Confession of Failure
Like any form of meditation, mindfulness meditation training can be a different …
Roadside Assistance: My Teenage Daughter Wants to Transition to a Boy
Rabbi Rami explores your questions about trans loved ones, the image of God, and…
The Key to Open-Mindedness
Is it possible to learn open-mindedness? Rabbi Rami explores his perspective on …
Chuang Tzu’s Butterfly and Me
When you can no longer distinguish between your waking and dream lives, how do y…
Should You Retire or Rewire?
Entering midlife brings with it many challenges, opportunities, and questions. R…
The Many Definitions of Hope
How do we find hope in dark times? After his recent conversation with Rev. Wendy…
Roadside Assistance: “I'm a Girl, Gramma, I Don't Want a Boy God.”
Our roadside oracle answers your questions on the gender of God, the potential o…
Are We In Control of Our Time?
How do we know if time is well-spent, or if we're truly cherishing each moment w…
Never Too Old
It's never too late to become a spiritual leader in your community. Rabbi Rami r…
What's Next for Spirituality & Health?
Rabbi Rami explores what the next 25 years have in store for Spirituality & …
Replacing Happiness With Microjoys
How do we find a healthy balance between joy and sorrow? Rabbi Rami explores the…
Roadside Assistance: Will Jehovah Deny Me Immortality?
Our roadside oracle answers your questions on immortality, negativity, and the b…
Living in the Head (Until the Body Says Otherwise)
Rabbi Rami explores how a sudden loss of consciousness helped him explore his re…
Mysticism, Mary, and the Milk of the Divine Mother
Is it possible to reconnect with the mysticism behind organized religions? Rabbi…
Balancing Ikigai and Nagomi
The Japanese language and Japanese philosophy offer us numerous terms that help …
How Do Gods Die?
Dive into an exploration of archetypal psychology and what it can teach us about…
Roadside Assistance: Becoming Enlightened
Rabbi Rami Shapiro answers pressing questions on America, immortality, and enlig…
Without Stories, Who Am I?
What do we do when it's hard to tell our therapist the truth? Rabbi Rami explore…
Are We Someone From Birth?
Are we fully ourselves at birth, or do we become ourselves over time? Rabbi Rami…
Can Perennial Wisdom Save Our Future?
Taking the "longpath" view of the future can help us become better people today …
Can Mindfulness Aid Recovery?
How can mindfulness help folks in addiction recovery? Rabbi Rami offers his fran…
Do People Really Change?
Can we truly become new people in this life? Who does the changing? An interview…
Are You a Spiritual Being or a Human Being?
“All that is required of us is to be true to the ebb or flow of the moment.”…
Do You Talk to Yourself?
Have you tried changing the narrative inside your head? Talking to yourself may …
Be a Heretic
Explore what it means to be a heretic, how to measure the health of your soul, a…
Paganism and the Sacredness of Nature
Modern pagan practices may hold wisdom that is desperately needed for our time. …
How Dreams Become Prophecy
How do you pose questions to your dreams? Who should interpret your dreams? …
Are You a Mystic?
Who can identify as a mystic? Rabbi Rami investigates during a conversation with…
What Is Love?
Rabbi Rami dives into deep spiritual waters on the nature of love, evil, truth, …
Why I Meditate
Rabbi Rami contemplates his discussion with artist Fariha Róisín and uncovers th…
What Is Pleasure?
Dive into a contemplation of the definition of “pleasure,” and learn how melanch…
Book Review: Judaism Without Tribalism
With precision derived from decades of immersive experience and devoted thought,…
Beyond Optimism and Pessimism
What’s up with being in the world but not of it? And why do bad things happen to…
Spirituality and Sentience
Recognizing the sentience of nonhumans obligates you to engage with life in a ma…
What Is My Life For?
