A River Reporter Blog

Wavelengths — by Rabbi Lawrence S. Zierler

Rabbi Lawrence S. Zierler is the president and CEO of Sayva Associates, an elder-care practice based in Sullivan County. He has served as a pulpit rabbi, hospital and hospice chaplain, Jewish …

Bedridden Ruminations

I have had Crohn's disease for almost 50 years. This means I have had a ringside seat not only to what was once referred to as a 20th-century illness that was treated with 19th-century medicine for …

‘Dayainu’

One of the most popular songs sung at the Passover Seder—the well-observed home-based ritual of the holiday—is “Dayainu,” which literally means “It would have been …

Value-added vaccines for all

For so many people, rolling up their sleeves to receive a greatly awaited stab at the Coronavirus was a no-brainer.

Three memorable visitors

The Bible at the beginning of Genesis 18 records a scene of Abraham the Patriarch sitting at the opening of his tent just after having undergone his late-in-life ritual circumcision.

A coping plan for COVID and its aftermath

Much ink has been spilled on efforts to address the emotional and functional challenges of living through COVID and its now perceived aftermath.

'Menschlachkeit' on Main Street

The word "mensch," in the Yiddish language, means a good and giving person. And "menschlachkeit" is the expanded term that denotes this total behavioral approach that is concerned with doing the right thing for humankind and community.

When less is more

I recently saw a New York City Health Department television ad encouraging people to trust and take the COVID vaccine. It presents a series of questions and answers. In a slide …

All in the Family

We have a neighbor who is originally from Pakistan and is a successful entrepreneur with businesses in the area run by him and members of his extended family. Every so often he picks up another house to add to a small personal portfolio to situate relatives who have settled here or might be visiting, to work in his stores.

Who asked for this life anyway?

In Judaism, it is customary among the many acts of social kindness to wish other parents what we call “nachas,” joy or pleasure from their children. A principal goal shared across …

Standing up for controversial monuments

I am at a real loss to understand the current grip of cancel culture that has been no less remarkable and confusing than in the incessant demands by so many to tear down and/or remove numerous monuments that honor controversial personalities.

Will anyone still care?

In these troubled and tragic COVID-19 times, there has been no end to our need to mourn. We have all suffered personal losses of family, friends and professional partners. In the words of the Bible, …