Charles E. Savenor, at The Blogs

Charles E. Savenor

Sep 11, 2026, 1:25 AM

Rosh Hashanah poses a question that is at once deeply personal and profoundly communal: Can we change? The holiday’s prayers and our selichot insist that we can. We are not prisoners of habit, reputation, or past mistakes. Yet the Torah...

Jun 21, 2026, 9:12 AM

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To infinity and beyond: The wisdom of Toy Story

Like Woody the cowboy, I used to worry my kids would outgrow me. Instead, I have new assignments

Jun 4, 2026, 7:31 AM

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A story larger than ourselves

On the 250th anniversary of US independence, we need a 'Seder': Gathering to ask questions, tell stories, and ponder what freedom demands of us today

Mar 25, 2026, 8:28 PM

Pulling Back the Curtain on the Call to Service

One hundred years ago, a mother of five opened the curtains in her apartment. With light streaming in, this Russian-born immigrant could only marvel at the blessing of her new life in America, as well as the dawn of...

Mar 23, 2026, 6:20 AM

The Home We Take With Us

At the heart of Maggid we declare: “Arami oved avi.” Resisting simplicity, this phrase can mean, “An Aramean sought to destroy my father,” or “My father was a wandering Aramean.” The Haggadah expands upon the former, recounting threat and...

Nov 14, 2025, 6:07 AM

The Milestone We Missed

A significant milestone of American political history passed this August with almost no acknowledgment. Twenty-five years ago, when Al Gore chose Senator Joseph Lieberman, an Orthodox Jew, as his running mate, it marked the first time in our nation’s...

Jul 15, 2025, 8:06 AM

Are Jewish Heritage Tours of NYC in Our Future?

“This is where the Jews used to live,” I’ve told numerous Jewish heritage travel groups over the years. This type of tourism that combines education, remembrance, and genealogical discovery has been a significant part of my career as an...

Jul 8, 2025, 7:41 AM

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Is Superman still relevant?

Devoid of Batman's inner turmoil and Ironman’s arrogance, the superhero's moral clarity feels outdated – but it's just what's needed

May 30, 2025, 1:15 AM

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We are not hiding

Every time we minimize hate-filled aggressions, we normalize them - like that time I didn't respond to the guy harassing me (and nobody else did either)

May 8, 2025, 6:10 AM

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When my mother told me to leave

When grief suspended time, her courageous – and surprising – response set me back on track to take my first steps towards healing

About Me

Rabbi Charlie Savenor is the Executive Director of Civic Spirit. He writes about Jewish life, parenting, and civic education. He is co-editor of "American Torah at 250" (September 2026) and is writing a book called "What My Father Couldn't Tell Me." Charlie is a recipient of the 2026 Covenant Foundation's Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.

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