“My experience with Zen was not brief, and yet for all that, it was not fruitful…
Stop Fearing Change
Are you living your life resistant to change? Are you living your life resistant…
Rabbi Rami’s Top 5 Must-Read Spiritual Books
Books have the ability to take you on a transformative spiritual journey without…
A Contemplative Walking Practice
“When I walk, I am most Jewish.” A contemplative walking practice is a catalyst …
Starting a Quote Journaling Practice
You will not be disappointed with what this journaling practice reveals.
Spirituality and Rewilding
Feeling domesticated? Schedule in time to shatter your schedule and start rewild…
The God-Sized Hole
“I feel this great hole in me. A religious friend called this a “God-sized” hole…
Spirituality and Creation
There must be a profound shift in the story we tell ourselves about ourselves an…
Looking for a Standard
Rabbi Rami provides wisdom on reincarnation, yoga classes as appropriation, astr…
Spirituality and a New God
“We need a new understanding of God that allows us to leave behind the zero-sum …
Spirituality and Dying
“I don’t want to romanticize dying, but I do want to liberate it from the fears …
Spirituality and Releasing
There is a difference between letting go and letting be. It has to do with contr…
Spirituality, War, and Personal Training
Are humans ready to outgrow their local deities in favor of something more cosmi…
A Coequal Helpmeet
Rabbi Rami Shapiro answers questions from S&H readers. “I’m engaged to a man…
Spirituality and Nonduality
Realizing nondual Aliveness in, with, and as all reality is at the heart of all …
Against God
Against God? Whose god? “It is difficult to be against the god of another’s imag…
Spirituality and the Will of God
Everything happens the way it does because the conditions for its happening are …
The Likeness of God: Brown and Black
Rabbi Rami Shapiro answers questions from S&H readers. “My priest confided i…
Spirituality and Aliveness
You don’t have to reach Buddhahood to embrace Aliveness. “I don’t believe every …
Spirituality and Reading
Spiritual reading is just one way to engage deeper with wisdom and wonder. …
Spirituality and Pascal’s Wager
Pascal’s logic—to act like you believe in God even if you don’t—is convincing. T…
Spirituality and Other Powers
As something separate from you, a higher power has to be implored to restore you…
“Overcoming” Original Sin
Rabbi Rami Shapiro answers questions from S&H readers. “How do you overcome …
Improvising a Milestone
“Making things up is an act of improvisation while achieving life purpose is an …
Spirituality and Dogs
You have to train a dog to be vicious. For humans, all it takes is religion, pol…
Spirituality and Your Motherboard
“Regardless of your religion or lack thereof, what is your motherboard, your non…
Spirituality and the Heart
In the context of heart-centered spirituality, love isn’t a romantic feeling but…
Explaining Humans to Martians
Rabbi Rami Shapiro answers questions and offers advice to S&H readers. “Imag…
Spirituality and Luck
Do you think you won a jackpot by being born? Rabbi Rami takes on spirituality a…
Spirituality and Books
“Books are my best friends ...” says Rabbi Rami, discussing the connection betwe…
Spirituality and Insurrection
“People like to say there is only one God. They are wrong. People believe in man…
Spirituality and Christmas
How are spirituality and Christmas related? “To me Christmas is hopeful: a time …
Religion and Politics
“It seems to me that religion and politics are inextricably intertwined. So much…
Spirituality and Transcendence
Does your spiritual practice take you out of this world or out, into this world?…
Spirituality and Hanukkah
Hanukkah isn’t about lighting candles, clogging your arteries with fried food, p…
Thankful This Pandemic Season
“Facing mortality is only one of the gifts I am thankful for this pandemic seaso…
Spirituality and Pronouns
“While I do my best to honor people’s pronoun preferences, the pronouns that rea…
Spirituality and Aloneness
“I come to see it for what it is: a ceaseless swirl of mental flotsam and jetsam…
Spirituality and Donuts
Donuts can teach us a deep lesson about our brains and how to cease the internal…
Spirituality and Prayer
Spirituality and prayer: What’s the precise connection? “When asked if I pray, I…
The Day After the End-Time
Rabbi Rami was relieved when a fake prophecy did not come to pass. Still, “It ma…
One Nation Under God?
