Israel
An Israeli Orthodox Feminist Visits JOFA
When I was 17, as part of my high school matriculation requirements, I wrote a paper on the subject of ...
Can You Eat Your Etrog?
Well, first thing’s first: what is an etrog?The etrog is a medium size fruit that sort of looks like a ...
Ginger Glazed Lamb and Beef Lollipops
Any person who has visited Israel knows that a stroll through the shuk (Israeli market) is a multi-sense experience: the bright colors, the sweet ...
Brotherhood of Erstwhile Enemies
We were two Christian Palestinians, four Muslim Palestinians and six Jewish Israelis. The Christians were from Bethlehem, both veterans of ...
Time Flies, And Also, Lasts Forever
Aaron: “I think you’re underestimating how long a minute is.” SBB: “It’s 60 seconds.” The above conversation happened late at ...
What Should Rabbis Be Speaking About on Rosh Hashanah?
The High Holy Days are three weeks away. Phone conversations with colleagues nearly always begin with, “Are you ready?” and ...
To Feel More Connected, Get Physically Closer to the Torah
When you see an adorable baby, a stunning gem, or an intricately illustrated medieval Hagaddah, don’t you feel a yearning to ...
A Tale of Two Tragedies
Israel is the most uplifting place in the world, and on my trip there last week I felt the usual ...
“I Represent the Jewish Community.”
“I represent the Jewish community,” is not a statement that can be made today. There is no one “Jewish community.” ...
What Tisha B’Av Can Learn From Ramadan
I did not fast during Ramadan. But I did somehow experience a little bit of the meaning of the Muslim ...
Appointing Judges Shouldn’t Be Taken Lightly
The Torah portion called Shoftim, the Hebrew word for judges, is always read at the beginning of the new month ...
We Need Radical Pluralism
This was a rough week for Israeli-American Jewish relations. The New York Times reported the embarrassing story “Israeli Minister Says ...