Rabbi Ruth Adar (she/her)is passionate about making the wisdom of Judaism accessible to beginners from all backgrounds through teaching and home hospitality. She holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Tennessee, an M.A. in religious studies from the University of Chicago, and an M.A. in Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. She is a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Rabbi Adar blogs at Coffee Shop Rabbi.
At a very young age, I absorbed the message that illness and disability were things to be ashamed of, and so I hid my troubles in shame. In short, I cheated myself.
If you use a Jewish calendar, you may have noticed this notation: “Tzom Tammuz,” the Fast of Tammuz. Read on to learn about the fast and what it signifies.
Last week’s vandalism of a synagogue in California was more upsetting in the wake of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville. Learn how the community responsed.
We must not judge people by their looks, even though the ancient wiring in our brains urges us to do so. As Jews, we are given mitzvot (commandments) about how to treat people precisely because our instincts can deceive us.