Can individual states establish a preferred religion? “Lots of Americans believe…
Culture, Not Hate? Symbols of the Confederacy
Two blocks north from my house, a neighbor flies a large Confederate flag. A hal…
Black Lives Matter Protests: Rabbi Rami Answers Your Questions
Rabbi Rami’s inbox has been filling up with questions from people troubled by an…
World War N
World War N is a fight against nihilism, the belief that power is the only thing…
Show You Care—Wear a Mask
“Wearing a mask in public is a deliberate act of caring for others … a concrete …
Special Edition: Roadside Assistance Part II
Rabbi Rami is answering your questions, with special editions of his online colu…
Is Anything More Important Than Living?
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick doth proclaim: “There are more important things than …
Condolences in the Days of COVID-19
Someone you know has died due to COVID-19. Here’s the script on writing your gen…
Are You There, God? It’s Me: Coronavirus
Finding God—and yourself—in a pandemic. Is there divine meaning?
A Prayer to Comfort Those Passing
In these heartbreaking times, being together during life's passages is often imp…
Altruism on Your Death Bed
A living will relinquishing your ventilator to a younger, healthier sick person …
Pastor Tony Spell: Why I Love Him
Pastor Tony Spell “knows God wouldn’t let the good folks at Life Tabernacle Chur…
Special Edition: Roadside Assistance
Rabbi Rami is answering your questions, with special editions of his online colu…
COVID-19: Fearless Love Is Needed
“If we are going to survive as a species worthy of survival, we will have to get…
Pennies From Heaven
“I have come to welcome those found pennies and to use the act of picking them u…
The Catholic Church Needs Celibate Women Priests
If the the bishops and the Pope really want to alleviate the shortage of priests…
How Do I Find My Authentic Self?
Rabbi Rami on being authentic, spirituality vs. religion, and aliens.
Where Did All the Poop on Noah’s Ark Go?
“One reason people are leaving traditional Bible-based religions is that they ar…
If Meditation Isn’t Joyful, Don’t Do It
“You might ask, if I am meditating just to meditate—if there is no goal to it at…
Is Lying About God Okay?
“Lying about God and promoting a Pollyannaish understanding of religion isn’t go…
Charitable Giving: Do You Know How Your Donation is Being Used?
“The problem isn’t that the Vatican needs money to maintain its operations, but …
Greta Thunberg as Mad Max
“There are two women tackling climate change in a big way. Michele Bachmann is o…
The Problem of How to Greet People This Season
Do you say, ‘Merry Christmas’ and risk the possibility of insulting a Zoroastria…
All Religious-Based Answers Are Acceptable?
“If the students in Ohio schools want to replace math with myth, and fact with f…
You Don’t Need to Be Brave
“Bravery is the suppression or masking of fear but sharing one’s fear makes more…
We Hold These Truths To Be Self Evident
“I am fascinated by religion. I simply don’t like the idea that something is bey…
Is Love a Solution?
Is our capacity for compassion and kindness enough to resist the ‘dark psychic f…
Bring on the Global Exorcism!
In October of 1967, Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin gathered Americans and encircl…
Leaving Your Religion
If you have left or are considering leaving your religion for something spiritua…
How Now, Brown Cow
“The fact that I am not among the 16.4 million Americans who think chocolate mil…
You Say Potato, I Say Pogrom
Garden City, Idaho looks pretty picturesque. Not so pretty: A candidate for the …
Asking for Forgiveness During Elul
Rabbi Rami explains why he encourages everyone to take part in asking for forgiv…
What Does Science Fiction Tell Us About the Future of Organized Religion?
“Can it be that Judaism will cease to evolve? Yes. The same is true of Christian…
The God Gap
It isn’t that Generation Z is godless, it’s that they no longer buy into (litera…
Why I Find the Death Penalty Problematic
“Seeking the death penalty and securing the death penalty should not obligate us…
How Can I Find a Simple Religion?
