Building A Jewish Framework To Live By
These essays are written by strong women who are strong thinkers, well-versed in articulating Jewish teachings and values. Judaism provides the foundation and the framework of their lives. For this writing endeavor, each woman looked at her life experience through her “Jewish lens,” and chose a single snapshot to share.
After One-Hundred-and-Twenty: Reflecting on Death, Mourning, and the Afterlife in the Jewish Tradition
I know I’m not alone in wrestling with my own mortality. I was asked these questions many times during my rabbinic career as people aged and as loved ones died – but never did I think they related to me personally. Now I find myself looking for answers to these questions, and I’ve found answers in Hillel Halkin’s After One-Hundred-and-Twenty: Reflecting on Death, Mourning, and the Afterlife in the Jewish Tradition.
The Mandela Plot
Adolescence, otherness, and Apartheid make a literally explosive cocktail in National Jewish Book Award winner Kenneth Bonert’s new novel, The Mandela Plot. Half hyperbolic adventure and half historical fiction, Bonert elevates his unlikely hero, Martin Helger, to almost mythic status, while reminding readers both of South Africa’s Jewish diaspora and the horrors of Apartheid.
Thinking About Science, Judaism, Time Machines
Until a few days ago, I had never thought about building a time machine. I had never thought about flying a drone. I had never thought about editing files (other than Word Documents or Excel spreadsheets) in the guts of a computer. Now, I’m thinking about all of those things.
Are Anti-Abortion Laws Un-Jewish?
Last month, the governor of Louisiana signed a bill that will close three of the state’s five abortion facilities. Several days later, the only medical provider offering abortion care in northern Alabama shut down. And by September, Texas is expected to have only six abortion clinics.
On Tishah B'Av, Turning Remembrance Into Action
Tishah B'Av in a Time of Rockets, Tunnels, and Death
As I watched Israel's Iron Dome intercept a Hamas rocket, I began to get some insight into why we mourn on the Ninth of Av.
The People of Israel Are Living
Monday felt like the longest day of my life. Maybe it was, actually. Monday was two days for the price of one, thanks to 18 hours of travel time.
Standing With Israel: My Experience at a Solidarity Rally
The gathering in 1986 in Dag Hammaarskjold Plaza is still firmly etched in my memory.
President Rivlin and Reform: Drawing Closer, Despite Differences
I hadn’t planned on spending three days in Israel last week, but with Hamas’s war against the people of Israel, I knew I had to be there.