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Ari Rubenstein

08
May
Partial view of the porch of the Friend Smithsonian Museum on a sunny morning. Silver horse statuettes prance on the porch roof. Tulips—red, orange, and pink—bloom in the foreground.

A moment of marvel / weekend welcome

Or perhaps a Shabbat blessing / weekend wish.
4 min read
27
Apr
Fluffy dark clouds, mostly obscuring a blue sky, over palm trees along Ocean Drive in Corpus Christi. In the background, the water of the bay and the city skyline are visible.

What happened at midnight in the parking lot of a bar in Corpus Christi, Texas?

On stories turned upside-down.
7 min read
20
Feb
The Purple Titanic logo - Titanic, hand drawn in black ink, plowing at full steam through a wave, on a deep purple background - with a party hat above its smokestacks.

Happy Birthday, Purple T

On crawling and trying out words and (only occasionally) crying.
2 min read
17
Feb
Two boxy, rust-colored metal sculptures in golden, late-afternoon light. In the background, a grassy hilltop and bright blue sky. The moon rises just above the monument.

A surprise ray of hope on a mountain, and in last week's news

On monuments and silver linings and better things to come.
7 min read
19
Jan
View of hundreds of people bundled against the cold at a rally in Boston. Two skyscrapers in the background. A sign in the foreground reads “Justice For ICE Victims 32 Deaths in 2025.”

“Thirty people is a lot. Isn’t it?”

On holding humanity amidst “they deserved it.”
7 min read
31
Dec
Two dark-haired people (I’m one of them) in “Join the Global Campaign” t-shirts holding out a clipboard under sunny skies on the Boston Common.

How about a whole bunch of good news? (A celebrating-the-wins retrospective)

On how we’ve shown up, to propel us into the new year.
8 min read
02
Dec
Map of the world with pins featuring the Giving Tuesday heart logo in every country.

What if we gave away, like, a LOT? (a provocation-invitation)

On giving the change we wish to see in the world.
6 min read
14
Oct
Foreground: A black-and-white “FOR SALE sign” with yellow flowers around it. Background: A green lawn and white house with black shutters on a sunny day.

How do I say goodbye to the house on Hopeful Lane?

On grappling with the turning of generations.
14 min read
28
Sep
View of the Mystic River between tree branches. Fall colors are just starting to appear on the green leaves. A high-rise in Assembly Square is visible across the water.

What if I could slow down? (Reflections on the turning of the year)

On moving at the pace of human beings... not machines.
5 min read
26
Aug
Left: The Titan submersible illuminated underwater. Right: Painting of the Titanic at its sea trials in Belfast, surrounded by onlookers in smaller seacraft.

Remember the Titan?

On hope amidst the men and icebergs.
4 min read