Looking for a simple religion to share with your friends? Read on.
When Will I Know It Is Time to Leave?
“I was not surprised when I got an email through my blog, asking me how we Jews …
I Am Not a Robot ... I Think
“I love shouting into the phone screaming Agent! Agent! Agent! It never works.”…
White Supremacy and Judaism: A Response
After the terrorist attack in El Paso, Rabbi Rami is asked about the Tree of Lif…
Do We Need a New God?
“We need a new understanding of God that allows us to leave behind the zero-sum …
Is This Weed Kosher? And Other Burning Questions
Is this weed kosher? Is this rabbi Jewish? Are these Doritos good, or what? …
God Hates Dogs?
“This is what is wrong with religion: it walks into the future with its eyes fir…
What Doesn’t Kill Me Makes Me Funnier
What is my mission here? What is anyone’s mission here? And where can I get a Ha…
Why We Don’t Want State Religion
“To put it bluntly: the more power a religion has, the more power a religion wan…
A New Way to Worship
“I am all about being a human awake to God manifesting as all life.”…
Can God Sue for Unauthorized Use of the Rainbow?
Rabbi Rami claps back at the idea that the rainbow can't be used for gay pride. …
Luciferian Meats: We Answer to a Lower Authority*
Is fake meat the work of Lucifer? Hmm, probably not a spiritual emergency. …
Am I Not Kosher Enough for My Daughter?
Rabbi Rami responds to questions about white supremacy, a loving god, and Christ…
What Astrology Really Tells You
“You may be among the millions of Americans who are curious about, if not seriou…
Honest Feasting: Mourning and Celebrating within Jewish Traditions
Weddings and funerals: Rabbi Rami has an honest conversation about traditions an…
Does Your Religion Bring You Joy?
“Ask yourself: What in your religious and spiritual life brings you joy?”
Kippah Calm and Carry On
After a German official warned Germany’s Jews against wearing kippot in public, …
Stockpiling Nonsense
Rabbi Rami compares and contrasts some of the Trump/Cyrus coins being hawked the…
Mother Knows Best
Rabbi Rami shares his views on the Alabama Fetal Heartbeat legislation. …
Woke God
"Like the God who guides the Mormons, mine too instructs us 'revelation upon rev…
No More Warrior Gods
"If anything we are simply better armed fanatics salivating in anticipation of o…
iFather Who Art(ificially) in Heaven Hallowed Be Thy Code
Contributing editor Rabbi Rami ponders the Sanctified Theomorphic Operators of t…
Better to Bury than to Burn?
Contributing editor Rabbi Rami requests that his memorial service be held at a W…
Barabbas and Jesus Bar Abbas
"Matters become clear when we realize that the Greek name Barabbas comes from th…
Would Humanity Be Better Off With Only One Religion?
In the latest installment of Roadside Assistance, Rabbi Rami answers questions a…
Minimalist Religion, Maximalist Faith
Contributing editor Rabbi Rami asks whether you're a maximalist or a minimalist …
Seeing Isn’t Believing
Seeing is the opposite of believing, writes contributing editor Rabbi Rami. …
Rabbi Rami: Are Psychics Worth It?
I’m seeing a psychic. She isn’t cheap, but she’s very helpful. My friends say sh…
Roadside Assistance in the Holy Land
We asked Rami Shapiro to journey with 30 fellow seekers to this ancient flashpoi…
Dining at the Smorgasbord of World Religions
“Honestly, I had no idea there were so many religions in the world. What I want to know is why that is.”
Rabbi Rami: Is It Trump’s Fault?
Author and teacher Rabbi Rami Shapiro is encouraging Perennial Wisdom to lead us…
Rabbi Rami: Should I Prostrate Myself to My Teacher
Question: My teacher insists we prostrate ourselves to the Father and to him. As…
Rabbi Rami: Am I Morally Bound to Chastise Meat Eaters?
