On October 17, I was “Roasted and Toasted” by Mayyim Hayyim at joyful, silly fundraiser held at a nightclub called Guilt. (A roomful of Jewish mothers at Guilt? Can’t make that up.) It was one of the best nights of my life and there is no way I’ll ever thank everyone who worked and donated on behalf of…

Turning my kid into a theater nerd was not planned but probably inevitable. I remember Showboat, too, and the out–of-town gentleman who took such pleasure in Emilia’s delight. She walked out of the theater gob-smacked and hooked. My first non-work-related overnight away from my one-and-only child occurred in 1993 when Jim and I went to…

When I told people I was going swimming in the Charles, the response was either “Ewww,” or, “Can I come too?” When an email from Charles River Conservancy offered me the chance to take part in the first community swim in 50 years, I didn’t hesitate. I have been crazy in love with the Charles…

Woe is me. Jon Stewart is on sabbatical for the summer. I ought to be used to his absence. The Daily Show disappears for a full week every time the rest of us have a three-day-weekend: Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day …  The hardest working man in show business Jon is not. Even…

  Today, I was given two great honors by Hebrew College in Newton, MA: awarded an honorary doctorate and asked to address the graduating class of educators, cantors and rabbis. Here’s what I said:     Hebrew College Commencement Address June 2, 2013 According to that famous Chinese proverb, “it is a curse to live…

So last year, I was invited to be on a panel at an event celebrating the 35th anniversary of MOMENT MAGAZINE. It was a real honor to be on the dais with such luminaries as Bob Mankoff, Kenneth Feinberg, Robert Seigel, Judea Pearl and Stephen Trachtenberg. The moderator was Moment’s terrific editor Nadine Epstein. And…

A few years ago, I had the great joy of writing lyrics to and for the beautiful melodies of my friend, the jazz composer and pianist Bert Seager. This one seems heart-breakingly appropriate in the current moment. ANTHEM Last night I heard the music Songs from a broken heart Out of a ravaged city Where…

My daughter and I trade posts in our Mother Daughter Mashup blog. She gave her feelings voice in a poem. I think it’s beautiful. But then, I’m her mother motherdaughtermashup.wordpress.com 

Passing the TorchNew blog post on Mother-Daughter Mashup https://motherdaughtermashup.wordpress.com