Saundra Sterling Epstein, at The Blogs

Jul 26, 2024, 12:13 AM

About twenty years ago or so, when I was working in a Community Jewish Day School in the Greater Philadelphia area, two of my students approached me in my office and asked almost sheepishly if I really meant it...

Mar 5, 2024, 8:39 PM

A charm I bought, the wisdom of a 17-year-old Arab Muslim, and so much more….

My husband and I were in Israel for almost three weeks in December – January. It was clearly a different experience given the reality of life in this land of my heart at this juncture. A dear cousin reminded...

Dec 20, 2023, 7:24 PM

Where Are My Multi-Faith Groups When I Need Them Most?

“People are in so much pain, we just can’t talk to each other right now.” “I don’t have the bandwidth now for any group except for my own.” “My partner in this work just totally destroyed me with their vitriol.” “I feel...

Nov 10, 2023, 8:05 PM

Holding Multiple Truths Simultaneously

I feel like we are all in a boxing ring. You are either on one side or the other and each is so wrapped up in themselves they can no longer see the other. As an Orthodox observant Jew...

About Me

Dr. Saundra Sterling Epstein (Sunnie) earned her B.A., M.S. and Ed.D at the University of Pennsylvania. Sunnie directs BeYachad , bringing Jewish living and learning together and has been teaching texts, reaching and inspiring students and looking at challenging issues in the world in which we live and how to bring these three together for decades. She has published widely in a variety of venues on a variety of topics, including Women in Faith, Inclusion of LGBTQ Members in our Communities of Faith, Environmental Sustainability, Prayer, G-d Talk, the importance of Interfaith and Intrafaith Dialogue, Israeli-Palestinian Relations Beyond the Conflict, and so many others. Sunnie presently is Director of the Welcoming Shuls and Communities Project of ESHEL, the National LGBT Inclusion Consortium for the Orthodox Jewish Community, gives shiyurim in various communities, serves on the leadership team a Multi-Faith Coalition and continues to develop creative ways of teaching texts. Her book, Life Journeys: Stepping Back and Moving Forward was published in February 2017 and is available through Amazon.com.