Rabbi Rami answers your spiritual questions.
Book Review: Holy Rascals
Spirituality & Health columnist Rabbi Rami Shapiro won’t tell you that your reli…
Rabbi Rami: As a fundamentalist Christian, am I safe from Muslims?
Question: I consider myself a fundamentalist Christian, and I fear Muslims comin…
Rabbi Rami: What’s Wrong with Being a Disembodied Mind?
Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler
Rabbi Rami: Can God incarnate as both Christ and Krishna?
Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler
Rabbi Rami: Everyone Says “Follow Your Heart.” But How?
Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler
Roadside Assistance Special Edition: Orlando
Rabbi Rami offers his insight to the influx of questions filling his inbox after the tragedy in Orlando in this special edition of Roadside Assistance.
Rabbi Rami: How to Talk with My Astronomer Daughter about God?
Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler
Rabbi Rami: How can I overcome my fear when hearing Allahu Akbar?
Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler
Rabbi Rami: Why Force Christian Bakers to Bake Cakes For Gay Weddings?
Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler
You Are an Infinite Nonzero Game
Excerpted from The Golden Rule & the Games People Play by Rami Shapiro
ISIS: Rabbi Rami Answers Your Questions
Rabbi Rami’s inbox is full of questions about ISIS. In this special edition of R…
Rabbi Rami: How Can I help My Parents Trust God to Provide for Me?
Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler
Rabbi Rami: How Do I Afford to Make a Pilgrimage?
Q: I long to go on a pilgrimage, but lack the funds to do so. Any suggestions?A:…
Rabbi Rami: "I Find Myself Wishing My Dad Would Die?"
Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler
Arjuna Ardagh: Coaching Toward Awakenıng
Rabbi Rami: Your new book, Better Than Sex: The Ecstatic Art of Awakening Coachi…
Lana Dalberg: The Divine Feminine
Rabbi Rami Shapiro spoke to activist and theologian Lana Dalberg about women's s…
Rabbi Rami Shapiro: “How Can I Be Detached About My Children?”
Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler
Rabbi Rami: My Morning Ritual
Before I share what I do regarding spiritual practice, let me share why I do it.…
Rabbi Rami: “How Can I Forgive Myself for my Failed Marriage?”
Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual traveler
TIM RYAN: Leading the "Quiet Caucus"
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Democrat from Ohio, spoke with Rabbi Rami about his efforts to bring more mindfulness to the U.S. Senate.
ASK RABBI RAMI: How can I get my husband to follow my spiritual path?
Over the past few years, I’ve shifted from the material to the spiritual. My hus…
You Are a Part. Not Apart.
The ideal spiritual practice fosters compassion, justice, love, and a sense of unity.
Cultivating the Values of Your Practice
Rabbi Rami shares his personal practice for elevating awareness and compassion to bring thoughts, actions, and values into alignment.
Rabbi Rami: "Is My Friend Responsible for her Cancer?"
My closest friend has stage IV lymphoma. She’s always been a negative person. Co…
Ask Rabbi Rami: "Whose God is the Truest?"
My friends and I have different ideas of God. Is any idea of God truer than any …
Rabbi Rami: How Can I Get My Faith Back?
My dad is dying and angry and takes his frustration out on me. I don’t want to a…
Rabbi Rami's Meditation Tips
I know that meditation is good for me, but I can’t sit still for five minutes…
Tim Miner: Spirituality without Religion
A founder of the Order of Universal Interfaith and the executive director of th…
Making Meaning in Spite of Tragedy
Rabbi Rami Shapiro counsels us to love neighbors and strangers as ourselves.
Enlightenment is to be Lived
My best friend and I are intrigued by enlightenment but can’t define it. What is…
Illuminated by Love: An Interview with Author Camille Helminski
The co-founder of the Threshold Society, an educational foundation rooted in the…
Should Public Schools Teach Religion to Kids?
