Mar 24, 2026 | Eshel Out Loud
Every year, on the 15th of Nissan, Jews around the world gather around tables, with their families and friends, in their own homes and as guests, to partake in the Seder—a meditation on our freedom. The Seder, while a meditation, is far from peaceful. The Seder, broken up into fifteen dramatic acts, full of ritual [more]
Feb 24, 2026 | Eshel Out Loud
The Megillah is, among its many faces, a story about the complexities of identity. A number of its characters are imposters of sorts, struggling to be something that they are not. However, according to Rabbi Yonason Eibshitz, while this may be true of Achashverosh, Haman and even Esther, Mordechai alone does not live a [more]
Aug 29, 2025 | Eshel Out Loud
As a closeted Orthodox kid, I internalized explicit and implicit messages about my identity that led me to self-censor various forms of expression, out of fear that doing so would expose that I was gay. Weekly, this fear would manifest at my family’s Shabbat table, a time and place usually filled with great food, bonding, [more]
May 9, 2025 | Eshel Out Loud
For years I have grappled with the pasuk in this week’s parsha: וְאֶ֨ת־זָכָ֔ר לֹ֥א תִשְׁכַּ֖ב מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אִשָּׁ֑ה תּוֹעֵבָ֖ה הִֽוא׃ Starting around 13 years old, I began to feel immense guilt and shame whenever this pasuk was read aloud in shul, usually by the Rabbi, who also happened to be my father. I thought that Hashem [more]
Apr 22, 2025 | Eshel Out Loud
Growing up, I often felt invisible. As the fifth of six children, it was easy to fly under the radar as one of the middle children. Although my parents gave us all loving attention, I could be easily tucked away and go unnoticed in my family. To garner individual attention amongst all my siblings, I [more]
