A numinous dream, last Wednesday: I am on Kibbutz Ein Dor, near the city of Afula in Northern Israel, visiting…
Spirituality vs. Religion
It’s possible to define “spirituality” as engagement with direct experience of the holy, and “religion” as an established system for…
Life's Night and Day (short)
Jacob runs away from conflict with his brother Esau and heads for the City of Haran. That night, Torah says,…
Remembering Freddy
Each year, on Remembrance Day weekend, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice hosts a memorial service called “Remembering Our Children.” This year,…
Jacob's Ladder to...Where?
In the dream image of Jacob’s ladder, angelic messengers are coming down and going up. In Torah, characters sometimes interpret…
A Mystical Vision
Last week, I had a mystical experience. As I took my seat on an airplane flying from Toronto to Vancouver,…
Death and Rebirth
If I lived alone on Planet Laura, I would stop writing about the Pew survey of American Jews, in protest against…
The Condiments Mitzvah
Each year, before Passover, I take a critical look at my refrigerator. Especially at the shelf on the inside of…
Hearing the Angel's Voice
Sarah is upset. She wants Hagar and Hagar’s son Yishmael out of the household. Avraham resists, upset on behalf of…