Reader question: My kids are in a public elementary school that teaches them abo…
Newtown Shootings: If God Exists, Why Do Terrible Things Happen?
My email flooded with questions from readers this weekend regarding the shooting…
Weather or Not to Vote
I just spoke with my dad in western Massachusetts. He and my mom are praying tha…
Bra is Great
Sooraya Graham, a devout Muslim and an art student in British Columbia, took a p…
Former Priest Matthew Fox on 21st Century Spirituality
Two decades being expelled as a priest of the Dominican Order, Matthew Fox has c…
Is There a Male Spirituality?
When my husband and I talk about spirituality, he just doesn’t get it—yet I thin…
Why Vote?
I just read that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) vowed today not to raise ta…
Essential Conversations with Rabbi Rami: 21st Century Spirituality
Former priest Matthew Fox speaks with Rabbi Rami Shapiro about his work, and his new book, modern spirituality, and intergenerational wisdom.
Mrs. Jesus
What is it with these Coptic Christians? Last week one them started a murderous …
What I Want for My Grandchildren
I received an interesting questionnaire while I was away in India. I’m sharing m…
Peace & Harmony vs. Reality
I'm in India as part of a Peace & Harmony conference in honor of the 150th anniv…
Death of My Teacher Bonia Shur
One of my dearest teachers died last Thursday. His name was Bonia Shur, and he w…
Enjoy the Fun of Getting, But Teach the Power of Giving
To these perennial questions, I offer some answers — not to close a conversation…
Scriptures Reflect the Best and Worst Within Us
To these perennial questions, I offer some answers―not to close a conversation b…
Random Reactions to the RNC
As the election season rolls on I become more jaded. I am troubled most by the a…
God Always Answers Our Prayers
God always answers our prayers. Sometimes the answer is “no.” You’ve probably he…
Free Pray State
Missourians vote tomorrow to save prayer in the public square. A proposed amendm…
Let the Competition Begin
People attending the new Islamic Center of Murfreesboro will have to pass by thi…
Chick-Lit
Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy supports traditional Bible family values, and be…
Heroes
“In a place where there are no heroes—be a hero!” This two thousand year o…
Letter to a New Rabbi
[I can't remember who asked me to write this, or if it was ever published, but I…
What’s the Difference Between Jesus and Christ?
You’re a hypocrite. You don’t believe in heaven or hell, and yet you let people …
Enlightenment: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?
I’ve been reading a lot of books about enlightenment lately, and I still don’t h…
Do I Tell My Dying Daughter That I Don’t Believe in Heaven?
My roommate insists it’s impossible to prove the existence of God. I’m not sure.…
The Difference Between Spirituality and Religion?
I know this sounds basic, but what is the difference between religion and spirit…
Do Dings and Divots Reveal Soul?
My mother died suddenly from a heart attack, and I can’t rid myself of the anger…
Can I Still Love My Brother, the Atheist?
My brother and I have been Christians all our lives. Now he says he’s an atheist…
Who's Afraid of Gods?
Just how scared of Satan do you have to be to flee in the face of a non-Christia…
Vive la Difference?
I’m reading The Forward, a wonderful Jewish newspaper, and two articles catch my…
What is the Difference Between Religion and Spirituality?
I’m in recovery and suspect that my addictions keep me from knowing something. B…
Breakfast at Noshville
I’m sitting at the counter in Noshville, Nashville’s New York-style Jewish deli,…
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
In 1968 Mitt Romney allegedly led an alleged assault on an allegedly gay student…
2012 M(a)y(an) Ass
Damn, damn, damn. I don’t know about you but I was planning to enjoy my final mo…
I Have Failed, Part 4
I seem to have opened a can of worms, and I invite you worms to post your commen…
I Have Failed, Part 3
This rant was to have only two parts (you can read Part 1 here, and Part 2 here)…
I Have Failed, Part 2
I split this blog post into two sections so as to not lose the import of the sec…
I Have Failed, Part 1
I’m grading papers this week. One assignment in my Bible class was to rewrite th…
Little Free Library
I spent the last three days with my friend and teacher, Andrew Harvey, at Scarri…
Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan's 13 Wants
I found this online and wanted to share it with you. I wrote my MA thesis on the…
Tablet Wars
Posting the Ten Commandments in government buildings may soon become legal in Te…
The Spiritual Traveler: Why Does God Hate Me?
