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At Passover, celebrants read the Haggadah, which tells the story of the Jews’ slavery under the Egyptian Pharaoh and their Exodus out of his land. They’re in such a hurry that they don’t even let the bread rise — hence, matzoh.... Read more

As I write this it is Easter, season of confession and atonement, sacrifice and resurrection, a time to celebrate miracles and renew faith in innocence.

I speak, of course, of politics and of politicians, mortals of whom we expect sin yet demand innocence; people who, being mortals, rarely live down to our expectations or up to our demands.... Read more

As a kid in the 1960s, I went to a camp where competitive sports were viewed as mildly distasteful, if not explicitly frowned upon. Sure, we gathered in the evenings for rowdy bouts of “Capture the Flag.” On hot days there was “Sink ’Em,” which involved attempting to deluge or capsize the other team’s rowboat while madly bailing your own — mostly an excuse for unfettered splashing.... Read more

A women’s magazine I used to write for kept a large three-ring binder filled with story ideas. One section was called “Emo,” though, this being a women’s magazine, all the features were about emotions. Most of them were negative ones, which, presumably, the right shoes or handbag would clear right up (See: Accessories, page 116).

The problem was, the ideas rarely reflected anything like real life. At one point, the binder was stuffed with crying: “Have a good cry!” “There, there, don’t cry! “What if he cries?” And this one: “Women who cry at work.”... Read more

The brochure is celestial blue with wafting clouds. Its cover is darkest, suggesting a lowering storm; each successive panel grows lighter. The logo is a dove. Last week’s two-day San Francisco conference “Reclaiming Fatherhood: A Multifaceted Examination of Men Dealing with Abortion” clearly hoped to move men in a heavenly direction.... Read more

Phew. We made it through another Halloween with no American child bursting into flame.

For this we can thank the Consumer Product Safety Commission, whose Halloween Safety Alert admonished parents to dress children in flame-retardant costumes, emboss their bags and clothes with reflective tape, and make sure they were wearing sensible shoes: “Mother’s high heels are not a good idea for safe walking.” It also suggested keeping minors away from candle-lit jack-o’-lanterns.... Read more

Don't ask me if MoveOn's Petraeus/"Betray-Us" advertisement in The New York Times was good for the left, the right, the president, the war, the country or the Jews. All I know is, it's a sure sign of the creeping militarism of a political culture when you can't insult a general without everybody leaping down your throat.... Read more

Shame gets a bad name in America, and most of the time yours truly can be found among its detractors. Especially where sex is concerned — and in America, sex is usually concerned — my judgments are few. If it’s safe and consensual, I say, hold your head high.... Read more

As you read this, I am on vacation. That’s not something many can say in this country. Only 14 percent of American workers get a paid vacation of two weeks or more. One in three women (including me) and one in four men get no paid time at all. By contrast, every European country guarantees four or five weeks off, and even the famously industrious Japanese get a minimum of two. In fact, ours is the only developed nation that does not legally protect its citizens’ downtime.... Read more

Two weeks ago attorneys for Donald Fell, the first person sentenced to death in Vermont in 50 years, brought an appeal to save his life. Last week, Rachel Lawler, a Woodbury College pre-law student, was convicted of holding a banner reading “Stop Executions” on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.... Read more