Treyf: My Life as an Unorthodox Outlaw
In her memoir, Treyf: My Life as an Unorthodox Outlaw (New American Library), food writer Elissa Altman, who also wrote Poor Man’s Feast, deftly uses kashrut – Judaism’s dietary laws – to portray, both literally and symbolically, the toxic relationships in her dysfunctional Jewish family.
The House by the Lake: One House, Five Families, and a Hundred Years of German History
On the outskirts of Berlin lies the charming lakefront community of Groß Glienicke, where locals and summer visitors enjoy swimming, boating and fishing. Nestled among the medieval village’s structures is the lake house where author Thomas Harding’s grandmother once lived.
Zionism: The Birth and Transformation of an Ideal
Author Milton Viorst wants to know how Theodor Herzl’s vision of a Jewish refuge for a beleaguered people became “a military power where peace and security was thought about exclusively within a military framework.”
A Horse Walks into a Bar
A snail is attacked by a couple of tortoises. When later questioned by the police, the bewildered mollusk replies, “It all happened so quickly.” Here’s another: There is this man whose parrot is excessively foul-mouthed.
Soviet Daughter: A Graphic Revolution
In her graphic novel, Soviet Daughter: A Graphic Revolution, Julia Alekseyeva uses grey scale watercolor to bring warmth and individuality to an often-harrowing tale of three generations of a Russian immigrant family.
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - T'rumah: Building a Just World
In this weekly podcast, we will offer insight into the weekly Torah portion, condensing 2,000 years of Jewish wisdom into just 10 minutes of modern-day commentary. This week Rabbi Rick Jacobs delves deep into parashat T'rumah from the book of Exodus. Enjoy!
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - T'tzaveh: Symbolism in Garments
In this weekly podcast, we will offer insight into the weekly Torah portion, condensing 2,000 years of Jewish wisdom into just 10 minutes of modern-day commentary. This week Rabbi Rick Jacobs delves deep into parashat T'tzaveh from the book of Exodus. Enjoy!
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Ki Tisa: How Do You Center Your Life?
In this weekly podcast, we will offer insight into the weekly Torah portion, condensing 2,000 years of Jewish wisdom into just 10 minutes of modern-day commentary. What is at the center of your life and how do you keep your focus on what matters most?
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Vayak'heil: Community
Do you really think you can find a community without working toward building it too? Rabbi Jacobs challenges us through the ideas of this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Vayak’heil.
Five ways to listen:
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah: K’doshim: Loving Your Neighbor
This week in parashat K'doshim, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, wonders: who is your neighbor? Can you love them even if they are not like you? If—and when—you do, can it change your life and even someone else’s?