I have very distinct memories about growing up as part of what was then a very small Jewish community in Buffalo Grove, IL.

I guess everything having to do with your background has some influence on how you tell stories but it's hard to parse how growing up in a Jewish community in Minnesota really affected it.

Since 1985, I have written about contemporary Jewish practice and the Jewish community.

Do you remember how you felt at seventeen? I do and I don't (...) Imagine you came from outer space and someone showed you a butterfly and a caterpillar. Would you ever put the two of them together? That's me and my memories.

Working with the Jewish community is essential to me and what I stand for.

The Jewish community has always taken care of its own.