The Italian Executioners: The Genocide of the Jews of Italy
Simon Levis Sullam, who teaches modern history at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, has written a well-researched book that shatters the widely-held belief that Italians were brava gente, “good people,” who protected their Jewish fellow citizens from the horrors of the Holocaust.
Promised Land: A Novel of Israel
Martin Fletcher, the former NBC bureau chief in Israel, describes his 409-page novel in three words: “Exodus meets ‘Dallas.’” And indeed it is.
The Family Tabor
What do we choose to show to others, and what do we keep hidden? How do we curate our public face?
Defining Israel: The Jewish State, Democracy, and the Law
Defining Israel: The Jewish State, Democracy, and the Law (HUC Press) is a dense, essential volume for anyone who wants to unpack the maze of documentation and thought at the heart of
A Bookshop in Berlin: The Rediscovered Memoir of One Woman's Harrowing Escape from the Nazis
Rabbi James Rudin reviews A Bookshop in Berlin, a story of survival and resilience, of human cruelty and human spirit.
A Tribute to Debbie Friedman, Who Helped Me Understand and Love Judaism
Editor's Note: This piece was originally published on January 13, 2011, immedately following the death of beloved Jewish musician Debbie Friedman, z"l. How did Debbie Friedman's music impact your life?
In Israel, Fighting for Equality in Education
Education is the key to success. This axiom seems so intuitive that the idea of a major segment of a country’s population excluding itself from basic education seems ridiculous.
Opening the Door, at Passover and Always
There is a moment during the N'ilah service on Yom Kippur that stays with me, always. I want to say that it haunts me, but that's really not the right image. It's more a flooding, a rushing-out-and-rushing-in-at-the-exact-same-moment kind of thing.
The Torah In Haiku: Ki Tisa
This portion includes G-d's "Middot HaRachamim"* A prayer for Selichot*
Footsteps in History
As I hiked along the trail, I was amazed by the silence. There is something quietly powerful about walking in the steps of others. Who were these people? Where are they now? Are they happy? These people who knew hardships that I will never know.