Rabbi Rami Shapiro is an award-winning author, poet, and teacher. In this column…
Rabbi Rami's Guide to Life's 5 Biggest Questions
Let’s face it. The biggest unknown in a parent’s life is her child. These beings…
This is War
War is hell. And hell—or at least heaven—makes war all the more hell…
The Real War on Christianity
America is an ideal that can never be completely fulfilled. That’s not something…
How Much Do I Love Free Will?
Free will was a hot topic this morning. I was sitting in the Springfield, MO air…
Keep the Doubt
I am often told to keep the faith. The truth is, however, I prefer doubt. Faith …
Why I'm Not A [Blank]
A couple of weeks ago during a Q&A session after a talk I gave I was asked, “Why…
Create Your Own Holy Day
We are entering one of the busiest spiritual seasons of the year, so we asked fo…
Is It Important To Find a Good Spiritual Teacher?
To these perennial questions, I offer some answers — not to close a conversation…
Is Being a Seeker a Poor Example for My Daughter?
To these perennial questions, I offer some answers — not to close a conversation…
Learning to Love
Peggy La Cerra’s “Why Relationships Are So Difficult” ends with a challenge: “Pe…
Trust the Ball
Now that we have two GOP contests under our belt I turned to my trustworthy Magi…
Hosting an Interfaith Harmony Breakfast
The first week in February is World Interfaith Harmony Week. The week was propos…
Great Jews
Rabbi David Wolpe, citing Rav Abraham Isaac Kook, asks a great question in his 1…
Concerning Christmas
Two people emailed me this morning with questions about Christmas. I thought I’d…
I Smell Millenial Spirit
Over the past few months I have visited a variety of synagogues and churches acr…
Email is Great
Email is so great. Just this morning I opened my mail and found 85 messages wai…
Would The World Be Better Off Without Religion?
“I don’t think we can do away with religion or religiosity, but we can shape new…
You Say You Want a Revolution
[This morning while sitting in the Nashville International Airport reading the n…
The Promise of Interfaith
Where can interfaith dialogue take us? I was asked this recently, and want to sh…
I'm a Believer (But Not In the Right Things)
During a wonderful conversation I had this morning it struck me (once again) why…
What I Believe
Every once in a while it is good to sit down and clarify what you believe. I did…
Of Gods and Turtles: An Unpublished Interview
I’ve been giving a few interviews lately. This one, I am told, will not be publi…
Jews for Krishna
The fall issue of Reform Judaism magazine contains a passionate, even angry, att…
Pewless in Seattle
Americans love God, but according to the new Barna Group survey on religion in A…
Pretty? Pay Up!
I’m not wealthy, nor did I ever think I would be, but I always felt I should hav…
Avoid Future Disappointment and Regret
I love watching television. I find it both entertaining and educational. Just th…
If I Had 1,000 Terrorists
“I would waterboard 1,000 terrorists to save one American life.” That’s what th…
Are You Afraid of God?
Are you afraid of God? Millions of Americans seem to be. Their fear is tied to t…
Religion By the Numbers
According to a study by University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor Philip Schwadel…
Jews Are Cool. Judaism? Not So Much.
Jews are cool. Not all of us, of course, but many. Some are humanist and some ar…
The "America First" Pledge
I am envious of Grover Norquist. First, he's named after a Sesame Street charact…
Bad Gods Make Good People
In a recent study of the impact of religious beliefs on human behavior* research…
Does God Favor Abortion?
Is God in favor of abortion? Maybe so. An article in The Tennessean newspaper t…
